HEAT Announce 2004-05 Schedule

MIAMI, August 2 – The Miami HEAT announced their 2004-2005 regular season schedule today. The 82-game schedule consists of 41 home dates, all in the AmericanAirlines Arena, and 41 road contests, and is set to run from Wednesday, November 3, 2004 through Wednesday, April 20, 2004.

Miami kicks off its 17th season when they travel to New Jersey to face the Nets at 8:00PM on Wednesday, November 3 in a nationally televised contest on ESPN. The HEAT opens their home slate when they host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8:00PM on Thursday, November 4, 2004 in a nationally televised game on TNT. It is the first of 16 back-to-back games during the 2004-2005 campaign.

The schedule features several exciting match-ups, including Shaquille O’Neal’s return to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Christmas Day. The 3:00PM (Eastern Time) contest, which marks only the second time the HEAT has played on Christmas Day, kicks off ABC’s NBA coverage for the 2004-2005 season. The HEAT will host Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Thursday, March 17 in an 8:00PM game at the AmericanAirlines Arena on TNT.

The NBA World Champion Detroit Pistons, led by Rasheed Wallace, visit Miami for only one time on Sunday, April 10. In addition, Western Conference powerhouses San Antonio visit the AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday, February 13, the Houston Rockets come to Miami on Sunday, January 30 and the Sacramento Kings visit on Friday, March 4. The team will also play a game on New Year’s Day against the NBA’s newest team, the Charlotte Bobcats.

The schedule also features several exciting rematches from the HEAT’s 2004 playoff run. The New Orleans Hornets arrive in Miami on Monday, January 24 for a 7:30PM game. The HEAT also renew their rivalry against the Indiana Pacers in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals when they come to Miami on Friday, January 21 and again on Sunday, April 17.

The longest road trip of the upcoming season will take place in January. The HEAT will play five straight games on the road beginning on Friday, January 7 at Portland, and ending on Friday, January 14 with a visit to Los Angeles to face the Clippers. The month of March is highlighted by one of the HEAT’s longest homestands. Miami kicks off a stretch of four consecutive home contests when they host Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, March 7, and conclude with a battle against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, March 14.

Sunshine Network will be the exclusive television home of HEAT basketball games, with the network scheduled to broadcast a minimum of 70 games. All games will continue to be heard on WIOD (610 AM) in English, while WQBA (1140 AM) will mark its first season broadcasting HEAT games in Spanish. The team will also appear on national television a franchise-record 33 times during the course of the regular season, the most allowed by NBA rules. The club will appear on ESPN 10 times, TNT and NBATV nine times apiece, and ABC five times.

For HEAT season ticket information, call 786-777-HOOP. Tickets for individual HEAT home games will go on sale at a later date.