Your Complete Guide to the 2019-20 NBA Preseason Schedule and Key Matchups

I remember sitting in my favorite armchair last October, the faint smell of autumn leaves drifting through my window as I scrolled through my phone. The screen glowed with dates and team names that would soon dominate my evenings for months to come. That familiar preseason excitement bubbled up inside me - that special feeling basketball fans get when the long offseason drought finally ends. It was time to dive into your complete guide to the 2019-20 NBA preseason schedule and key matchups, though little did any of us know then what kind of season awaited.

The first matchup that caught my eye was Lakers vs Warriors on October 5th at Chase Center. LeBron versus Steph in a brand-new arena - it felt like the basketball gods were giving us an early Christmas present. I immediately texted my cousin, a die-hard Warriors fan, and we made plans to watch together despite living three states apart. There's something magical about those preseason games where you get to see new teammates figuring each other out, like watching puzzle pieces slowly finding their place. The Lakers had just assembled their new superteam with Anthony Davis, while the Warriors were adjusting to life without Kevin Durant. I remember thinking how different both teams looked compared to just six months earlier.

As I kept scrolling through the schedule, my mind drifted to something I'd read recently from the Philippine women's basketball team. One player had mentioned, "Kaming mga Alas Pilipinas went through that. Comparing to us, kaming women's, nag-go through na rin kami du'n na mga bata kasama." That sentiment about growing together as a team resonated deeply with me while looking at these preseason matchups. These exhibition games aren't just about wins and losses - they're about building chemistry, about veterans mentoring rookies, about coaches experimenting with lineups that might seem crazy in regular season but could reveal hidden strengths. The Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George needed to figure out how their two superstars would coexist, while the Rockets had the fascinating experiment of Russell Westbrook and James Harden reuniting after all these years.

I circled October 8th on my calendar - Celtics vs Hornets. Not exactly a marquee matchup for most fans, but as a basketball romantic, I couldn't wait to see Kemba Walker facing his former team for the first time. There's always this bittersweet feeling watching players suit up against their old squads, like watching an ex at a party looking happier without you. The preseason gives us these emotional storylines without the high stakes of regular season, letting us appreciate the human side of these athletes. I remember making popcorn and settling in for that game, noticing how Kemba seemed to be trying just a little too hard in the first quarter before settling into his rhythm.

What many casual fans don't realize is that the preseason tells us so much about coaching philosophies. Teams like the Spurs always use these games to test their system's limits, while younger squads like the Grizzlies with Ja Morant treat them as extended tryouts. The Mavericks had 7 preseason games scheduled, giving Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis plenty of time to develop their two-man game. Meanwhile, the Heat with Jimmy Butler had only 4 preseason matchups, suggesting their coaching staff preferred more practice time over game situations. These subtle differences in approach often foreshadow how teams will handle the grueling 82-game season.

The international games particularly fascinated me that preseason. The Rockets and Raptors playing in Tokyo on October 8th and 10th showed the NBA's continued global push, though the travel fatigue concerned me for both teams' early season form. Having watched basketball for over twenty years, I've noticed teams that start with international preseason games often struggle in November, something about jet lag affecting their rhythm. Still, there's nothing quite like seeing the NBA bring its product to passionate international fans who might never get to see these stars otherwise.

As I finished reviewing your complete guide to the 2019-20 NBA preseason schedule and key matchups, I couldn't help but feel that peculiar mix of anticipation and nostalgia. The preseason represents both an ending and beginning - the conclusion of offseason speculation and the start of a new journey. Those 49 total preseason games across 19 days gave us glimpses of what was to come: Zion Williamson's explosive debut, the Lakers' eventual championship chemistry forming, the Warriors' adjustment to their new reality. Like the Alas Pilipinas women's team growing through their experiences together, these NBA teams were beginning their own journeys of discovery, and we lucky fans got front row seats to watch it all unfold.