Beyond their Christmas night opener on ESPN, the Warriors released their 2011-12 schedule and, if the NBA world is interested in learning whether Mark Jackson can handling coaching as well as he can handle the broadcast booth, it'll have the opportunity to see it firsthand.
There are a decent amount of network games on tap, including six on ESPN, four on TNT, and seven on the league's own outlet, NBA TV. 17 out of 66 is not bad considering no one knows if this year's squad has improved.
Key matchups include visits by the Knicks on December 28 (NBA TV), the Magic on January 12 (TNT), the Thunder on January 27 (NBA TV), the Mavs on March 10 (NBA TV) and April 12 (TNT), and the Lakers on April 18 (ESPN). TNT concludes the regular season with the W's hosting the Hornets on April 24th, and the Spurs on the 26th.
Of course, there are are still no games scheduled on ABC, which carries ESPN's top contests, usually on Sundays beginning in February. Even Jackson, the former ESPN/ABC analyst, can't swing that.
Meanwhile, you'll find the W's locally on CSN Bay Area, which is relieved that it'll now have its major source for live sports back to fill in between Christmas and the start of the Giants season. Our local sports net has all matchups except the four on TNT. Longtime announcers Bob Fitzgerald and Jim Barnett will have a lot to talk about this year.
By the way, CSN is also relieved that the Sacramento Kings will return on CSN California, though only in the Sacto market, for at least one more season.
Warriors radio broadcasts will alternate between KNBR outlets 680 and 1050 AM, with Tim Roye at the mike.
15 of the 17 national telecasts are home games, so look for those network trucks outside Oracle Arena. If Jackson and his team can somehow play above their height and make the playoffs, maybe network trucks will become more commonplace around here.
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