NBA Schedule 2011-12 Released, Despite NBA Lockout

NBA Schedule 2011-2012: Lakers' Season Could Be Defined In December

The Los Angeles Lakers will once again open the season with a heavy home schedule with nine of their 14 November games at the Staples Center and all but one of those games west of the Mississippi River, but their 2011-12 schedule gets considerably tougher in December. The season's second month will feature 15 games, 11 of which will be on the road and include a stretch of seven road games in 15 days.

From Dec. 15-30, the Lakers will start off by visiting the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks and be followed by four more road games in five days. They'll then return home for a game against the Chicago Bulls before hitting the road again to play the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Among the tougher games that month are road encounters against the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat and home games against the Portland Trailblazers and Orlando Magic.

The Lakers' longest road trip will come in February, when they play six straight along the eastern seaboard. They open the trip against the Magic on Feb. 3 and then visit each of the five Atlantic Division teams, closing with a game against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 12.

While the Lakers only have 19 back-to-back games -- on the low end -- 18 of those will close out on the road, although one of them is against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples. Three of those back-to-backs will be particularly tough. On March 20-21, the Lakers will play road games against the Rockets and Mavericks. On April 8-9 they'll visit the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Hornets. The final two games of the season should also be interesting, as the Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs on April 17 before visiting the Denver Nuggets on April 18.

For a complete copy of the 2011-12 NBA schedule, visit NBA.com.

NBA Schedule 2011-12: Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers Have Most National TV Appearances

The 2011-12 NBA schedule has been released, though of course it will be revised if the NBA lockout continues into the season. The full list of national TV games has also been announced, and as of right now, the Miami Heat have the most national TV games. Not including NBATV, the Heat will play 25 games on either ESPN, TNT or ABC next season. The Los Angeles Lakers also will play 25 games on those three networks.

Here is a full ranking of each team's national TV appearance.

1. Miami Heat: 25 (10 ESPN, 9 TNT, 6 ABC)
2. LA Lakers: 25 (10 ESPN, 10 TNT, 4 ABC)
3. Dallas Mavericks: 23 (10 TNT, 10 ESPN, 3 ABC)
4. Boston Celtics: 23 (9 TNT, 10 ESPN, 4 ABC)
5. Chicago Bulls: 23 (9 TNT, 9 ESPN, 5 ABC)
6. New York Knicks: 22 (10 ESPN, 8 TNT, 4 ABC)
7. Oklahoma City Thunder: 19 (9 ESPN, 8 TNT, 2 ABC)
8. Denver Nuggets: 14 (9 ESPN, 5 TNT)
9. Orlando Magic: 14 (5 ESPN, 8 TNT, 1 ABC)
10. Portland Trail Blazers: 14 (9 ESPN, 5 TNT)
11. San Antonio Spurs: 14 (10 ESPN, 4 TNT)
12. LA Clippers: 13 (8 ESPN, 5 TNT)
13. Golden State Warriors: 10 (6 ESPN, 4 TNT)
14. Phoenix Suns: 10 (8 ESPN, 2 TNT)
15. Atlanta Hawks: 8 (7 ESPN, 1 TNT)
16. Memphis Grizzlies: 5 (4 ESPN, 1 TNT)
17. Philadelphia 76ers: 5 (3 ESPN, 2 TNT)
18. Utah Jazz: 4 (3 ESPN, 1 TNT)
19. Houston Rockets: 2 (2 ESPN)
20. New Orleans Hornets: 2 (1 ESPN, 1 TNT)
21. Cleveland Cavaliers: 1 (1 ESPN)
22. Detroit Pistons: 1 (ESPN)
23. Indiana Pacers: 1 (1 ESPN)
24. Milwaukee Bucks: 1 (1 ESPN)
25. Sacramento Kings: 1 (TNT)
26. Toronto Raptors: 1 (ESPN)
27. Washington Wizards: 1 (1 ESPN)
28. Charlotte Bobcats: 0
29. Minnesota Timberwolves: 0
30. New Jersey Nets: 0

You can view the full 2011-2012 NBA schedule on NBA.com.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this said the Lakers had 24 national TV games. They have 25.

