Bulls, Lakers Among Treats With Openers on Halloween
The defending champion Chicago Bulls will open defense of their NBA title on the road against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 31.
The Utah Jazz, which lost to the Bulls in the NBA finals in June, will play at the Forum against the Lakers, also on Halloween, according to the 1997-98 schedule released by the league.
Chicago and Utah will meet twice during the regular season. The Bulls will play host to the Jazz on Jan. 25, and Utah is host to Chicago on Feb. 4.
The NBA also will hold its first regular-season game in Mexico, with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets playing in the Mexico City Sports Palace on Dec. 6.
The Bulls will appear on national television 21 times--the same league-high amount as the Lakers and New York Knicks.
The Clippers, New Jersey, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Dallas, Denver, Sacramento and Golden State will appear on national TV once each--all on cable networks TNT or TBS.
NBC will carry 26 regular-season games as part of its “Game of the Week” package, plus the finals of the 1997 McDonald’s Championship from Paris on Oct. 18 and the 1998 NBA All-Star game from New York on Feb. 8.
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