The 2016-17 NBA schedule was released to the public on Thursday evening and the Chicago Bulls only trail the Golden State Warriors for the most national television appearances next season.
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Outside of Jimmy Butler and Team USA’s pending gold medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics, the most important matter of the Bulls community (and the NBA community) was the schedule release on Thursday.
Like always, the Chicago Bulls are among the league leaders in national television appearances. In the 2016-17 season, they’ll play on national television 34 times (tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers for the second-most national TV games).
In the ESPN/ABC/TNT rotation of networks, the Bulls will be only 25 times. The other nine appearances come from spots on NBA TV.
Here’s a breakdown of the entire league’s national television game count:
Number of national TV appearances for each NBA team, broken down by network. pic.twitter.com/yei2MtWYss
— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) August 11, 2016
With that being said, here’s a few games you’ll probably want marked on your calendars heading into the 2016-17 season.
Game No. 1 of 82
- The Bulls will open their 51st season on Oct. 27 at home against the Boston Celtics.
Welcome home (and back), Derrick and Joakim
- Nov. 4 will mark the first time Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah (and Justin Holiday for that matter) will play inside the United Center for the New York Knicks. That meeting between the Bulls and Knicks will be on TNT.
Dwyane Wade‘s return to South Beach
- Dwyane Wade will make his return to Miami to play the Heat on Nov. 10. That’s a Thursday night game and will also be on TNT.
Greetings, LeBron
- Four-time league MVP LeBron James and the defending world champion Cavaliers will make a visit to Chicago in the first Bulls-Cavs game of the year on Dec. 2. It’s also Mike Dunleavy‘s return to Chicago.
Pau Gasol‘s return to Chicago
- Pau Gasol will return back to Chicago with the San Antonio Spurs for the first time on Dec. 8.
Oh hey, Thibs
- Tom Thibodeau’s return to Chicago as the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves will be on Dec. 13.
For the seventh year in a row, the Bulls will play on Christmas
- For the second year in a row, the Bulls will play on Christmas Day on the road. The Bulls will play in the thick of the Christmas slate against Gasol and the Spurs at 4 p.m. CT.
Happy 2017!
- On Jan. 4, the Bulls will travel to play against the Cavaliers for the first time.
The Russell Westbrook Revenge Tour makes a stop in Chicago
- Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder come through the United Center on Jan. 9.
The first of two meetings with the Super Warriors
- Feb. 8 marks the first time that the Bulls will see Kevin Durant in a Golden State Warriors uniform. They’ll meet in Chicago on Mar. 2.
Game No. 82 of 82
- The 2016-17 season will conclude for the Bulls on Apr. 12 at home against the Brooklyn Nets.
Some final nuggets:
Bulls' circus trip in November is 6 games: at Portland, at Utah, at LA Clippers, at LA Lakers, at Denver, at Philadelphia.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) August 11, 2016
Bulls' ice show trip in February is also 6 games: at OKC, at Houston, at Sacramento, at Golden State, at Phoenix, at Minnesota
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) August 11, 2016
Bulls do not play more than 3 straight at home all season, but they do play 6-in-7 at home from Dec 8-21, with the other game in Milwaukee.
— Jeff Mangurten (@JeffGurt) August 11, 2016
You can view the full schedule here.