The Charlotte Bobcats released their 2008-2009 schedule Wednesday, and the 41 home games include two meetings with the NBA champion Boston Celtics (Nov.29, Jan.6) and a game against the Western Conference winners, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, set for March 31.
The Bobcats open on the road at Cleveland Oct.30, where they will face LeBron James. The home opener is Nov.1 against Miami.
Five points of note as Charlotte enters its fifth season:
The Bobcats, under new coach Larry Brown, have a nicely front-loaded schedule, with 10 of their first 13 games at home in the Time Warner Cable Arena. That could lead to a fast start for a team that desperately needs one after four mediocre seasons. A winning record early could build much-needed confidence.
Of course, there is always payback, since teams split the 82-game schedule evenly, home and away. For Charlotte, that comes late. Eight of the team's final 12 games are out of town, including the last four. It's not as bad as it could have been, though. Although the CIAA tournament will force the Bobcats on the road late in the season, the ACC tournament and an NCAA regional finals, both in Charlotte last season, have moved on.
Despite that good-to-be-back-home-again opening stretch, Charlotte will find out quickly how tough the road can be. That season opener at Cleveland will be a serious test, as James and the Cavaliers are one of the league's better units. And they're nasty on their home court, 27-14 last season. If you want to see LeBron in person – yeah, he can do the first-name thing – Cleveland will be in town Dec.6.
If you're wondering what to do on the weekend this winter, the Bobcats will often offer choices. The schedule includes 21 weekend dates, 11 of those on Saturday nights. And all night games begin at 7, all the better to get the kids in bed at a reasonable time.
The Bobcats have learned – after a slow start – that lots of free TV exposure is not a bad thing. Fox SportSouth and its sister network SportSouth will show 70 of the 82 games. That gives fans a chance to get to know the players, and could translate into more ticket sales down the line. The TV schedule has not been announced.
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