NBA season to start Oct. 17 to cut down on back-to-backs

NBA fans won't have to wait as long as usual to watch their favorite players return to action.

In an effort to reduce the number of back-to-backs, the 2017-18 regular season will tip off on Oct. 17, commissioner Adam Silver told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. The new start date is roughly 10 days earlier than previous years, with opening night typically occurring at the end of October.

The league worked hard to limit the number of back-to-backs over the last couple seasons, with the average team playing 16.3 this past season - down from 17.8 in 2015-16.

The NBA is also working to ensure any team playing in a nationally televised game is coming off at least one day's rest, sources told ESPN's Zach Lowe.

Opening night isn't the only date that has been pushed up, as the 2017-18 trade deadline has been moved to Feb. 8 following a vote from the Board of Governors.