NBA to Open Season on ABC & ESPN with Christmas Day Quadruple Header

ESPN's multiplatform coverage of the 2011-12 NBA regular season will include 90 games, highlighted by 15 exclusive broadcasts on ABC - the home of The Finals - and 75 ESPN telecasts. Games airing on ABC and ESPN are subject to flexible scheduling, providing the best matchups throughout the season. All games will be available in high definition, with ESPN telecasts also generally available via ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and the Watch ESPN App. Additionally, ESPN Radio will broadcast 24 regular-season games and ESPN Deportes will present 19 telecasts.

ABC and ESPN will tip off the season with a quadruple header on Christmas Day opening with a blockbuster doubleheader on ABC - a Finals rematch when the reigning NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks and Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki host the Miami Heat and All-Stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on Sunday, Dec. 25, at 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Chicago Bulls and league MVP Derrick Rose visiting the Los Angeles Lakers and perennial All-Star Kobe Bryant at 5 p.m. The Kia NBA Countdown pregame show will preview the ABC doubleheader at 2 p.m.

NBA Christmas Day action will continue on ESPN with a primetime doubleheader tipping off with the Oklahoma City Thunder and two-time NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant hosting the Orlando Magic and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard at 8 p.m. In the Christmas nightcap, former ESPN analyst Mark Jackson will make his head coaching debut with the Golden State Warriors and Monte Ellis hosting the Los Angeles Clippers and All-Star Blake Griffin at 10:30 p.m. ESPN Deportes will also televise the primetime doubleheader.

ESPN Radio, entering its 17th season of NBA action, will broadcast two Christmas Day games - the Boston Celtics and its core four of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett visiting the New York Knicks and stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire with coverage beginning at 11 a.m., followed by Heat at Mavericks.

ABC & ESPN Schedule Highlights

ABC and ESPN will combine to showcase some of the top teams in the league, including 16 appearances by the Heat (the maximum allowed across both networks), 15 by the Bulls and Lakers, 14 by the Celtics and Knicks, 12 by the Mavericks, 11 by the Thunder and 10 by the Clippers and Magic.

ABC highlights

· 15 exclusive broadcasts;

· flexible schedule allowing for the best possible matchups throughout the season;

· a special Christmas Day doubleheader including a Finals rematch between the Heat and Mavericks at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Lakers hosting the Bulls at 5 p.m.;

· five NBA Sunday doubleheaders - Dec. 25, Feb. 19, March 4, April 1 and 15;

· six appearances by the Heat; five appearances by the Lakers and Bulls; four appearances by the Celtics and Knicks; and three appearances by the Mavericks;

· Eastern Conference Finals rematch between the Bulls and Heat on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3:30 p.m.;

· Blockbuster matchup with the Lakers hosting the Heat on Sunday, March 4, at 3:30 p.m.;

· a rematch of the 2008 and 2010 Finals with the Lakers hosting Boston on Sunday, March 11, at 3:30 p.m.;

· multiple appearances by the Thunder and Kevin Durant - hosting Chicago on Sunday, April 1, at 1 p.m. and visiting the Lakers on Sunday, April 22, at 3:30 p.m.;

· NBA Countdown will preview all games/doubleheaders 30 minutes prior to broadcast start times.

ESPN highlights

· 75-game flexible schedule allowing for the best possible games throughout the season;

· 30 doubleheaders and one tripleheader;

· 10 appearances - the most permitted - by the Bulls, Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Knicks and Lakers;

· nine appearances by the Magic, Mavericks, Suns and Thunder; eight appearances by the Spurs; seven appearances by the Nuggets and Trail Blazers; and six appearances by the Hawks, Jazz, Sixers and Warriors;

· special holiday afternoon telecasts on Martin Luther King Day - Chicago at Memphis, home of the National Civil Rights Museum, Monday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. - and Presidents Day - Atlanta at Chicago on Monday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m.;

· a series of compelling matchups including the Heat's All-Star trio of James, Wade and Bosh hosting the Knicks with Anthony and Stoudemire (Friday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m.); Kobe Bryant and the Lakers visiting Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks (Fri., Feb. 10, at 8 p.m.); and the Bulls - the team with the best record in the league last season - hosting the Heat on Wed., March 14, at 8 p.m.;

· an exciting Oklahoma City team, led by Durant, hosting the Heat on Sun., March 25, at 8 p.m., then visiting the Heat on Wed., April 4, at 8 p.m.;

· a highly-anticipated doubleheader Tuesday, April 10, beginning at 7 p.m. with the Heat hosting the Celtics and followed by the Knicks visiting the Bulls at 9:30 p.m.;

· a unique tripleheader Saturday, April 21, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and highlighted by the Bulls hosting the Mavericks at 8 p.m.;

· 10 games over the final week of the regular season (April 18-25) as part of the push to the playoffs.

ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will broadcast 24 regular-season games, including four doubleheaders, showcasing the best teams in the league. ESPN Radio will also broadcast All-Star events (including the 61st All-Star Game) and The Finals.

2011-12 ABC NBA Schedule

Date Time (ET) Teams

Sun, Dec 25 2:30 p.m. Miami at Dallas 5 p.m. Chicago at L.A. Lakers

Sun, Jan 29 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Miami

Sun, Feb 12 3:30 p.m. Chicago at Boston

Sun, Feb 19 1 p.m. Dallas at New York 3:30 p.m. Orlando at Miami

Sun, March 4 1 p.m. New York at Boston 3:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Lakers

Sun, March 11 3:30 p.m. Boston at L.A. Lakers

Sun, April 1 1 p.m. Chicago at Oklahoma City 3:30 p.m. Miami at Boston

Sun, April 8 1 p.m. Chicago at New York

Sun, April 15 1 p.m. Miami at New York 3:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Lakers

Sun, April 22 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers

2011-12 ESPN NBA Schedule

*denotes ESPN Deportes telecast

Date Time (ET) Teams

Sun, Dec 25 8 p.m. Orlando at Oklahoma City* 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Golden State*

Fri, Jan 6 8 p.m. Chicago at Orlando 10:30 p.m. Portland at Phoenix

Wed, Jan 11 8 p.m. Dallas at Boston* 10:30 p.m. Miami at L.A. Clippers*

Fri, Jan 13 8 p.m. Chicago at Boston 10:30 p.m. Miami at Denver

Sun, Jan 15 9 p.m. Phoenix at San Antonio

Mon, Jan 16 1 p.m. Chicago at Memphis

Wed, Jan 18 8 p.m. Portland at Atlanta 10:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Clippers

Fri, Jan 20 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Orlando* 10:30 p.m. Minnesota at L.A. Clippers*

Fri, Jan 27 8 p.m. New York at Miami

Sun, Jan 29 6:30 p.m. San Antonio at Dallas

Wed, Feb 1 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Dallas 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Utah

Fri, Feb 3 8 p.m. New York at Boston 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Denver

Fri, Feb 10 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at New York 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Utah

Sun, Feb 12 7 p.m. Miami at Atlanta 9:30 p.m. Utah at Memphis

Wed, Feb 15 10 p.m. Portland at Golden State

Fri, Feb 17 8 p.m. New Orleans at New York 10:30 p.m. Phoenix at L.A. Lakers

Sun, Feb 19 8 p.m. Denver at Oklahoma City

Mon, Feb 20 4 p.m. Atlanta at Chicago

Wed, Feb 22 7 p.m. Boston at Oklahoma City 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas*

Wed, Feb 29 9 p.m. Chicago at San Antonio

Fri, March 2 8 p.M. Golden State at Philadelphia 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Phoenix

Sun, March 4 7 p.m. Chicago at Philadelphia 9:30 p.m. Denver at San Antonio

Mon, March 12 8 p.m. New York at Chicago* 10:30 p.m. Boston at L.A. Clippers*

Wed, March 14 8 p.m. Miami at Chicago* 10:30 p.m. Utah at Phoenix

Fri, March 16 7 p.m. Miami at Philadelphia 9:30 p.m. San Antonio at Oklahoma City

Sun, March 18 7 p.m. Orlando at Miami* 9:30 p.m. Portland at Oklahoma City

Wed, March 21 7 p.m. New York at Philadelphia 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas*

Fri, March 23 8 p.m. Boston at Philadelphia 10:30 p.m. Denver at Utah

Sun, March 25 8 p.m. Miami at Oklahoma City 10:30 p.m. Memphis at L.A. Lakers

Wed, March 28 7 p.m. Orlando at New York*

Fri, March 30 8 p.m. Dallas at Orlando 10:30 p.m. Portland at L.A. Clippers

Wed, April 4 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Miami 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers

Sat, April 7 8 p.m. Orlando at Philadelphia 10:30 p.m. Denver at Golden State

Mon, April 9 9 p.m. Phoenix at Minnesota (ESPN2)

Tue, April 10 7 p.m. Boston at Miami* 9:30 p.m. New York at Chicago*

Wed, April 11 8 p.m. Atlanta at Boston 10:30 p.M. Golden State at Portland

Fri, April 13 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Detroit 10:30 p.m. Dallas at Portland

Sat, April 14 9 p.m. Phoenix at San Antonio

Wed, April 18 8 p.m. Orlando at Boston* 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Golden State*

Fri, April 20 7 p.m. Boston at Atlanta 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at San Antonio

Sat, April 21 5:30 p.m. Denver at Phoenix 8 p.m. Dallas at Chicago 10:30 p.m. Orlando at Utah

Sun, April 22 1 p.m. New York at Atlanta

Wed, April 25 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at New York* 10:30 p.m. San Antonio at Phoenix*

2011-12 ESPN Radio NBA Schedule

Date Time (ET) Teams

Sun, Dec 25 11 a.m. Boston at New York Miami at Dallas

Thu, Jan 12 7:15 p.m. New York at Memphis

Thu, Jan 19 7:15 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Miami

Thu, Jan 26 7:15 p.m. Boston at Orlando

Sun, Jan 29 2:30 p.m. Chicago at Miami

Thu, Feb 2 7:15 p.m. Chicago at New York

Thu, Feb 9 7:15 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Boston

Sun, Feb 12 2:30 p.m. Chicago at Boston

Thu, Feb 16 9:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Portland

Sun, Feb 19 12 p.m. Dallas at New York Orlando at Miami

Fri, Feb 24 T BD T-Mobile Rookie Challenge

Sat, Feb 25 TBD Meet the All-Stars

Sat, Feb 25 TBD All-Star Saturday Night

Sun, Feb 26 TBD All-Star Game

Thu, March 1 7:15 p.m. Oklahoma City at Orlando

Sun, March 4 12 p.m. New York at Boston Miami at L.A. Lakers

Sun, March 11 2:30 p.m. Boston at L.A. Lakers Miami at Chicago

Thu, March 14 7 p.m. Miami at Chicago

Thu, March 21 8:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas

Thu, March 29 7 p.m. Dallas at Miami

Sun, April 1 12 p.m. Chicago at Oklahoma City Miami at Boston

Sun, April 8 12 p.m. Chicago at New York

Sun, April 15 2:30 p.m. Dallas at L.A. Lakers

Sun, April 22 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers

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