The NBA’s preseason is underway, with over half the league taking part in exhibition games before the real season kicks off on October 27.
Of course, the defending champion Golden State Warriors are the team that the league is chasing, with reigning league MVP Stephen Curry and a majority of the roster returning, looking to earn back-to-back championships. In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs have loaded up for one more run with their core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili by signing the most sought-after free agent during the offseason, LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have new head coach Billy Donovan to steer the ship that holds Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter after a season that was plagued by injury. There’s the emergence of Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans who tasted their first playoff action last season, with the Los Angeles Clippers coming away unscathed in the DeAndre Jordan fiasco during the summer to keep their title hopes intact.
In the East, it’s all about LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who battled through a myriad of injuries en route to an NBA Finals appearance. Although the Cavaliers lost, a projected healthy roster has them the odds-on favorite to win an NBA title in Las Vegas.
But the preseason is a time where teams can ease into the start of a long grind, while also giving NBA fans an opportunity to see their favorite teams at a lesser price. With information provided by TiqIQ.com, below are a few of the most and least expensive average ticket prices for the NBA preseason on the secondary market.
10/15/2015 | Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets | Oracle Arena | Average Price: $184.89 | Get-in Price: $32 | Andre Iguodala MVP Bobblehead
10/13/2015 | Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings | MGM Grand Garden Arena | Average Price: $179.03 | Get-in Price: $36
10/23/2015 | Chicago Bulls vs. Dallas Mavericks | Pinnacle Bank Arena | Average Price: $161.83 | Get-in Price: $44
10/11/2015 | Washington Wizards vs. Bauru | Verizon Center | Average Price: $17 | Get-in Price: $2
10/9/2015 | Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic | Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Average Price: $23 | Get-in Price: $3
The most expensive preseason game yet to be played is when the Golden State Warriors reward their top-of-the-line fans with a Andre Iguodala Finals MVP bobblehead upon entrance into Oracle Arena with an average ticket price of $184.89 and a get-in price of $32. That contest occurs on October 15, when the Warriors host the Houston Rockets, the team they beat in last year’s Western Conference Finals.
Other top games include the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Sacramento Kings at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the Chicago Bulls playing the Dallas Mavericks at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
On the inexpensive side, the Washington Wizards host Brazilian professional team Baura at the Verizon Center for the cheapest game of the preseason. NBA fans looking to see one of the game’s top talents in John Wall can use Hipmunk.com for cheap Washington D.C. flights for one of the least expensive NBA experiences of the year. Hipmunk has hotels near the Verizon Center starting from $83 to complete the trip.
The second cheapest preseason game is a home game for the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, having an average price of $23 and a get-in price of only $3.