NBA TV tips off the 2011-2012 seaon on Dec. 26 with doubleheader – Houston Rockets @ Orlando Magic and the LA Lakers @ Sacramento Kings

NBA TV tips off the 2011-12 NBA Season on Dec. 26 with Doubleheader featuring the Houston Rockets @ Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. ET; and

L.A. Lakers @ Sacramento Kings at 10 p.m. ET

Voting for Network’s Popular Fan Night Begins on Dec. 27

NBA TV will tip off coverage of its 13^th season on Monday, Dec. 26, with an exciting doubleheader when the Houston Rockets take on the Orlando Magic (7 p.m. ET), followed by the Los Angeles Lakers visiting the Sacramento Kings (10 p.m. ET).  Prior to tip off, the basketball action will begin with NBA TV’s The Beat with Vince Cellini at 6 p.m. (ET) followed by the AutoTrader.com Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. (ET) with host Rick Kamla and analysts Brent Barry and Dennis Scott.  The network’s 96-game schedule will be highlighted by 33 doubleheaders this season and will feature appearances by the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.

Additional games featured during opening week on NBA TV include:

Wed., Dec 28:

• Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m. ET);
• New York Knicks @ Golden State Warriors (10:30 p.m. ET)

The coverage begins with NBA GameTime at 7p.m. (ET) featuring hostCellini and analysts Greg Anthony, Dennis Scott and Chris Webberfollowed at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with the AutoTrader.com Pregame Show.  Cellini, Anthony, Scott and Webber will conclude the evening with the postgame showNBA GameTime presented by Hyundai. 

Friday, Dec 30:          

• Phoenix Suns @ New Orleans Hornets (8 p.m. ET);
• Chicago Bulls @ LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET)

The coverage begins at 7 p.m. (ET) with NBA GameTime featuring hostMatt Winer  and analystsRick Mahorn and Steve Smith followed at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with the  AutoTrader.com Pregame Show.  The postgame showNBA GameTime presented by Hyundai., with Winer, Mahorn and Smith, will round-out the day’s basketball coverage discussing the match-ups and highlights. 

Saturday, Dec. 31:

• Utah Jazz @ San Antonio Spurs (8:30 p.m. ET)

The coverage begins at 7 p.m. (ET) with NBA GameTime featuring host Kamla, analysts Mahorn and Ronny Thompson followed at 7:30 p.m. (ET) by the AutoTrader.com Pregame Show.  Kamla, Mahorn and Thompson will finish the night with the postgame show NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai with highlights and a re-cap of the evening’s action.  

For the fourth consecutive year, NBA TV will feature the popular Fan Night on Tuesdays throughout the regular season.  Voting for the 2011-2012 season begins on Tuesday, Dec. 27, for the first game that will air on January 3, 2012.  Each Tuesday night, NBA fans will have the opportunity to vote on NBA.com for games they want to see televised nationally on NBA TV.  In addition to voting on NBA.com and NBA Mobile, this season fans can also cast their votes via the NBA Facebook page and Yahoo.com.  Fans can stay connected to all the Fan Night action all week long with information on NBA TV, online at NBA.com/fannight and through live chats and Twitter feeds from select NBA personalities.

Fans can vote for the following January 3 games:

• Charlotte Bobcats @ Cleveland Cavaliers (7 pm ET)
• Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls (8 pm ET)
• Sacramento Kings @ Memphis Grizzlies (8 pm ET)
• Portland Trailblazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (8 pm ET)
• Houston Rockets @ LA Lakers (10:30 pm ET)

NBA TV SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011:

NBA TV UPCOMING SCHEDULE FOR DEC. 28-31

  Postgame                             NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai

                                                Matt Winer (host), Rick Mahorn (analyst), Steve Smith (analyst)

Saturday, December 31

   Postgame                            NBA GameTime presented by Hyundai

                                                Rick Kamla (host), Rick Mahorn (analyst), Ronny Thompson (analyst) 

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