2012 NBA Schedule: National TV Games Fans Won't Want to Miss
The release of the 2012-13 NBA schedule gives us all a chance to start marking can't miss games on our calendars. If you already have plans during one of these big games, it's time to start thinking about rescheduling them.
The rest of life can wait. These games will only happen once.
From grudge matches to potential postseason previews, here's a list for true NBA junkies to live by.
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat–8 p.m. ET, Oct. 30, 2012
No one wanted this series to end except the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and their respective fans. For the rest of the NBA and its faithful followers, this seven-game slug-fest was a thing of absolute beauty.
More importantly, this will be Ray Allen's first time to face off against the Celtics after the veteran sharpshooter opted to combine his talents with those of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Kevin Garnett just might be setting some extra-hard picks in this one.
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs–9:30 p.m. ET, Nov. 1, 2012
It took the NBA Finals-bound Thunder to put an end to the Spurs' historic 20-game winning streak, and then San Antonio wouldn't win another game for the remainder of the six-game series.
Expect the ageless Tim Duncan to be out for revenge, and expect the Thunder to prove their statement in the Western Conference Finals was no fluke. It will be far too early in the season to read too much into this game, but it will nevertheless be an intriguing early indicator of whether the Spurs are still in the hunt and if OKC has gotten even better.
New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets–7 p.m. ET, Nov. 1, 2012
Let the rivalry truly begin. The Knicks and Nets are determined not to let the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat have all the fun, and they've made the superstar acquisitions to prove it.
So, which team will rule New York? And, will either of these clubs still be in the title conversation come playoff time?
Both of these clubs will still be struggling to integrate new talent into their rotations, so the early faceoff won't say much about how both sides will look in April. But, it will still be awfully fun to watch.
Houston Rockets at New York Knicks–7:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 17, 2012
The Knicks will for the first time play host to the one who got away, the ever-sensational (and sensationalized) Jeremy Lin. The only thing more insane than Linsanity will be the conflicted feelings Knicks fans feel toward the new Houston Rocket.
Chances are the Knicks will have the upper hand in this game, but it would be quite the story if Lin can engineer the kind of upset he made commonplace during his stint with New York.
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers–3 p.m. ET, Dec. 25
Merry Christmas, indeed. This game will feature two of the very best scorers in the league in Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony, and it will showcase two organizations who've tried awfully hard to position themselves for a championship.
It's also worth noting that Steve Nash was courted by the Knicks this summer, only to opt instead to orchestrate a sign-and-trade deal to the Lakers instead. New York, meanwhile, wound up with a less-than-ideal combination of Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd to run the point.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat–5:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 25
It wouldn't be Christmas without an epic rematch between the 2012 NBA Finals participants. The series wasn't as close on paper as it was in reality, and you can rest assured OKC will be doing its best to make a statement on Miami's home-court.
The Heat, meanwhile, would undoubtedly like to prove the outcome of those Finals was no mistake. With Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis joining the cause, Erik Spoelstra's team would ideally like to show this iteration of the Heat is even better than last season's.
Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns–10:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 30, 2013
Steve Nash will for the first time return to the team with whom he spent 10 seasons. Given how long he stuck it out with a team that had struggled for several seasons, there's little doubt Suns fans will welcome the icon back with open arms.
This will also be an opportunity to the rebuilt Phoenix roster to make a strong showing and prove they belong in the playoffs. That won't be easy in the West, but the Suns have added solid talent like Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Luis Scola.
Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics–8 p.m. ET, Feb. 7, 2013
This will be the first of two meeting between the two classic rivals. Both of these club's core talent has gotten on in age, but that hasn't change the fact that either of these teams could still win a championship.
The question remains: Which one has the better chance of upsetting the younger, more athletic contenders in Oklahoma City and Miami? We'll have a better answer to that question after this game.
