Washington Wizards Announce 2011-12 Schedule

The National Basketball Association released the 2011-12 regular season schedule today, and the Washington Wizards will tip-off their 2011-12 season at Verizon Center on Wednesday, Nov. 2, against the New Jersey Nets. The Wizards then host the Orlando Magic on Saturday, Nov. 5, to mark the first time since the 1978-79 season that Washington opens the regular season with consecutive games at home.

Highlights of the 2011-12 home schedule include two opportunities for President Obama to see his hometown Bulls in action on November 13 and Feb. 29, the L.A. Clippers� lone visit of the season on Dec. 14, Miami�s first visit to the nation�s capital on Dec. 16, a New Year�s Day night matchup against Orlando, the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks� sole trip to Washington on Jan. 10, a five-game homestand from Jan. 14 � Jan. 25 that brings Sacramento, Denver, Oklahoma City, Portland and Phoenix to town, an early February stretch of four games on every other day from Feb. 4 � Feb. 10 when Washington will host the Lakers, Spurs, Knicks and Heat, and the Celtics� two trips to Washington on November 22 and April 14.

After playing the first two games of the regular season at home, the Wizards travel to Miami to play the Heat on Sunday, Nov. 6, for their first road game of the season. Washington will embark on a four-game trip that begins in Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Nov. 15, marking the earliest the franchise will play on the West Coast since the 1989-90 campaign.

The Wizards will host each team in the Eastern Conference twice with the exception of Philadelphia (Mar. 30) and Indiana (Apr. 4), while Washington will travel to play Eastern Conference teams Cleveland (Jan. 25) and Boston (Mar. 2) on the road one time only during regular season play. Washington will play five straight games on the road twice in 2011-12 (Jan. 25 � Feb. 3, Mar. 11 � 19). Overall, the Wizards will play 19 of their 41 home contests on the weekend (Friday-Sunday).

All home games will tip off at 7:00 p.m., with the exceptions of Sunday 1:00 p.m. matinees vs. Toronto on Jan. 8 and vs. Phoenix on Jan. 22, a 2:00 p.m. Martin Luther King Day game vs. Denver on Jan. 16, 6:00 p.m. Sunday start times on Nov. 13 vs. Chicago and Jan. 1 vs. Orlando and an 8:00 p.m. tip for a nationally televised ESPN game vs. Toronto on April 18.

Click here to view the Wizards' 2011-12 schedule.