Comcast SportsNet New England has announced its schedule for the Boston Celtics this season. Overall, it will carry 78 games and they will all be available in crystal clear high definition. The big news is that analyst Tommy Heinsohn will only work the home games for the Celtics this year and Donny Marshall will work all of the road games for Comcast. As always, Mike Gorman calls the play-by-play for all of the games.

Here’s the release and subsequent schedule:

NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS RETURN TO COMCAST SPORTSNET FOR 78 GAMES

ALL GAMES DELIVERED IN HIGH DEFINITION & AVAILABLE ON COMCAST VOD

CSN TO INTEGRATE LIVE CHATS INTO PRE & POST GAME SHOWS

BURLINGTON, MA – The NBA Champion Boston Celtics will once again call Comcast SportsNet home as the Green begins its 28^th season on New England’s original regional sports network.

Comcast SportsNet’s legendary telecast tandem featuring Dorchester native Mike Gorman and NBA Hall of Fame member Tommy Heinsohn return for their 28^th consecutive season and will call 38 home games during the 2008-09 season. Comcast SportsNet’s studio analyst and former NBA player Donny Marshall will join Gorman on 40 road telecasts while courtside reporter Greg Dickerson will provide in-game reports on all Comcast SportsNet telecasts.

Before and after each game, veteran Boston sports personality Gary Tanguay will host Celtics Pre-Game Live and Celtics Post Game Live from the Comcast SportsNet studios. Marshall will provide expert in-studio analysis on home games while Heinsohn will join Tanguay on road telecasts. Comcast SportsNet will provide pre and post-game coverage for all Celtics 2008-09 games regardless of whether the game runs on the network or with an NBA national partner.

“The Celtics have returned to their rightful spot atop the NBA and there is no better place for fans to track the team’s title defense than on Comcast SportsNet,” said Bill Bridgen, Comcast SportsNet executive vice president and general manager. “Comcast SportsNet has unmatched expertise on the Celtics, starting with Mike and Tommy and their combined 56 years behind the microphone. Greg Dickerson, Gary Tanguay and Donny Marshall have been around the team for years and know the team as well as anyone in the region.”

Comcast SportsNet will offer every telecast, home and away, in high definition. In addition, Comcast SportsNet’s Celtics telecasts will feature new graphics, including a new logo; new in-game scoreboard; and new in-game animation. During every Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecast, fans can chat with Comcast SportsNet talent including Gary Tanguay, Donny Marshall and Tommy Heinsohn during the game via ComcastSportsNet.com.

“During the Celtics’ title run, on-line chats became a regular part of our telecast, particularly during the pre and post game shows,” said Tanguay. “We love doing it and using real time reaction from the fans on-air gives us an exciting way to interact.”

All Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecasts will replay – 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends. For Comcast subscribers, each Comcast SportsNet Celtics telecast will also be available on Comcast Video On Demand for 24 hours following the completion of the game.

Comcast SportsNet’s schedule includes the entire preseason and 10 shared games with national network providers. See the schedule below for details on the entire Comcast SportsNet’s schedule.

2008-09 Comcast SportsNet Boston Celtics Schedule

October 2008

Wed 8 at Philadelphia (P) 7:00 pm Thu 16 at New Jersey (P) 7:30 pm

Fri 10 vs. Cleveland (P) 7:30 pm Fri 17 vs. New York (P) 7:30 pm

Sat 11 vs. Houston (P) 7:30 pm Sun 19 vs. New Jersey (P) 3:30 pm

Tue 14 at Cleveland (P) 7:30 pm Tue 21 at New York (P) 7:30 pm

Fri 31 vs. Chicago 8:00 pm**

NOTES: 4 Away Preseason / 4 Home Preseason / 8 (P) Total

1 Regular Season / 1 Lost to TNT (Oct 28 vs. CLE) / 1 Shared with ESPN / 1 Total

November 2008

Sat 1 at Indiana 7:00 pm Sat 15 at Milwaukee 8:30 pm

Tue 4 at Houston 8:30 pm Tue 18 vs. New York 7:30 pm

Wed 5 at Oklahoma City 8:00 pm Fri 21 at Minnesota 8:00 pm

Fri 7 vs. Milwaukee 7:30 pm Sun 23 at Toronto 12:30 pm

Sun 9 at Detroit 6:00 pm Wed 26 vs. Golden State 7:30 pm

Mon 10 vs. Toronto 7:30 pm Fri 28 vs. Philadelphia 7:30 pm

Wed 12 vs. Atlanta 7:30 pm Sat 29 at Charlotte 7:00 pm

Fri 14 vs. Denver 8:00 pm**

NOTES: 8 Away / 7 Home / 1 Lost to TNT (Nov. 20 vs. DET) / 1 Shared with ESPN / 15 Total