New York Knicks 2011-2012 Schedule Released; Barring Continued Lockout, Season Has Brutal Start

If the NBA lockout doesn't rearrange the 2011-2012 NBA schedule, the New York Knicks are in for a long November.

The Knicks, fresh off of their first playoff berth since 2004, host only three of their first 13 games of the planned NBA season at home at the renovated Madison Square Garden. Those three games include a pair against league heavyweights: the season premiere on November 2 against the Miami Heat and a November 8 visit from two-time defending scoring champ Kevin Durant and the Western Conference finalist Oklahoma City Thunder. (The other comes against the Indiana Pacers on November 12.)

The 10 road games in November feature a number of cupcakes, but five games in which the Knicks are on the road on the back end of a back-to-back. The Knicks' road record last season -- 19-22, compared to a 23-18 home record -- wasn't too bad, however.

The tough early schedule is rewarded in February and March, of course -- every team plays 41 at home and 41 on the road, unless we only get 50 games again, in which case every team plays 25 at home and 25 on the road. In February and March, the Knicks are slated to play 15 games at home and 12 on the road.

For more on the Knicks, visit Posting And Toasting and SB Nation New York.

NBA Schedule 2011-12: Mavericks Vs. Lakers Highlights Martin Luther King Day Slate

The 2011/12 NBA Schedule has been released, and the four National TV games currently scheduled for Martin Luther King Day features a number of intriguing matchups. Ten games will be played in all, with one on ESPN, one on NBATV and two on TNT.

The headliner is a rematch of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles at 10:30 p.m. EST on TNT. The Mavericks stunned the Lakers in a four-game sweep, ending their hopes of a three-peat last season.

That game will follow the TNT opener, which pits the Boston Celtics at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. Earlier in the day, the Chicago Bulls will play the Memphis Grizzlies at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and the Toronto Raptors will face the Atlanta Hawks at 4 p.m. on NBATV.

The other games are as follows:

• Sacramento Kings at New York Knicks, 1 p.m.
• Houston Rockets at Charlotte Bobcats, 2 p.m.
• Portland Trail Blazers at. Philadelphia 76ers, 2 p.m.
• Denver Nuggets at Washington Wizards, 2 p.m.
• Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Hornets, 3 p.m.
• New Jersey Nets at Los Angeles Clippers, 3 p.m.

You can view the full 2011-2012 NBA schedule on NBA.com.

NBA Schedule 2011-2012: Opening Week Heavy On Lakers, Heat, Blazers On TV

The 2011-2012 NBA schedule was released on Tuesday, despite the NBA lockout currently in its third week. Opening week of the (fingers crossed) '11-12 campaign includes four national TV double-headers, with three teams -- the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and, somewhat oddly, Portland Trail Blazers -- featured twice each.

The Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls begin the schedule on Tuesday, November 1, meeting up at the American Airlines Center in Big D. The Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder will match up in the second game of TNT's double-header that day.

On Wednesday, ESPN takes over TV duties as the Miami Heat visit the New York Knicks and Lakers visit the Golden State Warriors, starring former ESPN analyst Mark Jackson. (Let's make sure Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy work the late game, OK?)

TNT has its regular Thursday double-header, and it gets a couple of division rivalries: the Orlando Magic visit the Miami Heat, and the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Denver Nuggets. (NBA.com's schedule currently lists Magic-Heat as a League Pass game and Utah Jazz-Memphis Grizzlies as a 9 p.m. TNT game, but that has to be wrong.)

ESPN's Friday double-header features the Boston Celtics visiting the Atlanta Hawks, and Blazers visiting Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The NBA has no national TV games (except for a couple of NBA TV games) on opening weekend.

NBA Schedule 2011-12: Mavericks Vs. Heat Highlights Three-Game Christmas Slate

The 2011-12 NBA schedule for a season that may not happen has been released, and there is a mild surprise in the Christmas Day offering. After playing five games on Christmas day in each of the last three years, the NBA has dialed it back to three games this season.

The headliner is a 2:30 p.m. EST NBA Finals rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat in Dallas on ABC. The Mavericks won Games 4 and 5 in Dallas before topping the Heat in Game 6 to win the title.

Following that game, the Chicago Bulls will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles at 5 p.m. EST on ABC. The Bulls had the league's best record in the regular season, but fell to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers failed in their bid for a three-peat.

