The NBA announced their national television schedule for Tip-Off and select national holiday games, including Christmas and MLK Day.
The league begins the season with a TNT doubleheader, earlier than usual this year: Tuesday, Oct. 26. The 2010-11 season will mark Turner Sports’ 27th consecutive campaign of broadcasting NBA games. In the season opener, the “fantasy team” of Miami Heat (Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade etc.) are shipped up to Boston to take on the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics led by the Boston Three Party (7:30 p.m. ET tip).
The nightcap at 10:30 p.m. ET features the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Houston Rockets and Yao Ming (if he’s healthy.
ESPN opens on Wednesday, Oct. 27 with a doubleheader, beginning with Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls visiting the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. ET. Game two features the Portland Trail Blazers at the Los Angeles Clippers. (Blake Griffin‘s long overdue debut)
TNT will continues the ’10 schedule with another doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 28. Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic will open their new Amway Center by welcoming John Wall, the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and the Washington Wizards for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off. In the second game, Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz entertain Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. ET.
NBA TV will tip offs four consecutive days Saturday, Oct. 30 with the Rockets welcoming Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and the Denver Nuggets at 8:30 p.m. ET. Sunday, Oct. 31, has Utah visiting Oklahoma City at 7 p.m. ET and followed on Monday, Nov. 1, with the Bulls hosting Portland.
Christmas Day Features Five Games
Christmas Day features five nationally televised games. ABC opens season with a doubleheader, as the Magic host the Celtics at 2:30 p.m. ET. In game two, the Heat travel to the Los Angeles Lakers at 5 p.m. ET. ESPN will also televise three games on Christmas Day, starting at 12 p.m. ET when the Bulls visit the New York Knicks, followed by an evening doubleheader featuring the Nuggets’ at Thunder at 8 p.m. ET and the Blazers-Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET.
NBA Celebrates Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Jan. 17, includes four nationally televised contests. On ESPN, the Bulls visit the home of the Civil Rights Museum, Memphis , Tenn. , to square off with the Grizzlies at 1 p.m. ET. NBA TV will showcase the Sacramento Kings and Tyreke Evans visiting the Atlanta Hawks at 4 p.m. ET. TNT features an evening doubleheader, Boston and Orlando, at 8 p.m. ET, with the Thunder and the Lakers following.
The remainder of the 2010-11 NBA Regular Season schedule will be completed and announced next Tuesday, Aug. 10.
KIA MOTORS NBA TIP-OFF ’10
DATE GAME NETWORK TIME (ET)
10/26 Miami at Boston TNT 7:30 p.m.
10/26 Houston at Los Angeles Lakers TNT 10:30 p.m.
10/27 Chicago at Oklahoma City ESPN 8 p.m.
10/27 Portland at Los Angeles Clippers ESPN 10:30 p.m.
10/28 Washington at Orlando TNT 8 p.m.
10/28 Phoenix at Utah TNT 10:30 p.m.
10/29 Orlando at Miami ESPN/ESPN Deportes 8 p.m.
10/29 Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix ESPN/ESPN Deportes 10:30 p.m.
10/30 Denver at Houston NBA TV 8:30 p.m.
10/31 Utah at Oklahoma City NBA TV 7 p.m.
11/1 Portland at Chicago NBA TV 8 p.m.
HOLIDAY NATIONAL TELEVISION GAMES
DATE GAME NETWORK TIME (ET)
12/25 Chicago at New York ESPN/ESPN Deportes 12 p.m.
12/25 Boston at Orlando ABC 2:30 p.m.
12/25 Miami at Los Angeles Lakers ABC 5 p.m.
12/25 Denver at Oklahoma City ESPN 8 pm.
12/25 Portland at Golden State ESPN 10:30 p.m.
1/17 Chicago at Memphis ESPN 1 p.m.
1/17 Sacramento at Atlanta NBA TV 4 p.m.
1/17 Orlando at Boston TNT 8 p.m.
1/17 Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers TNT 10:30 p.m.