Lakers Schedule 2020: Clippers, Mavericks Among Early-Season Opponents For NBA Champs

The defending NBA champions barely had time to enjoy their title with the shortest offseason in league history coming to an end. The Los Angeles Lakers will kick off the 2020-21 season starting on Dec. 22 with matchups against their biggest threat in the West and the MVP favorite.

For the second straight year, the Lakers will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the season opener. The local rivals will take part in one of two games on NBA Opening Night.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis proved to be the NBA's top duo during their championship run. Despite their disappointing second-round playoff exit, the Clippers probably have the second-best pair of stars in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Leonard is only 18 months removed from winning the 2019 Finals MVP award.

The Lakers’ second game comes on Christmas Day, and their opponent doesn’t get much easier. Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks will visit Staples Center on Dec. 25.

Doncic is poised to be basketball’s next transcendent superstar. The 21-year-old just averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in his second NBA season. Sportsbooks give Doncic the best odds to win the 2021 NBA MVP award, putting him ahead of back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Lakers are scheduled to play five regular-season games before 2020 comes to a close. L.A. will host the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Portland Trail Blazers in back-to-back games on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. The Lakers play their first road game of the year on Dec. 30 when they visit the San Antonio Spurs.

Portland is the toughest matchup of those three opponents. Damian Lillard set career-highs with 30.0 points and 8.0 assists per game last season, and he was named the MVP of the NBA Bubble. The Blazers beat the Lakers in the opener of their first-round playoff series before Los Angeles won four straight to eliminate Portland.

The Lakers had the best record in the West last season before going 16-5 in the playoffs en route to winning the NBA Finals.