'Spurs to Begin Title Defense Against Greg Oden and the Trail Blazers
The San Antonio Spurs will begin their title defense on Tuesday, October 30 at home against the top pick in this year's draft, Greg Oden, and the Portland Trail Blazers.
The contest is the first of two featured on the NBA's 2007-08 schedule, which was released on Thursday. The second contest of the opening night doubleheader, which will be broadcast on TNT, will see Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets battle Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center .
The San Antonio-Portland match up will also feature a ceremony before the game where Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and company will receive their championship rings.
ESPN will then take over the following night with a doubleheader of its own. First, the reigning Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Dallas Mavericks. Number two overall pick Kevin Durant then debuts with Seattle later in the evening as the SuperSonics take on Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.
Other highlighted matchups of opening week, titled "NBA Tip-Off 07" includes the re-tooled Boston Celtics taking on the Washington Wizards on Friday, November 2. Boston had a sub-par 2006-07 campaign, ending an Eastern Conference-worst 24-58. Team executive and director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, though, was busy this offseason and went out and acquired All- Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to turn things around.
Following the Wizards-Celtics contest, the Lakers visit Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns.
ABC's coverage on Christmas Day will feature a doubleheader with the first game pitting the last two Eastern Conference champs against each other as LeBron James and the Cavs host Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. In the second contest, the Suns will be spending their holiday in the City of Angels to play the Lakers.
ESPN gets into the holiday spirit with a highly anticipated night game as Oden and Durant will meet for the first time as the Trail Blazers host the SuperSonics.
ABC will exclusively broadcast the NBA Finals for a fifth straight season in June. ABC has also implemented flexible scheduling for the entire regular season.
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