NBA Preview: Names, numbers and notes

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Oct 24, 2016 2:18 PM EDT

The NBA will tip off its 71st season on Tuesday, Oct. 25 with three games, including a TNT doubleheader with the defending champion Cavaliers hosting the Knicks in the opener (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Spurs visiting the reigning Western Conference champion Warriors in the second game (10:30 p.m. ET). Portland, which has won an NBA-record 15 consecutive home openers, hosts the Jazz at 10 p.m. ET on NBA LEAGUE PASS.

Here are 10 facts and figures about various teams and players for the start of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2016:

2: Last season, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook joined Oscar Robertson as the only two players to average at least 23 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in a season.

3: The Hornets have committed the fewest turnovers in the NBA in each of the last three seasons.

4: Two-time reigning Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry of Golden State has led the NBA in three-pointers made in each of the last four seasons, including an NBA-record 402 last season.

5: The Raptors have improved their record in five consecutive seasons, culminating with a franchise-best 56-26 finish in 2015-16.

9: The Hawks have made the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the Eastern Conference.

12:Twelve teams have a different head coach than they did at the start of last season.

17: The Spurs have won at least 50 games in each of the last 17 seasons, the longest streak in NBA history.

67: Clippers center DeAndre Jordan’s career field goal percentage of 67.0 is the highest in NBA history (minimum 2,000 made field goals).

370: Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson has appeared in 370 consecutive games, the NBA’s longest active streak.

828: Portland’s Damian Lillard has made a franchise-record 828 career three-pointers, the most for a player through four seasons in NBA history.

NBA LEAGUE PASS: The out-of-market live game service has introduced NBA Mobile View, a new way to watch basketball on mobile phones and tablets. Also new for this season, NBA Digital and NextVR will live stream at least one NBA LEAGUE PASS game per week in virtual reality.

Jeremy Lin: Preparing for his first regular season with the Nets, Lin averaged 17.2 points in 23.3 minutes and shot 61.9 percent from the field in the preseason.

James Harden: He averaged 20.2 points and a league-high 10.7 assists in 29.4 minutes in the preseason for the Rockets, who went 5-2 and scored 118.6 points per game.

Troy Williams: The Grizzlies’ undrafted forward out of Indiana University led all rookies in preseason scoring with 13.2 points per game.

Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet: The former Wichita State teammates, both undrafted in 2016, are closing in on opening-day roster spots with the Knicks and Raptors, respectively.

Points of Education:In a start-of-season video, NBA Senior Vice President, Replay and Referee Operations Joe Borgia highlights three key areas concerning game rules for the 2016-17 season: freedom of movement away from the ball, unnatural acts and defensive three seconds.

Dikembe Mutombo: The Nuggets will retire his No. 55 jersey during their home opener against the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Milestone Watch

Dirk Nowitzki: The No. 6 scorer in NBA history is set to begin his 19th season with the Mavericks, tying Tim Duncan (19 with Spurs) and John Stockton (19 with Jazz) for the second-most seasons with one team. Kobe Bryant played 20 seasons with the Lakers.

LeBron James: The four-time Kia NBA MVP (26,833 points) starts his 14th season needing 114 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Erik Spoelstra: The Miami head coach is one win from becoming the seventh active coach with 400 career victories.

From NBA News, a newsletter produced by the NBA Communications Group.