NBA on TNT's 2018-19 Regular Season Schedule to Feature 66 Games, Highlighted by NBA Opening Night on Tuesday, Oct. 16, MLK Jr. Day Tripleheader & Players Only Franchise Returning in January

NBA on TNT's 2018-19 Regular Season Schedule to Feature 66 Games, Highlighted by NBA Opening Night on Tuesday, Oct. 16, MLK Jr. Day Tripleheader & Players Only Franchise Returning in January Friday, August 10, 2018

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Editor's note: click here for the NBA TV regular season schedule

Opening Night Doubleheader to Showcase Defending NBA Champion Warriors vs. Thunder

& Eastern Conference Heavyweights - 76ers vs. Celtics - Tuesday, Oct. 16

TNT's MLK Jr. Day Tripleheader (Jan. 21) to Include Warriors Visiting Lakers & LeBron James,

Star-Studded Rockets vs. 76ers & Pelicans with Anthony Davis vs. Grizzlies

Network's Innovative Players Only Franchise - Former Professional Players in All Broadcast Roles -

Premieres Third Season on Tuesday, Jan. 29, with Pelicans vs. Rockets & 76ers vs. Lakers

Turner Sports, entering its 35th consecutive year of NBA coverage, will feature a 66-game schedule during the 2018-19 NBA regular season including a marquee Opening Night doubleheader, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day tripleheader and the return of Players Only telecasts on eight Tuesdays beginning in January. The network will showcase the league's biggest stars, including 13 appearances each by the Los Angeles Lakers with LeBron James and the Houston Rockets, last season's No. 1 seed in the Western Conference led by NBA MVP James Harden; 12 appearances by both the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics; 11 by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers; and eight by the Milwaukee Bucks. TNT will televise doubleheaders on 21 Thursdays and 10 Tuesdays throughout the regular season.

TNT will officially tip off the 2018-19 NBA regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 16, with a premier doubleheader featuring three former Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award winners - the NBA Champion Warriors, with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, hosting the explosive Thunder with Russell Westbrook at 10:30 p.m. ET. Preceding the Thunder/Warriors matchup, TNT will showcase two Eastern Conference powers - the Celtics with Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum vs. the 76ers with Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid at 8 p.m.

TNT's coverage of Autotrader Premiere Week will continue Thursday, Oct. 18, with a doubleheader featuring James' highly-anticipated Lakers debut vs. the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard at 10:30 p.m. The night's first game will feature the 76ers and Simmons hosting the Chicago Bulls and off-season acquisition Jabari Parker at 8 p.m.

Additionally, an NBA on TNT tripleheader on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 21) will showcase the defending NBA Champion Warriors visiting the Lakers and James at 10:30 p.m. MLK Day coverage will begin with the New Orleans Pelicans and Anthony Davis vs. the Memphis Grizzlies and Mike Conley at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Rockets and Chris Paul vs. the 76ers and Embiid at 8 p.m.

TNT's innovative Players Only franchise - with former professional basketball players in all broadcast roles - will return for its third year starting Tuesday, Jan. 29, with all three of last season's Kia NBA MVP finalists in action - the Rockets and Harden hosting the Pelicans and Davis at 8 p.m., followed by 76ers vs. Lakers and James at 10:30 p.m. TNT's Players Only telecasts will regularly air on Tuesday nights from the series' Jan. 29 debut through April 2.

Additional TNT regular season schedule highlights (full schedule listed below):

Seven pairs of teams will play each other twice on TNT

Celtics/76ers (Oct. 16 & Feb. 12)

Celtics/Bucks (Nov. 1 & Feb. 21)

Rockets/Thunder (Nov. 8 & Apr. 9)

Warriors/Rockets in a Western Conference Finals rematch (Nov. 15 & Jan. 3)

Rockets/Lakers (Dec. 13 & Feb. 21)

Warriors/Lakers (Jan. 21 & Apr. 4)

Lakers/Thunder (Jan. 17 & Apr. 2)

The first TNT appearance for Kawhi Leonard with his new Toronto Raptors team - vs. Warriors - in the opening game of the Thursday, Nov. 29 doubleheader at 8 p.m. The Sacramento Kings and No. 2 overall draft selection Marvin Bagley III will host the LA Clippers at 10:30 p.m.

A Western Conference doubleheader that will showcase the present and the future on Thursday, Dec. 13 - Rockets with Harden and Paul vs. Lakers with James and Brandon Ingram - at 8 p.m. ET, followed by a matchup of rookies selected in the top five of the NBA Draft - the Dallas Mavericks with international standout Luka Don i vs. the Phoenix Suns and No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton - at 10:30 p.m.

An inter-conference doubleheader on Thursday, Dec. 27, beginning with two of last season's conference finalists - the Celtics and Irving vs. the Rockets and Harden - meeting at 8 p.m., followed by the 76ers and Rookie of the Year Simmons vs. the Utah Jazz and Rookie of the Year finalist Donovan Mitchell at 10:30 p.m.

A pair of All-Stars that were traded for each other will meet for the first time when the Raptors and Leonard visit the Spurs and DeMar DeRozan on Thursday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m. A Western Conference Finals rematch - Warriors/Rockets - will follow at 10:30 p.m.

An Opening Night rematch on Tuesday, Feb. 12 - Celtics vs. 76ers - at 8 p.m., followed by the Jazz and Mitchell visiting the Warriors and Curry at 10:30 p.m.

Four consecutive appearances by the Lakers and James - vs. Raptors and Leonard on Thursday, Mar. 14, at 8 p.m.; vs. Washington Wizards and John Wall on Tuesday, Mar. 26, at 10:30 p.m.; vs. the Thunder and Westbrook on Tuesday, Apr. 2, at 8 p.m.; and vs. Warriors and Durant on Thursday, Apr. 4, at 10:30 p.m.

Eastern Conference foes - Celtics vs. Wizards - will meet in the final week of regular season action on Tuesday, April 9, at 9 p.m., followed by the Rockets vs. Thunder at 9:30 p.m.

In addition to its regular-season coverage, TNT will be the exclusive home of NBA Al

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