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CHRIS BEAVEN
Canton Repository

August 07, 2008 12:20 am

— CLEVELAND — A season opener in Boston, Christmas at The Q and a franchise-record 34 national TV appearances highlight the Cavaliers schedule released Wednesday.
For the first time in five years, the Cavaliers open away from Quicken Loans Arena when the play Oct. 28 against the NBA champion Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. TNT will broadcast the game nationally.
The Cavaliers home opener is two nights later when the Charlotte Bobcats visit 7 p.m. Oct. 30.
The Cavaliers will play on Christmas for the second straight year and the ninth time overall when they host the Washington Wizards at 8 p.m.. TNT will televise that game. The Cavaliers have eliminated the Wizards in the playoffs the last three years, with last season’s first-round series providing plenty of flagrant fouls, technical fouls, a suspension and all kinds of trash talking. The Wizards also visit April 8.
The Cavaliers are at home Easter Sunday, too, hosting the Celtics at 3:30 p.m. April 12. The Celtics visit The Q on Jan. 9 as well. Other notable home games are Detroit Pistons (Feb. 22, March 31), New Orleans Hornets (Jan. 16), the Los Angeles Lakers (Feb. 8) the San Antonio Spurs (April 5).
Also, Jazz rookie Kosta Koufos, a GlenOak High School graduate, could make his Ohio professional debut Nov. 15, when Utah visits Cleveland.
The Cavaliers appear on national TV the league maximum 34 times. Here is the breakdown:
n ESPN will air 10 games — Nov. 5 vs. Chicago, Dec. 10 at Philadelphia, Dec. 19 at Denver, Jan. 9 vs. Boston, Jan. 16 vs. New Orleans, Feb. 22 vs. Detroit, Feb. 27 at San Antonio, March 6 at Boston, April 3 at Orlando, April 8 vs. Washington.
n TNT will air 10 games on TNT — Oct. 28 at Boston, Nov. 13 vs. Denver, Dec. 25 vs. Washington, Jan. 15 at Chicago, Jan. 19 at the Los Angeles Lakers, Jan. 29 at Orlando, Feb. 26 at Houston, March 12 at Phoenix, March 19 vs. Portland, April 2 at Washington.
n ABC will air five games — Feb. 1 at Detroit, Feb. 8 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, March 29 vs. Dallas, April 5 vs. San Antonio and April 12 vs. Boston.
NBA TV will broadcast nine games, but those will be announced at a later day.
In other schedule highlights, the Cavaliers:
n Host a season-high four-game homestand on two occasions, March 15-21 and March 25-31.
n Play 12 of their final 17 games of the season at The Q.
n Go on four-game road trips three times, Dec. 13-21, Jan. 19-24 and Feb. 26-March 2.
n Play back-to-back 19 times.
Season tickets are on sale, starting at $704 a seat, while multiple-game season-ticket plans go on sale later this month. