NBA Schedule is Released

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers open the season with three straight games. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Dave Martin

Dave Martin is a New-York based writer as well as editor. He is the sports editor for the Epoch Times and is a consultant to private writers.

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December 6, 2011Updated: December 6, 2011

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Dallas Mavericks v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Two — Kobe Bryant and the Lakers open the season with three straight games. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The 66-game 2011-12 NBA Schedule was released Tuesday with five games on Christmas Day to start the season, according to the NBA’s website. The five matchups include a rematch of last year’s finals with Dallas versus Miami.

Similar to the strike-shortened season of 1999, there are 42 scheduled back-to-back-to-back contests for teams. The Los Angeles Lakers will be the first to do the three-games-in-a-row marathon to start the season and every team will face it at least once.

Among the most televised teams of the season, the Miami Heat will play on either ABC or ESPN 16 times (the most allowed) while the Lakers and Bulls are scheduled for 15 appearances. The Lakers will also appear on TNT a league-high 10 times, as will Boston.