Posted: Aug. 4, 2009
The Phoenix Suns today announced the club’s regular season schedule for its 42nd NBA season. The team kicks off its 41-game home slate in 2009-10 with an explosive offensive matchup, hosting the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at US Airways Center.
The Suns open the 2009-10 campaign on the road two nights earlier on Oct. 28 against the L.A. Clippers in the professional debut of the 2009 NBA Draft’s No. 1 overall pick, Blake Griffin. It marks the fourth consecutive season Phoenix will play its season opener away from home. The two clubs then meet for the first time in Phoenix on Christmas Day, as the Suns host a marquee holiday tilt for the second-straight season and play on Dec. 25 for the third consecutive campaign overall.
With head coach Alvin Gentry set to begin his first full season at the helm of the league’s most exciting offense, the Suns will be showcased on national television a total of 25 times. Phoenix appears once on ABC, 10 times on ESPN, seven on TNT and seven on NBA TV. In addition, ESPN Radio will carry three games. The national television lineup is highlighted by two meetings with the San Antonio Spurs (Feb. 28 on ABC, April 7 on ESPN), the Christmas Day game against the Clippers on ESPN, and a Dec. 11 home tilt against the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on ESPN. Additionally, Phoenix travels to Memphis for the league’s annual feature game on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday against the Grizzlies, which will air live Monday, Jan. 18 on TNT.
Late December is packed with marquee matchups at US Airways Center. Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers make their lone visit to the Valley on Dec. 21 in a game that will be shown on NBA TV. Following the aforementioned Christmas Day contest against the Clippers, Phoenix hosts the NBA Champion L.A. Lakers on Dec. 28 in the first of two visits by this Pacific Division foe. Two days later, Phoenix closes the month at home against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 30 on NBA TV.
The Suns’ schedule includes two season-long five-game road trips, Nov. 3-9 and March 28-April 3. Phoenix plays 15 of its first 22 games away from US Airways Center to start the season, but follows the 2010 All-Star break with 12 home contests in a 17-game span. That stretch includes a season-long seven-game homestand from March 6-21.
Phoenix plays more than half of its home games this season on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, including 10 on Friday, five on Saturday and seven on Sunday. The Suns will play 20 back-to-back sets, one more than in 2008-09.
Al McCoy begins his 38th season calling action on flagship station Sports 620 KTAR. FSN Arizona will telecast regular season home games for its seventh consecutive season and My45 will continue to broadcast away games. This season the Suns will once again televise the entire season in High Definition (HD).
Most home games start at 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with a 6 p.m. tip-time for Sunday home starts (exceptions are nationally-televised games).