The Lakers play host to the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, the marquee matchup of the regular season They open the season Oct. 28 against the Portland Trail Blazers and Greg Oden, who will make his NBA debut. Then they help the Clippers open their season the next night.
There are a ton of home games in the season’s first half, which means lots of travel in the second half as the Grammys and the Pac-10 Tournament take over Staples Center in February and March.
No game on Thanksgiving this season, so that’s something to be thankful for.
No game on New Year’s Eve, so thanks for that, too.
No more trips to Seattle, so that’s something to be upset about. (Somebody please tell me something good about Oklahoma City, where the re-located SuperSonics will play after moving this summer from Seattle. Hotels, bars, restaurants, jogging routes. Anything? Anyone?)
Ron Artest returns with his new team, the Houston Rockets, on Nov. 9. (Actually, it’s not so much of a return as a chance to look at a player the Lakers wanted but declined to trade Lamar Odom to get during the offseason).
Kwame Brown returns with his new team, the Detroit Pistons, on Nov. 14.
Ronny Turiaf returns with his new team, the Golden State Warriors, on Dec. 28.
The regular season end with an April 14 game home game against the Utah Jazz. The real season, the playoffs, begin the following weekend. Anyone ready for a Lakers-Celtics rematch in The Finals?