<Li> Utah Jazz--Qualtrics </Li> <Ul> <Li> On July 6, 2017, the NBA unveiled an update to its logo, featuring new typography and a modified color scheme . </Li> <Li> The regular season started eight days earlier than the previous season . This move by the NBA aims for fewer "back - to - back" games, even fewer than the previous season which had already reached an all - time low to help address teams that are "resting" their superstars . </Li> <Li> The NBA decreased the maximum number of timeouts in a regulation game from 18 to 14 . The three team timeouts during the last two minutes of the game were also decreased to two per team in the last three minutes to improve the flow and pace of the game . </Li> <Li> The trade deadline was moved from four days after the NBA All - Star Game to ten days before it, so teams can settle their rosters before the All - Star break . </Li> <Li> Free - throw shooters will be assessed a delay - of - game violation if they venture outside of the three - point line in between attempts . </Li> <Li> The NBA also added two - way contracted players, signifying an increasing partnership between the NBA and the newly branded NBA G League . </Li> <Li> Referees can now assess dangerous closeouts of defenders to jump shooters with little space to land for a technical or a flagrant foul . Informally dubbed as the "Zaza rule". Also, officials can now assess if a player is in a shooting motion when determining if a perimeter foul is a shooting or a common foul . The type of foul will be determined on the sequencing of the player's movement if the foul happened before or after the player starts a shooting motion . Additionally, they can also assess an offensive foul if an offensive player intentionally lunged into the defender or locked arms to create contact, a rule informally dubbed as the "Harden rule". </Li> <Li> On September 28, 2017, the NBA board of governors approved the changes to draft lottery system to discourage teams from losing on purpose . Starting with the 2018--19 NBA season, the teams with three worst records will have equal odds at the #1 pick . In addition, the revised draft lottery will consist of selecting the top four teams instead of the usual three that occurred for over two decades . The approval for the change was nearly unanimous, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder voting against and the Dallas Mavericks abstaining from voting . </Li> <Li> On October 3, 2017, the NBA and NBPA announced the changes to the NBA All - Star Game format . The vote leaders for each conferences will be assigned as team captains and will be able to select players from the rest of the starters and the reserves, regardless of the conference they play in, to form their own teams . The newly formed teams will also play for a charity of choice to help the games remain competitive . This marks the first time, the conferences will not play against each other since the inaugural All - Star game . Selection process will remain the same . </Li> <Li> On October 17, 2017, during the season opener with the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Boston Celtics, Gordon Hayward landed awkwardly on his ankle with his behind after attempting an alley - oop off a pass from Kyrie Irving . He suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia five minutes into the game in his debut as a Celtic . </Li> <Li> On October 18, 2017, Brooklyn Nets point guard Jeremy Lin fell to the ground hard after making a layup when playing the Indiana Pacers, causing him to miss the entire season . He suffered a ruptured patellar tendon of his right knee . </Li> <Li> That same day, in the season opening game for the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns, the Trail Blazers would defeat the Suns 124 - 76 in what would be the greatest deficit for a season - opening game in league history . </Li> <Li> On October 19, 2017, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook recorded his 80th career triple - double . </Li> <Li> On October 25, 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, normally a frontcourt player, recorded his 56th career triple - double and 1st career triple - double as starting point guard . </Li> <Li> That same day, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook recorded his 81st career triple - double . </Li> <Li> On October 28, 2017, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook recorded his 82nd career triple - double, becoming the first player in NBA history to record a triple double against all 29 opposing teams . </Li> <Li> On November 3, 2017, LeBron James scored 57 points for the night and his 29,000 th career point, becoming the youngest player, and just the seventh overall, to reach that mark (32 years, 309 days). LeBron James also passed both Kevin Garnett for 12th on the NBA's all - time field goals list (with 10,506 career field goals to his name) and passed John Havlicek for 11th on the NBA's all - time field goals list with 10,514 career field goals . </Li> </Ul> <Li> On July 6, 2017, the NBA unveiled an update to its logo, featuring new typography and a modified color scheme . </Li> <Li> The regular season started eight days earlier than the previous season . This move by the NBA aims for fewer "back - to - back" games, even fewer than the previous season which had already reached an all - time low to help address teams that are "resting" their superstars . </Li>

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