This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For the first time in four years, the Utah Jazz will open the regular season at home.
The NBA announced its 2012-13 schedule Thursday night, and the Jazz's 82-game journey begins Oct. 31 against Dallas at EnergySolutions Arena.
Utah has played its last three season openers on the road and lost them all: twice in Denver and once in L.A. against the Lakers.
When the Jazz open at home, however, they have won five straight, going back to 2001.
Following this year's opener against Dirk Nowitzki and the revamped Mavericks, the Jazz embark on a three-game road trip to New Orleans (Nov. 2), San Antonio (Nov. 3) and Memphis (Nov. 5).
In all, the Jazz play 12 of their first 18 games on the road — a stretch that includes a Nov. 30 game against defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City.
Utah is scheduled to appear on national television 15 times overall during the season, but the Jazz won't play on ABC.
Utah plays six times on ESPN: Nov. 9 at Denver, Dec. 12 versus San Antonio, Feb. 8 versus Chicago, March 13 at Oklahoma City, March 18 versus New York and April 17 at Memphis.
The Jazz play nine games on NBA TV: Nov. 12 at Toronto, Nov. 24 at Sacramento, Dec. 15 versus Memphis, Jan. 12 versus Indiana, Feb. 9 at Sacramento, Feb. 25 versus Boston, March 9 at New York, March 16 versus Memphis and April 3 versus Denver.
The Jazz play all Eastern Conference teams home-and-home.
They play every Western Conference teams four times, except Dallas, Golden State, the L.A. Lakers and San Antonio. Utah plays those teams just three times.
The schedule features 17 sets of back-to-back games, including four during the first month of the season.
The Jazz have three four-game road trips during the season, including the annual pre-Christmas journey to Brooklyn (Dec. 18), Indiana (Dec. 19), Miami (Dec. 22) and Orlando (Dec. 23).
The game against Deron Williams and the Nets will be Utah's first in Brooklyn since the franchise relocated from New Jersey at the end of last season. Williams doesn't play in Utah until March 30 — the 74th game of the season.
The Jazz face reigning NBA champion Miami twice: Dec. 22 at AmericanAirlines Arena and Jan. 14 at EnergySolutions.
Sacramento and former BYU star Jimmer Fredette visit Utah on Nov. 23 and Feb. 4.
Portland and Weber State product Damian Lillard, the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, visit the Jazz on Feb. 1 and April 1.
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