OKLAHOMA CITY, July 19, 2011 – The Thunder announced its 2011-12 regular season schedule today. The team will open the regular season at the Los Angeles Lakers on November 1st and will host the Indiana Pacers at the Oklahoma City Arena in the home opener on November 4th.
The 2011-12 regular season schedule is highlighted by 27 nationally televised games this season. The Thunder will play two home games on ABC this season when they host the Chicago Bulls (4/1) and the Los Angeles Lakers (4/8). The Thunder will also play nine games on ESPN starting with a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers (11/23) at the Oklahoma City Arena. The Thunder will also host the Orlando Magic (12/14), the San Antonio Spurs (12/16), the Denver Nuggets (2/19) and the Boston Celtics (2/22) at the Oklahoma City Arena on ESPN. Road games against the Miami Heat (12/23), the Dallas Mavericks (2/1) and Utah Jazz (2/10) and the Atlanta Hawks (3/2) will also be featured on ESPN.
TNT Sports will feature eight Thunder games during the 2011-12 season including one at Oklahoma City Arena when the Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks (12/29). The Thunder will appear on TNT seven times as the road team including the NBA’s Opening Night (11/1) against the Lakers. TNT will also show games at Chicago (11/10), at Denver (12/1), at Boston (1/16), at Sacramento (2/9), at Orlando (3/1) and at the Lakers on (3/29). The Thunder is scheduled to appear on NBATV five times this season.
Thunder fans will be treated to four home stands of four games or more this season including a mid-December home stand that will feature the Detroit Pistons (12/12), the Orlando Magic (12/14), the San Antonio Spurs (12/16) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (12/18). The Thunder will continue the tradition of ringing in the New Year by hosting the Phoenix Suns on New Year’s Eve as a part of a five-game home stand that will also feature matchups with the Dallas Mavericks (12/29), the Portland Trail Blazers (1/3), the Houston Rockets (1/6) and the San Antonio Spurs (1/8). The Thunder has played on every New Year’s Eve since moving to Oklahoma City as a part of the city’s Opening Night celebration.
The final two extended home stands of the season will take place in the spring when the Thunder host the Golden State Warriors (2/17), the Denver Nuggets (2/19), the Boston Celtics (2/22) and the Charlotte Bobcats (2/28) in a home stand that will straddle the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend (2/24 – 2/26) in Orlando. The final four-game home stand of the season will take place in April and features the Chicago Bulls (4/1), the Golden State Warriors (4/4), the Portland Trail Blazers (4/6) and the Los Angeles Lakers (4/8).
The Thunder continues its tradition of family friendly scheduling this season with 24 home games that will be played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The Thunder will continue to give families the opportunity to catch as many games as possible when they tip-off at 6:00pm CT for their 10 Sunday home games this season.
The Thunder will play seven preseason games in preparation for the 2011-12 NBA regular season. The Thunder preseason schedule is highlighted by home games in Wichita, Kansas against the New Orleans Hornets on October 17th and the team’s annual trip to Tulsa, for an October 21st matchup with the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder will also host the Charlotte Bobcats (10/14) and the San Antonio Spurs (10/27) at the Oklahoma City Arena.
Fox Sports Oklahoma will air all of the Thunder’s regular season games (expect those televised on ABC and TNT). Play-by-play announcer Brian Davis, analyst Grant Long and sideline reporter Kelly Crull will comprise this year’s broadcast team on Fox. Radio play-by play announcer Matt Pinto will bring every Thunder game to listeners on WWLS (98.1FM) and the Thunder Radio Network.
Fans interested in purchasing season tickets can call 405.208.HOOP (4667) or email thunder-tix@thunder-nba.com.
For more information on the Oklahoma City Thunder, log onto thunder.nba.com.