The day's action will begin at noon EST with the Boston Celtics facing the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on ESPN. The two teams faced each other in the first round of the playoffs last season, with the Celtics sweeping.

You can view the full 2011-2012 NBA schedule on NBA.com.

NBA Schedule 2011-2012 Released; Season To Begin November 1, Assuming Lockout Ends

The 2011-2012 NBA schedule was released Tuesday, with the campaign slated to tip off on November 1 as the Dallas Mavericks host the Chicago Bulls at the American Airlines Center. The reigning NBA champion Mavericks will receive their championship rings before the game, per tradition.

Mavericks-Bulls will be Game 1 of an opening night double-header on TNT, with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers, in their first game after Phil Jackson's retirement, to follow. The Houston Rockets will also visit the Utah Jazz on opening night.

The Miami Heat, who lost to the Mavericks in the 2010 NBA Finals, begin their season at the New York Knicks on November 2. Thirteen games are scheduled for that Wednesday, with Heat-Knicks being followed by the Golden State Warriors vs. Lakers in an ESPN double-header.

The schedule release is to be taken with a hefty dose of salt, considering that NBA franchise owners have locked out the players and no negotiating sessions have been so much as scheduled since the stoppage began July 1. In 1998, the last time the NBA locked out its players, the season was shortened to 50 games, with cross-conference games suffering highest casualties.

You can view the full 2011-2012 NBA schedule on NBA.com.

2011-2012 NBA Schedule Release: When And Where To Watch The Announcement

The 2011-12 NBA schedule will be released Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET despite the continuing NBA lockout that threatens the season. NBA TV will announce the schedule beginning at 2 p.m.; the schedule will also be posted to NBA.com and team websites just after 2 p.m.

The NBA TV presentation will include, in his Turner Sports debut, recently retired Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq announced last week that he'd signed a deal with Turner which will include a regular spot on TNT's award-winning Inside The NBA and appearances on NBA TV. 

A few games have already leaked, and the NBA confirms that the opening game will be played on November 1, provided that the labor stoppage has been resolved. ESPN reports that the opener will feature the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks against the Chicago Bulls. Two Christmas Day games -- a Finals rematch between the Mavericks and Miami Heat and the New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics -- have been leaked as well.

Stay tuned for the full schedule at 2 p.m. ET.

Knicks Will Host Celtics On Christmas Day, According To Report

Do you believe in Santa? Maybe as much as you believe in the start of the 2011 season?

Well lockout, schmock-out. 

Details of the 2011-2012 schedule keep rolling out.

The latest news is that the New York Knicks plan on hosting the Boston Celtics on Dec. 25, 2011, according to Barbara Barker of Newsday.

From Barker's Twitter:

Knicks to host the Celtics on Xmas day, league source tells me. Provided, of course, there is a season.

And the other gift for NBA fans that day, which was previously announced, will be a NBA Finals rematch of the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. The only other team who typically has a Christmas Day game that currently hasn't been announced is the Lakers. 

The schedule for the unpredictable upcoming season will be released Tuesday at 2 p.m. As for the announcement of another year of professional basketball, well, that's up to Father Time and David Stern.

For more on the Knicks, visit Posting And Toasting. For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog.

NBA Schedule 2011-12 To Be Released Tuesday, Despite NBA Lockout

The NBA will release its full 2011/12 NBA schedule on Tuesday, despite the fact that it is currently mired in a lockout that could threaten part of or even the entire season. The announcement of the key games will air live on NBATV at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.

Reports have been trickling out with some of the games on the schedule. ESPN's Marc Stein reports that one of the opening games will pit the defending champion Dallas Mavericks against the Chicago Bulls on November 1. On Sunday, it was reported that the Christmas Day headliner would be a NBA Finals rematch between the Mavericks and the Miami Heat. All this, of course, assumes the season begins on time.

The 2011/12 NBA schedule announcement is coming two weeks earlier this season than last season because there is no free agency. Last year, the league waited for all the big-name free agents to make up their minds before going ahead with the release. But with no free agency this season because of the lockout, the league doesn't have to wait.

Mavericks-Heat Rematch Reportedly Set For Christmas Day