NEW YORK -- A Christmas Day doubleheader featuring the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons in a rematch of the 2005 NBA
Finals highlights the league's television schedule released Monday.
The second game on ABC will show Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson and
the Los Angeles Lakers against Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat.
The NBA released its complete game schedule and national TV
schedules of ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV for the 2005-06 season.
The televised season begins Nov. 1 with the defending champion
Spurs against the Denver Nuggets on TNT. The game includes the ring
ceremony and launches a week of five consecutive nationally
televised doubleheaders. In the second game, the Dallas Mavericks
face the Phoenix Suns.
ESPN's coverage starts Nov. 2 with a doubleheader. The
Philadelphia 76ers play at Detroit, followed by Jackson's first
game back as coach in the Lakers-Nuggets game.
On Nov. 3, the Heat host the Indiana Pacers, and Jackson makes
his home debut in the Phoenix Suns-Lakers matchup on TNT.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Spurs on Nov.
4 in the opener of ESPN's doubleheader that concludes with
Minnesota-Seattle.
Former Pistons coach Larry Brown returns to Detroit with the New York Knicks on Dec. 2 on ESPN.