|
Leonard, who helped the Toronto Raptors win an
NBA title in June, is now with the Los Angeles Clippers, who
will meet his former team in Toronto on Dec. 11. Davis, who
moved from the New Orleans Pelicans to join LeBron James with
the Los Angeles Lakers, goes back to the Big Easy to face No. 1
draft pick Zion Williamson and Co. on Nov. 27, the same day the
Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving goes back to Boston to meet his
ex-Celtics teammates.
Other notables include the Houston Rockets' Russell Westbrook
returning to face his former Thunder teammates in Oklahoma City
on Jan. 9 after previously playing them in Houston on Oct. 28,
and new Clippers forward Paul George also returning to Oklahoma
City, on Dec. 22.
Also, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley plays in Memphis for the first
time as a visitor on Nov. 15, and Boston guard Kemba Walker
makes his return to Charlotte on Nov. 7.
There are many other highlights with the NBA schedule, in its
74th regular season that tips off on Oct. 22 and ends on April
15. Opening night includes a doubleheader with the Pelicans at
the Raptors on ring night, and what promises to be the beginning
of a more heated rivalry when the Lakers and Clippers meet in
the battle for Los Angeles.
Twelve of TNT's 31 doubleheaders and 22 of ESPN's 36
doubleheaders will tip off at 7:30/10 p.m. ET or 7/9:30 p.m. ET,
a half-hour or hour earlier than last year's 8/10:30 p.m.
starts. National TV starts at 10:30 p.m. ET were reduced from 57
to 33.
The Lakers will have the most national TV appearances (31),
followed up the Golden State Warriors (30), who will get the
chance to show off their new arena, the Clippers and Rockets
(26), the Celtics (25) and the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia
76ers (24). Williamson and the Pelicans will be on national TV
20 times.
The previously announced Christmas Day schedule includes five
games -- beginning with the Celtics at Raptors at noon ET; other
matchups (all times ET) are Bucks at 76ers (2:30 p.m.), Rockets
at Warriors (5 p.m.), Clippers-Lakers (8 p.m.) and Pelicans at
Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m.).
Games on TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV will include flexible
scheduling during the regular season "to provide the most
compelling matchups to a national audience," the league said in
a release.
The All-Star Game is Feb. 16 in Chicago. There are no games from
Feb. 14-19.
--Field Level Media
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
