This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Jazz's 51-win regular season and trip to the Western Conference finals last spring didn't make much of an impression with TV executives at ABC, TNT and ESPN.
The NBA announced its 2007-08 schedule on Thursday, and the Jazz discovered they will play 13 games on national television.
But look closely.
Utah is not scheduled for any appearances on ABC and only two on TNT. The small-market Jazz will play four games on ESPN and seven times on league-owned and less-watched NBA-TV.
By comparison, Cleveland, Miami, Dallas, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers will have five games televised by ABC, and Boston will make 19 combined appearances on the four networks.
"It's one of those things," said Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor. "Let's go out and prove them wrong."
The Jazz's appearances on TNT include home games Jan. 10 against Phoenix and March 20 against the Lakers.
Utah's ESPN games - all on the road - are scheduled Dec. 7 at San Antonio, Dec. 12 at Phoenix, Dec. 19 at Charlotte and April 16 at San Antonio in the regular-season finale.
The Jazz open the season at Golden State on Oct. 30. The game is a rematch of last spring's Western Conference semifinals series between two of the league's most surprising teams.
It will be only the second time in 10 years the Jazz start the season on the road. Utah is 6-3 in its last nine openers.
The Jazz's home opener will be Nov. 1 against Houston at EnergySolutions Arena before a turnaround game against the Warriors on Nov. 3.
Utah defeated Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs last spring by winning Game 7 in Houston.
The Jazz play 18 of their first 29 on the road, including games at Cleveland, Detroit, San Antonio, Phoenix and Miami. The most taxing stretch comes between Dec. 4-22, when the Jazz play nine of 11 games on the road. Utah's annual pre-Christmas trip includes stops in Atlanta (Dec. 17), Charlotte (Dec. 19), Orlando (Dec. 21) and Miami (Dec. 22).
The schedule balances out a bit for the Jazz between Dec. 26 and Jan. 30, when they play 12 of 17 games at home.
Opponents during that favorable stretch include Kevin Garnett and the new-look Boston Celtics (Dec. 29), Steve Nash and Phoenix, ex-University of Utah All-American Andrew Bogut and Milwaukee (Jan. 14), Tim Duncan and San Antonio (Jan. 28) and New York (Jan. 30).
As always, the Jazz will play each Eastern Conference teams twice. They will play each Western Conference team four times, except for Golden State, Houston, Memphis and Phoenix.
Utah will play the Warriors and Rockets three times - twice at home and once on the road. The Jazz will also play the Grizzlies and the Suns three times - once at home and twice on the road.
The Jazz have 21 sets of back-to-back games scheduled, which is three more than last season, and play four games in five nights three different times in 2007-08, something they had to do only once last year.
* Season opener Oct. 30 at Golden State
* Home opener Nov. 1 vs. Houston
* Jazz play Phoenix, Golden State, Houston and Memphis three times, rest of West four times.
* LeBron James and the Cavs are in Utah on Nov. 7.
* Jazz play 9 of 11 games on road from Dec. 4-22, then 12 of 17 at home from Dec. 26 to Jan. 30.