The NBA released the revised, 66-game schedule for the 2011-12 season in a special program on NBATV today. Although some predicted the Miami Heat would receive a brutal schedule featuring several match-ups against elite teams with fewer games against weaker teams – to generate T.V. ratings for the league, of course – the schedule doesn’t look too bad, at least at first glance.
For starters, the Heat only have one set of three games in three nights – every NBA team has between one and two such sets. Miami’s one comes Feb. 12-14, with road games against the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers.
Miami begins the season with two high-profile games, visiting Dallas Dec. 25 for the season opener and debuting at AmericanAirlines Arena against Boston two days later. But after the first two games, the schedule eases up on the Heat, with games against Charlotte, Minnesota and other non-playoff teams going into January. The Heat’s first game against the Lakers is set for Jan. 19 in Miami at 8 p.m. on TNT, and the Eastern Conference champions will host the Bulls Jan. 29. Additionally, the HEAT will play 18 back-to-backs, and one back-to-back-to-back from February 12-14.
The Heat go on the road for much of February and March, but the second month of 2012 features only one game against a team that made it past the first road of the playoffs – and that team is the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat host the Knicks Feb. 23; in a bit of a surprise, Miami will only visit Madison Square Garden once, April 15. Miami starts March on a three-game West road swing with games against Portland, Utah and the Lakers and other trips to Chicago and Oklahoma City later in the month. The Heat host the defending champion Mavericks March 29. On paper, March looks like the Heat’s toughest month, and Miami suffered through a five-game losing streak last season in March.
The last month of the regular season features mostly home games, but the Heat won’t get a lot of rest: the Heat do not get more than one day off and have four sets of back-to-backs in April.
Miami will have 11 home games in January, and 10 in April. The month in which Miami plays the highest number of games is January, when the HEAT hits the hardwood 17 times. The month the HEAT is on the road the most is March, with 10 games away from AmericanAirlines Arena. The revised schedule contains 27 games that remain unchanged (date & opponent) from the original schedule, and another 22 games that are the same date, but are against different teams.
Below is the complete list of the schedule:
DECEMBER
18* Sun. ORLANDO 6:00 PM SUN
21* Wed. @ Orlando 7:00 PM SUN/NBA TV
25 Sun. @ Dallas 2:30 PM ABC
27 Tues. BOSTON 8:00 PM TNT
28 Wed. @ Charlotte 7:00 PM SUN
30 Fri. @ Minnesota 8:00 PM SUN
* - Preseason game
JANUARY
1 Sun. CHARLOTTE 6:00 PM SUN
2 Mon. ATLANTA 7:30 PM SUN
4 Wed. INDIANA 7:30 PM SUN
5 Thurs. @ Atlanta 8:00 PM TNT
7 Sat. @ New Jersey 7:30 PM SUN
10 Tues. @ Golden State 10:30 PM SUN
11 Wed. @ L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM SUN/ESPN
13 Fri. @ Denver 10:30 PM SUN/ESPN
17 Tues. SAN ANTONIO 7:30 PM SUN
19 Thurs. L.A. LAKERS 8:00 PM TNT
21 Sat. PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM SUN
22 Sun. MILWAUKEE 6:00 PM SUN
24 Tues. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM SUN
25 Wed. @ Detroit 7:30 PM SUN
27 Fri. NEW YORK 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
29 Sun. CHICAGO 3:30 PM ABC
30 Mon. NEW ORLEANS 7:30 PM SUN
FEBRUARY
1 Wed. @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM SUN
3 Fri. @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM SUN
5 Sun. TORONTO 1:00 PM SUN
7 Tues. CLEVELAND 7:30 PM SUN
8 Wed. @ Orlando 7:00 PM SUN
10 Fri. @ Washington 7:00 PM SUN
12 Sun. @ Atlanta 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
13 Mon. @ Milwaukee 8:00 PM SUN
14 Tues. @ Indiana 7:00 PM SUN
17 Fri. @ Cleveland 7:30 PM SUN
19 Sun. ORLANDO 3:30 PM ABC
21 Tues. SACRAMENTO 7:30 PM SUN
23 Thurs. NEW YORK 7:00 PM TNT
DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME TV
MARCH
1 Thurs. @ Portland 10:30 PM SUN/TNT
2 Fri. @ Utah 9:00 PM SUN
4 Sun. @ L.A. Lakers 3:30 PM ABC
6 Tues. NEW JERSEY 7:30 PM SUN
7 Wed. ATLANTA 7:30 PM SUN/NBA TV
10 Sat. INDIANA 7:30 PM SUN
13 Tues. @ Orlando 7:00 PM SUN
14 Wed. @ Chicago 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
16 Fri. @ Philadelphia 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
18 Sun. ORLANDO 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
20 Tues. PHOENIX 7:30 PM SUN
23 Fri. @ Detroit 7:30 PM SUN
25 Sun. @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
26 Mon. @ Indiana 7:00 PM SUN
29 Thurs. DALLAS 8:00 PM TNT
30 Fri. @ Toronto 7:00 PM SUN
APRIL
1 Sun. @ Boston 3:30 PM ABC
3 Tues. PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM SUN
4 Wed. OKLAHOMA CITY 8:00 PM SUN/ESPN
6 Fri. MEMPHIS 7:30 PM SUN
8 Sun. DETROIT 6:00 PM SUN
10 Tues. BOSTON 7:00 PM SUN/ESPN
12 Thurs. @ Chicago 8:00 PM SUN/TNT
13 Fri. CHARLOTTE 7:30 PM SUN
15 Sun. @ New York 1:00 PM ABC
16 Mon. @ New Jersey 7:30 PM SUN
18 Wed. TORONTO 7:30 PM SUN
19 Thurs. CHICAGO 8:00 PM TNT
21 Sat. WASHINGTON 7:30 PM SUN
22 Sun. HOUSTON 6:00 PM SUN/NBA TV
24 Tues. @ Boston 8:00 PM SUN/TNT
26 Thurs. @ Washington 8:00 PM SUN