MIAMI, August 8 The defending Southeast Division champion Miami HEAT announced its 2005-06 regular season schedule today. The 82-game schedule consists of 41 home dates, all in the AmericanAirlines Arena, and 41 road contests, and runs from November 2, 2005 through April 19, 2006. For the second consecutive year the HEAT will make the league maximum 33 national television appearances. Miami will appear five times on ABC, 10 times on ESPN and nine times on TNT and NBA TV.
Miami kicks off its 18th season when it travels to Memphis to face the Grizzlies and guard Eddie Jones at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, November 2. The HEAT opens its home slate the following night when they host Jermaine ONeal and the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 PM in a nationally televised game on TNT. It is the first of 16 back-to-back games during the 2005-06 campaign.
The schedule features several exciting match-ups, including the Los Angeles Lakers visit to Miami on Christmas Day. The 3:00 PM (Eastern Time) contest, which marks the third time and second consecutive year the HEAT has played on Christmas Day, is the second game of ABCs season-opening doubleheader of NBA coverage following a re-match of the 2005 NBA Finals between Detroit and San Antonio. The HEAT will travel to Los Angeles to play Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Monday, January 16 in a 10:30 PM game on TNT.
The NBA World Champion San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, make their lone Miami appearance on Friday, January 20. In addition, Western Conference powerhouses the Houston Rockets visit the AmericanAirlines Arena on Thursday, November 10, the Dallas Mavericks come to Miami on Friday, November 25 and the Phoenix Suns visit on Thursday, January 26. The team will also play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves on New Years Day.
The schedule also features several exciting rematches from the HEATs 2005 playoff run. The Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons arrive in Miami on Sunday, February 12 for a 3:30 PM (ABC) nationally televised game, and again on April 6 in an 8:00 PM (TNT) nationally televised contest. The HEAT also renew their rivalry against the Washington Wizards in a rematch of last years Eastern Conference Semifinals when they come to Miami on Sunday, December 11 and Wednesday, March 8. The New Jersey Nets come to town on Monday, November 7 and on Friday, December 23.
The longest road trip of the upcoming season will take place in January. The HEAT will play seven straight games on the road beginning on Wednesday, January 4 at New Orleans, and ending on Monday, January 16 with a visit to Los Angeles to face the Lakers. The month of March is highlighted by the HEATs longest homestand. Miami kicks off a stretch of five consecutive home contests when they host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, March 8, and conclude with a battle against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, March 16.
Sun Sports will be the exclusive local television home of HEAT basketball games, with the network scheduled to broadcast a minimum of 70 games. Eric Reid and Tony Fiorentino will once again call the action on Sun Sports and Jason Jackson will return as the sideline reporter. The Sun Sports television schedule will be released at a later date. All games will continue to be heard on WIOD (610 AM) in English with Mike Inglis and John Crotty forming the broadcast team, while WQBA (1140 AM) will mark its second season broadcasting HEAT games in Spanish with José Pañeda describing all the action.
The HEAT has made available more seats for season ticket purchases. A very limited number of seats will be the FINAL season ticket locations available this season; the only way to guarantee seats for the Christmas Day game and the 2006 NBA Playoffs. The remaining season ticket locations are priced at $25/seat ($1,050 total) and $15/seat ($630 total). Call 786-777-HOOP to guarantee seats. Tickets for individual HEAT home games will go on sale at a later date.