Schedule highlights: Season opens with champs versus King James
The NBA's 2008-09 schedule is out ... and you know what that means.
An equally anticipated document has to go with it: ESPN.com's first rundown of must-see games for the coming season to immediately input into your electronic calendar of choice.
Oct. 28: Opening Night
An earlier-than-usual launch to the season starts with a tasty TNT doubleheader, leading off with the new champs from Boston hosting LeBron James' Cleveland
Cavaliers on ring night and capped by Greg Oden's long-awaited NBA debut in
Blazers at
Lakers.
Oct. 29: Opening Night (continued)
Elton Brand makes his
76ers debut in the same game that Jermaine O'Neal makes his official
Raptors debut: Toronto at Philadelphia.
Furtherm ore:Michael Beasley makes his pro debut at Madison Square Garden (along with Dwyane Wade's official return from injury) in
Heat at
Knicks, Ron Artest makes his
Rockets debut in Memphis at Houston, and Oklahoma City makes its debut as a full-time NBA city with a visit from the Milwaukee
Bucks.
And ...
ESPN dishes its own doubleheader doozy: Phoenix at San Antonio to renew year after year of recent playoff pleasantries, followed by
Lakers at
Clippers in a fitting bow for the Clips' new Angeleno point guard: Baron Davis.
Oct. 30: Houston at Dallas (TNT)
The
Mavericks are one of two teams (along with Charlotte) that must wait until Thursday for their opening game, giving
Mavs fans more time to fret that the
Rockets' acquisition of Ron Artest reduces Dallas to the third-best team in Texas.
Oct. 31: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN)
The best of the Halloween fare, at least in NBA terms, is unquestionably Oden matching up with Tim Duncan.
Nov. 1: Washington at Detroit (NBA TV)
The league is still sorting out its full 96-game NBA TV schedule, but Wizards-Pistons has been confirmed as the opener of NBA TV's maiden doubleheader, which concludes with a Portland-at-Phoenix nightcap.
[+] EnlargeJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images
If Yao can stay healthy, this could be a preview of the 2009 Finals.
Nov. 4: Boston at Houston
You don't have to wait long for a look at the NBA's reigning threesome of doom (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) throwing down against the new trio on the block (McGrady, Yao and Artest).
P.S. How much playing time will the
twins get in Phoenix at New Jersey ... also known as Robin Lopez at Brook Lopez?
Nov. 5: Charlotte at New York
Larry Brown returns to Madison Square Garden with his (latest) new team. We'll spare you the dates on Larry's returns to Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philly and Detroit.
Nov. 6: Houston at Portland (TNT)
Yao Ming and Oden go toe-to-toe for the first time. Health permitting, of course.
Nov. 9: Houston at L.A.
Lakers
The denizens of Lakerland who so badly wanted to see Artest in purple and gold will get their first dose of torture early. In L.A.'s first Sunday home game of the season, actually.
Nov. 10: Portland at Orlando
Oden will have lined up against Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 1), Yao and Dwight Howard in a span of 10 days by the time he gets through this one. Health permitting, of course.
Nov. 12: Atlanta at Boston
Are the Hawks and
Celtics rivals now because of what happened in the first round of the playoffs?
Better question: Shouldn't Olympiacos be required to swing through Atlanta as part of the usual October spree of exhibition games against top European clubs?
Nov. 13: Dallas at Chicago (TNT)
Mavs owner Mark Cuban could know by this point whether he has won the race to buy the
Cubs, which would make this somewhat of a home game for him and certainly spice up his relationship with
Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, since Reinsdorf owns the
White Sox.
Nov. 14: Detroit at L.A.
Lakers (ESPN)
What sort of reception awaits Kwame Brown at Staples Center? Just a hunch: If history is any guide, Kwame needn't expect (or want) any mention of a cake.
On the undercard: Kareem Rush's Philadelphia
76ers visit brother Brandon Rush's Indiana
Pacers.
Nov. 18: Cleveland at New Jersey
LeBron and Jay-Z! In the same building! Exactly one week before LeBron goes to MSG to hang with Spike Lee and the
Knicks!
Cavs fans will want to avoid online consumption of the New York tabloids for a good few days before Thanksgiving.
Nov. 20: L.A.
Lakers at Phoenix (TNT)
Kobe, tell me how many times do you think you and Shaq will be asked about recent rapping exploits?
Detroit at Boston, incidentally, isn't exactly a bland appetizer for TNT.
Nov. 21: Boston at Minnesota
A hamstring strain prevented KG from playing in his first visit to 'Sota as an ex-Wolf last February. Hard to see him missing two in row, though.
In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Baron and Elton will be in the same building for the first time since they did not end up on the same team as so many of us expected.
And over in Oklahoma City, New Orleans is in town to play the OKC TBAs for the first time, which makes
blog.
