AUG. 2 -- With the official release of the 2004-05 NBA game schedule, NBA.com presents some of the most intriguing and exciting meetings during the upcoming year. Note that ESPN will air games on Wednesdays and Fridays, and TNT on Thursdays throughout the season, and ABC will join them with weekend broadcasts beginning on Dec. 25.


Premiere Week: Begins Tuesday, Nov. 2

Opening Night on TNT: Tuesday, Nov. 2
Houston at Detroit (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Denver at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

ESPN Broadcast Debut: Wednesday, Nov. 3
Miami at New Jersey (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
L.A. Lakers at Utah (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Miami Home Opener -- New Fans for Shaq: Thursday, Nov. 4
Cleveland at Miami (8 p.m. ET, TNT)

More Week 1 Notables
Dwight Howard debut: Milwaukee at Orlando (Nov. 3, 7 p.m. ET)
First Bobcats game: Washington at Charlotte (Nov. 4, 7 p.m. ET)
K-Mart hosts KG: Minnesota at Denver (Nov. 4, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Rivalry renewed: San Antonio at L.A. Lakers (Nov. 5, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)


Christmas Day Games: Saturday, Dec. 25

Eastern Conference Finals Redux
Detroit at Indiana (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Shaq Back at Staples
Miami at L.A. Lakers (3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Rematch: L.A. Lakers at Miami (March 17, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)


Many Happy Returns


Francis

McGrady
Mavs Host Nash
Phoenix at Dallas (Nov. 16, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Phoenix at Dallas (Feb. 26, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Magic Host T-Mac/Rockets Host Franchise
Houston at Orlando (Jan. 20, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Orlando at Houston (Jan. 24, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV)

Nets Host K-Mart
Denver at New Jersey (Feb. 13, 6 p.m. ET, NBATV)

Cavaliers Host Boozer
Utah at Cleveland (March 15, 7 p.m. ET)


Big Man Battles


Yao

Shaq
Shaq-Yao
Houston at Miami (Jan. 30, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Miami at Houston (March 22, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Shaq-Duncan
Miami at San Antonio (Nov. 12, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
San Antonio at Miami (Feb. 13, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

Yao-Duncan
San Antonio at Houston (Dec. 9, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
San Antonio at Houston (Jan. 15, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Houston at San Antonio (Feb. 23, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Houston at San Antonio (March 27, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)

All-Star Weekend

Denver, Colorado: Feb. 18-20 on TNT
NBA All-Star Game
NBA All-Star Saturday Night
got milk? Rookie Challenge


Super Sophomores


Wade

James
LeBron-Wade
Cleveland at Miami (Nov. 4, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Cleveland at Miami (Feb. 3, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Miami at Cleveland (March 6, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

LeBron-Carmelo
Cleveland at Denver (Dec. 2, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Denver at Cleveland (Feb. 11, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Wade-Carmelo
Miami at Denver (Dec. 4, 9 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Denver at Miami (Dec. 17, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)


NBA Finals Rematches


Bryant

Hamilton
Thursday, Feb. 10
L.A. Lakers at Detroit (8 p.m. ET, TNT)

Friday, Feb. 25
Detroit at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)


More Star Wars


Duncan

Garnett
McGrady-Kobe
L.A. Lakers at Houston (Nov. 13, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Houston at L.A. Lakers (Jan. 7, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
L.A. Lakers at Houston (Feb. 6, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Houston at L.A. Lakers (April 7, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Duncan-Garnett
Minnesota at San Antonio (Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Minnesota at San Antonio (March 16, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
San Antonio at Minnesota (April 20, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Jermaine-Big Ben
Indiana at Detroit (Nov. 19, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Detroit at Indiana (Dec. 25, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Detroit at Indiana (Jan. 27, 7 p.m. ET, TNT)
Indiana at Detroit (March 25, 8 p.m. ET)

Kobe-LeBron
Cleveland at L.A. Lakers (Jan. 13, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
L.A. Lakers at Cleveland (Feb. 13, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Fun to Watch Specials

Kings-Lakers
Sacramento at L.A. Lakers (Nov. 26, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
L.A. Lakers at Sacramento (Dec. 16, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
L.A. Lakers at Sacramento (April 10, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Sacramento at L.A. Lakers (April 15, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Suns-Kings
Sacramento at Phoenix (Nov. 13, 9 p.m. ET)
Phoenix at Sacramento (Feb. 8, 10 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Sacramento at Phoenix (April 16, 10 p.m. ET, NBATV)
Phoenix at Sacramento (April 20, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Kings-Mavericks
Sacramento at Dallas (Nov. 2, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Dallas at Sacramento (Feb. 11, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sacramento at Dallas (Feb. 24, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Dallas at Sacramento (March 24, 10 p.m. ET)

Heat-Pistons
Miami at Detroit (Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Miami at Detroit (Dec. 30, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)
Detroit at Miami (April 10, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)


NBA Playoffs and Finals

Watch the playoffs on ESPN, TNT and ABC
Western Conference Finals will air exclusively on ESPN
Eastern Conference Finals will air exclusively on TNT
NBA Finals will air exclusively on ABC