The NBA on TNT to Feature Defending NBA Champion Lakers, Along with the Celtics, Heat, Nuggets and Magic for the 2010-11 Season

The NBA on TNT to Feature Defending

NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, Along with the

Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic

for the 2010-11 Season

TNT once again Exclusive home of NBA All-Star 2011

NBA Season Tips off on TNT with Exclusive doubleheader featuring

Heat vs Celtics and Lakers hosting the Rockets

Turner Network Television (TNT) today announced its 2010-11 NBA regular season schedule, which features 10 appearances each by the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics and the new-look Miami Heat, as well as nine by the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic.  The network will air 52 games in primetime, with 44 being part of TNT’s Thursday night exclusive doubleheaders.  This marks Turner Broadcasting’s 27^th season of NBA basketball coverage.

In addition to the previously announced doubleheader on opening night and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, TNT’s schedule features a number of marquee match-ups, including:

• Dec. 2 – Reigning Most Valuable Player LeBron James makes his return to Cleveland when the new look Heat featuring all-stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh take on Antawn Jamison and the Cavaliers (8 p.m. ET).  TNT will preview the night’s action during a special hour-long pre-game show (7 p.m. ET).
• Jan. 13, 2011 – A star-studded East vs. West doubleheader featuring defending NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on defending NBA Defensive Player of the Year presented by Kia Motors Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic (8 p.m. ET), followed by Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets hosting the Heat (10:30 p.m. ET).
• Jan. 27 – Wade, Bosh and James lead the Heat into Madison Square Garden to take on Amar’e Stoudemire and the New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET).  Prior to the game, TNT will have the exclusive announcement of the 2011 NBA All-Star Starters (7 p.m. ET).
• Feb.  10 – A Finals rematch features Kobe Bryant and the Lakers visiting Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics (8 p.m. ET).
• Mar. 10 – Superstars and teams collide when the Heat play host to the Lakers (8 p.m. ET).

TNT’s regular season coverage begins Tuesday, Oct. 26, with a special half-hour preview show, NBA Tip-Off ’10 presented by AutoTrader.com at 7 p.m. (ET), followed at 7:30 p.m. (ET) with an exclusive opening night doubleheader.  The first game will feature the defending Eastern Conference Champion Celtics hosting the Heat.  The Lakers will be presented with their championship rings prior to taking on the Houston Rockets at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Opening week continues on TNT on Thursday, Oct. 28, with No. 1 overall draft pick John Wall making his professional debut when his Washington Wizards take on the Magic at 8 p.m. (ET), followed by the Phoenix Suns visiting the Utah Jazz at 10:30 p.m. (ET).

“We look forward to one of the most highly anticipated NBA seasons getting underway on TNT,” said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.  “With marquee matchups, our exclusive Thursday night doubleheaders and in-depth coverage of NBA All-Star 2011 in Los Angeles, we have a great schedule for our fans to enjoy throughout the season.”

TNT will once again serve as the exclusive home for NBA All-Star 2011, airing all the action on NBA All-Star Friday, NBA All-Star Saturday and the 2011 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20, from Los Angeles.  The network will also air 40 or more NBA playoff games including, on an exclusive basis, conference semi-finals and the Eastern Conference Finals.

The NBA on TNT’s marquee roster of NBA announcers include the studio team of two-time Emmy® award-winning host Ernie Johnson, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, two-time NBA Champion Kenny Smith, along with select studio appearances by Kevin McHale and Chris Webber. Five-time NBA Champion Steve Kerr returns to the network as a game analyst for the 2010-11 season.  Other on-site game announcers include Marv Albert (play-by-play), Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Mike Fratello (analyst), David Aldridge (reporter), Cheryl Miller (reporter) and Craig Sager (reporter).

TNT tips off its coverage with two NBA preseason contests, including an outdoor game when the Phoenix Suns take on the Dallas Mavericks from Indian Wells, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 9:30 p.m. (ET).  The second preseason game will pit the Miami Heat against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. (ET).

TNT is in its 22^nd consecutive year of NBA coverage.  Sister network TBS aired the NBA exclusively for Turner Broadcasting System from 1984-89, with TNT serving as Turner’s sole NBA cable home from 1990-94.  Both networks aired NBA games from 1994-2002.  Once again, TNT’s entire NBA preseason, regular and postseason telecasts will air in high definition.

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised and online sports programming. With events airing on TBS, TNT and truTV, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, professional golf, PGATOUR.COM and PGA.com. Turner Sports’ diverse portfolio also offers a collection of mobile Web sites and apps featuring NBA, NASCAR and professional golf content, along with Turner Sports’ first branded consumer product, SportsNOW. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, NBA Mobile, NBADLEAUGE.com and WNBA.com.

TNT’s 52-game schedule is listed below.  All times shown are Eastern.

TEAM APPEARANCES

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