Lakers again have most nationally televised games on their schedule
Published in Basketball
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James has fled to the Eastern Conference but the Lakers remain a major box office ticket for the NBA.
With an almost brand new rotation after a busy offseason that elevated Luka Doncic to the team’s unquestioned No. 1 spot, the Lakers remain tied for the most nationally televised games in the NBA this season, according to the league’s full schedule released Thursday. The Lakers open the season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 on ESPN, one of the Lakers’ 34 nationally televised games.
The slate is highlighted by a much-anticipated Christmas Day reunion with James that will be televised at 2 p.m. on ABC. The matchup at Crypto.com Arena will be James’ first return to L.A. after the four-time NBA champion signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. After spending his last eight seasons with the Lakers, James will play on Christmas Day for the 21st time in his 24-season career and the Lakers will play on the major holiday for the 28th consecutive time.
The Lakers don’t meet James in his new home until March 4, when they finish a four-game road trip in Philadelphia.
The Lakers have a frantic start to the season, playing 13 games in the first four weeks. They have three back-to-backs during the busy stretch from the season opener to the end of a three-game road trip in Milwaukee on Nov. 11.
The traditional Grammy Trip begins in Indiana on Jan. 28 followed by a back-to-back set in New York (Jan. 30) and Charlotte (Jan. 31). The Lakers then continue the seven-game trip by circling back north from Charlotte to Boston (Feb. 2) and Brooklyn (Jan. 4), then heading West with stops in San Antonio (Feb. 6) and Phoenix (Feb. 8).
The reigning NBA champion New York Knicks, Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and James’ Philadelphia 76ers each have 34 nationally televised regular-season games. The final two games of the 82-game regular season will be determined for future dates in December as the NBA Cup plays out.
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