The Washington Wizards will tip-off their 2010-11 Verizon Center slate on Tuesday, Nov. 2, against the 76ers when the historic cities of Washington and Philadelphia battle on Election Day in a match-up featuring the top two selections in the 2010 NBA Draft – Washington’s John Wall and Philadelphia’s Evan Turner. (Click here to see the Wizards' schedule)
Prior to making their home debut in 2010-11, the Wizards will open the season on Thursday, Oct. 28, in a previously announced game in Orlando at 8:00 p.m. on TNT in what will be Wall’s debut and the Magic’s first-ever regular season game in the new Amway Center. Washington will also visit Atlanta for a Saturday night clash against the Hawks on Oct. 30, before the 2010-11 season commences at Verizon Center.
“The beginning of a new season always is an exciting time,” said Ted Leonsis, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Wizards majority owner. “I’ve been a Wizards season-ticket holder for many years, but I certainly will have a different perspective this year. After an exciting off-season, I’m looking forward to seeing all of our great fans at Verizon Center in 2010-11, particularly with the number of weekend dates on our schedule. See you opening night, November 2.”
The 2010-11 schedule features eight national television appearances, with five games on NBATV (Nov. 27 vs. Orlando, Dec. 18 vs. Miami, Dec. 22 vs. Chicago, Jan. 24 at New York, Feb. 5 vs. Atlanta), two on TNT (Oct. 28 at Orlando and Nov. 25 at Atlanta) and one on ESPN (Jan. 21 vs. Phoenix at 8:00 p.m.). Overall, the Wizards will play 21 of their 41 home contests on the weekend (Friday-Sunday).
After playing three of their first four games on the road, the Wizards enjoy a three-game homestand that will feature Antawn Jamison’s return to Washington with the Cavaliers on Nov. 6 and Yao Ming’s lone trip to Chinatown on Nov. 10. November’s home schedule also includes Rudy Gay and the Memphis Grizzlies’ only appearance of the season on Nov. 19, the second and final Verizon Center matchup with the 76ers and Turner on Nov. 23 and the first appearance of Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic on Nov. 27 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving).
Other highlights of the 2010-11 home schedule include Kobe Bryant and the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers’ lone visit to DC on Dec. 14, a pair of visits from Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat (Dec. 18 and Mar. 30), two opportunities for President Obama to see his hometown Bulls in action (Dec. 22 and Feb. 28), Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns’ only trip to DC (Jan. 21), the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in a pair of meetings with the Wizards (Jan. 22 and Apr. 11), Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets’ visit on Jan. 25, the return of former Wizards Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson with the Dallas Mavericks (Feb. 26), 2009 first-overall draft pick Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers on Mar. 12, and Kevin Durant’s lone trip of the year two days later with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Mar. 14.
The Wizards will host each team in the Eastern Conference twice with the exception of New York (Dec. 10) and Detroit (Apr. 5), while Washington will travel to play Eastern Conference teams New Jersey (Dec. 16) and Milwaukee (Jan. 19) on the road one time only during regular season play. The longest road trip of the season is five games (Mar. 22 – 28), while the team will have a pair of four-game homestands from Feb. 4 – 12 and Feb. 26 – Mar. 5. The Wizards will also play two sets of back-to-back home games this season (Jan. 21 vs. Phoenix/Jan. 22 vs. Boston and Feb. 4 vs. Orlando/Feb. 5 vs. Atlanta)
All home games will tip off at 7:00 p.m., with the exceptions of the previously mentioned ESPN game on Jan. 21 vs. Phoenix (8:00 p.m.), two 1:00 p.m. matinees (the Martin Luther King Day meeting with Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz on Monday, Jan. 17, and the matchup against New Jersey on March 20) and two other 8:00 p.m. tipoffs (Saturday, Feb. 12 vs. San Antonio and Saturday, Feb. 26 vs. Dallas).
Fans looking to see the Wizards in action at Verizon Center can purchase a variety of ticket plans for the 2010-11 season, including the Wizards FANily Pack Season Ticket package starting at only $399. For more information, fans can call the Wizards sales office at 202-661-5050 or visit WashingtonWizards.com. Individual game tickets will go on sale at a later date and will be made available through all Ticketmaster outlets, at the Verizon Center Box Office and online at WashingtonWizards.com.