TNT And NBA TV Announce Opening Week and MLK Day Schedules

NBA TV unveiled the national games for Opening Week, Christmas Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV and TNT. Let’s do the Turner Sports combo of TNT and NBA TV first. You have TNT’s Opening Night doubleheader Tuesday, October 26 as well as another doubleheader two days later on its regular Thursday night, October 28. NBA TV have four consecutive nights of games starting Saturday, October 29.

And TNT will have two games on MLK Day. Yes, the Miami Heat are featured prominently in this schedule of games.

TNT, NBA TV Unveil Opening Week, MLK Day Schedules;

TNT’s Opening Night to Feature New-Look Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets @ L.A. Lakers

NBA TV to Air Three Consecutive Nights of Games to Tip Off Coverage

TNT will tip off one of the most highly anticipated NBA seasons as part of NBA on TNT Premiere Week on Tuesday, Oct. 26, with the debut of Miami’s triumvirate of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as the Heat visits the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics and their All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo (7:30 p.m. ET). The second game of TNT’s exclusive doubleheader will feature the two-time defending champion L.A. Lakers and Finals MVP Kobe Bryant (10:30 p.m. ET) hosting returning seven-time NBA All-Star center Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets. TNT will televise the Lakers’ ring ceremony prior to tip off.  TNT and NBA TV announced their exclusive opening week match-ups and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day games during NBA TV’s NBA Schedule Selection Special this evening.

NBA on TNT Premiere Week continues on TNT with another doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. (ET), beginning with two-time defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard and perennial Eastern Conference power Orlando Magic hosting the Washington Wizards in the debut of John Wall, the league’s number one overall draft pick in 2010.  The game will be the first to be played in the new Amway Center in Orlando. The second game of the doubleheader will highlight a battle of two of the league’s best point guards as Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz host Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. (ET).  

NBA TV will take the court for the 2010-11 season with four consecutive nights of exciting match-ups, beginning Saturday, Oct. 30, with All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups leading the Denver Nuggets against the Rockets (8:30 p.m. ET). The network’s coverage will continue on Sunday, Oct. 31, with the Jazz visiting NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder (7 p.m. ET). On Monday, Nov. 1, Derrick Rose, recently acquired Carlos Boozer and the Chicago Bulls host Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers (8 p.m. ET). NBA TV’s Fan Night voting will begin on Oct. 26 to select the first Fan Night match-up of the season to air on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

TNT also announced the lineup for the network’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day coverage on Monday, Jan. 17, featuring two rematches from the 2010 NBA Playoffs. The doubleheader tips off with an Eastern Conference Finals rematch featuring the Magic at Celtics at 8 p.m. (ET), followed by a Western Conference first round rematch between the Thunder and Lakers in Los Angeles at 10:30 p.m. (ET). In addition, NBA TV will celebrate MLK Day when it presents the Sacramento Kings led by 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans against Atlanta Hawks featuring All-Stars Al Horford and Joe Johnson at 4 p.m. (ET).

NBA.com will exclusively announce the full 2010-11 regular season schedule on Tuesday, Aug. 10.

ESPN’s Opening Week, Christmas Day and MLK Day games are com
ing up.