December 2008

Mon 1 vs. Orlando 7:30 pm Wed 17 at Atlanta 7:00 pm**

Wed 3 vs. Indiana 7:30 pm Fri 19 vs. Chicago 7:30 pm

Fri 5 vs. Portland 8:00 pm** Sun 21 vs. New York 6:00 pm

Sun 7 at Indiana 6:00 pm Tue 23 vs. Philadelphia 7:30 pm

Thu 11 at Washington 8:00 pm + Fri 26 at Golden State 1
0:30 pm

Fri 12 vs. New Orleans 8:00 pm** Sun 28 at Sacramento 9:00 pm

Mon 15 vs. Utah 7:30 pm Tue 30 at Portland 10:00 pm

NOTES: 6 Away / 8 Home / 1 Lost to ABC (Dec. 25 at LAL) / 3 Shared with ESPN / 1 Shared with TNT /14 Total

January 2009

Fri 2 vs. Washington 7:30 pm Mon 12 vs. Toronto 7:30 pm

Sun 4 at New York 6:00 pm Wed 14 vs. New Jersey 7:30 pm

Tue 6 at Charlotte 7:00 pm Sat 17 at New Jersey 1:00 pm

Wed 7 vs. Houston 7:30 pm Wed 21 at Miami 7:30 pm

Fri 9 at Cleveland 8:00 pm** Wed 28 vs. Sacramento 7:30 pm

Sun 11 at Toronto 12:30 pm Fri 30 at Detroit 7:00 pm**

NOTES: 7 Away / 5 Home / 2 Lost to TNT (Jan. 19 vs. PHX and Jan. 22 at ORL) / 1 Lost to ABC (Jan. 25 vs. DAL) /

2 Shared with ESPN / 12 Total

February 2009

Sun 1 vs. Minnesota 12:00 pm Thu 19 at. Utah 10:30 pm +

Tue 3 at Philadelphia 7:00 pm Mon 23 at Denver 9:00 pm

Fri 6 at New York 7:30 pm Wed 25 at LA Clippers 10:30 pm

Wed 11 at New Orleans 8:00 pm Fri 27 vs. Indiana 7:30 pm

NOTES: 6 Away / 2 Home / 2 Lost to TNT (Feb. 5 vs. LAA and Feb. 12 at DAL) / 2 Lost to ABC (Feb. 8 vs. SA and Feb. 22 at PHX)

1 Shared with TNT / 8 Total

March 2009

Wed 4 at New Jersey 7:30 pm Wed 18 vs. Miami 7:00 pm**

Fri 6 vs. Cleveland 8:00 pm** Fri 20 at San Antonio 8:30 pm

Sun 8 vs. Orlando 1:00 pm Sat 21 at Memphis 8:00 pm

Wed 11 at Miami 7:30 pm Mon 23 vs. LA Lakers 7:30 pm

Fri 13 vs. Memphis 7:30 pm Wed 25 at Orlando 8:00 pm**

Sun 15 at Milwaukee 1:00 pm Fri 27 at Atlanta 7:30 pm

Tue 17 at Chicago 8:30 pm Sun 29 vs. Oklahoma City 7:00 pm

NOTES: 8 Away / 6 Home / 1 Lost to ABC (March 1 vs. DET) / 3 Shared with ESPN / 14 Total

April 2009

Wed 1 vs. Charlotte 7:30 pm Fri 10 vs. Miami 7:30 pm

Fri 3 vs. Atlanta 7:30 pm Tue 14 at Philad
elphia 8:00 pm +

Wed 8 vs. New Jersey 7:30 pm Wed 15 vs. Washington 8:00 pm

NOTES: 1 Away / 5 Home / 1 Lost to ABC (April 12 at CLE) / 1 Shared with TNT / 6 Total

SUMMARY

8 Preseason games (P): 4 Away, 4 Home

70 Regular season games: 36 Away, 34 Home, 13 Non Exclusive

Shared games with TNT – Marked by +

Shared games with ESPN – Marked with **

Comcast’s ratings for the C’s steadily went up as last season progressed. With interest expected to be higher this season, ratings should go even higher.