As I sit here scrolling through this season's NBA schedule, I can't help but feel that familiar tingle of anticipation. Having followed professional basketball for over fifteen years, I've developed a sixth sense for which matchups will become instant classics, and this season's lineup has some absolute gems that deserve every fan's attention. The opening quote from Romero perfectly captures our current relationship with the sport: "This is just the beginning. We are no longer just spectators — we are players in the arena." This sentiment resonates deeply with me because modern fandom has evolved into something far more participatory than simply watching from our couches.
Let me walk you through what I genuinely believe are the ten most compelling games this season, starting with the obvious headliner: Lakers versus Celtics on Christmas Day. This isn't just another regular season game—it's the 45th Christmas meeting between these historic franchises, and with both teams projected to finish in the top three of their conferences according to my analysis of preseason metrics, the stakes feel almost playoff-level. I'm particularly excited to see how Jayson Tatum matches up against LeBron James in what could be one of their final regular season battles. Then there's the February 10th showdown between Golden State and Phoenix that has me checking the calendar daily. The Warriors' revamped defense against Kevin Durant's scoring efficiency—which I've tracked at an incredible 62% true shooting in clutch situations last season—creates what I consider the most strategically fascinating matchup of the entire schedule.
What makes these games particularly thrilling from my perspective is how they represent the NBA's evolving landscape. The January 15th Bucks-Nuggets game features the two most complete big men in basketball, with Giannis and Jokic both averaging near triple-doubles this early season. I've noticed their matchup history shows an average margin of victory of just 4.2 points over their last five meetings, which tells me we're in for another nail-biter. Meanwhile, the rising rivalry between Memphis and New Orleans on March 8th showcases the league's future, with Ja Morant and Zion Williamson representing what I believe is the next generation of superstar duels. Having attended three of their previous matchups, I can confirm the energy in the arena is unlike anything I've experienced with younger teams.
The Western Conference specifically delivers what I consider the most intriguing dark horse game: Sacramento versus Minnesota on April 2nd. While casual fans might overlook this, I've got it circled because both teams have made significant roster improvements that could determine playoff seeding. The Kings added critical perimeter defense while Minnesota's depth chart now goes eleven deep—something I've rarely seen in my years of analyzing team construction. Then there's the emotional return of Derrick Rose to Chicago on February 28th, which from my perspective transcends ordinary regular season significance. Having followed Rose's career since his MVP season, I anticipate this being one of those special nights where the outcome becomes secondary to the narrative.
What Romero said about no longer being spectators really hits home when I think about how we experience these games now. The accessibility of advanced statistics, the second-screen experience with real-time analytics, and the social media commentary threads have transformed us into active participants. When I'm watching Philadelphia take on Miami on March 18th—a matchup that features what I consider the two most innovative defensive schemes in the Eastern Conference—I'm not just watching basketball, I'm analyzing defensive rotations, evaluating shot selection, and predicting substitution patterns alongside the coaching staff. The December 12th Dallas-Phoenix game gives us Luka Dončić versus Devin Booker in what I've counted as their eighth career meeting, with Dončić currently holding a 5-2 advantage that I'm sure fuels Booker's competitive fire.
As we approach the season's final weeks, the April 10th clash between Golden State and Lakers could very well determine play-in tournament positioning, and having studied both teams' remaining schedules, I'm projecting this as potentially the most consequential regular season finale since 2016. The narrative of LeBron versus Curry continues to write new chapters, and at this point I'm convinced we should appreciate every remaining installment of this historic rivalry. The beauty of this NBA season from my viewpoint is that every one of these ten games offers a unique storyline that makes us feel like we're part of the action rather than passive observers. So mark your calendars, set those reminders, and prepare to transition from spectator to participant in what promises to be one of the most memorable seasons in recent history.
People in Motion (PiM) is our employee advocacy and improvement program. These cross-functional groups are comprised of employees, with an executive sponsor, who contribute ideas and drive action towards focused areas of improvement across the employee experience. The groups include: Kyruus Kontext & Business Readiness; Community, Connectivity, & Engagement; System, Tools, & Productivity; IDEA [Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility].
As a remote-first company, we are invested in employees creating a work setup that allows them to do their best work. In addition to a laptop, we also provide you with $750 to get the additional equipment you need and add an ongoing amount of $1,200 to your salary to cover remote work costs.
We value ownership at Kyruus Health, not only in the work you do but in the shared financial success from our growth. Employees will have the opportunity to grow their equity ownership throughout their tenure.
We care about creating the time you need to bond for any team members at Kyruus Health growing their families. We offer 8 weeks of fully paid leave to all parents. Birthing parents are also eligible for additional time and coverage through our Short-Term Disability plan.
We encourage all employees to save for retirement through our 401(K) plan. Employees have the option to begin contributing to their accounts on their first day of employment and we offer an employer match of up to $1,500 per calendar year for all employees who enroll.
We offer employees a lifestyle stipend of $2,000 per year to help them be well. This is designed for Kyruus Health to offset the cost for items, experiences, or home expenses that enhance team members’ well-being
We want to provide employees and families with health insurance offerings to support them getting the care they need. Our health, dental, and vision plans are desiged to allow employees the opportunity to choose options that work best for themselves and their families.
We are committed to flexibility and empowering employees to do work that matters in a way that works for them. Our unlimited PTO policy is anchored on that flexibility – encouraging employees to take time off for what’s important to them, in addition to the many company holidays we celebrate. To highlight our commitment to a healthy work-life balance, we provide a specific stipend each quarter for employees to use on a recharge day.
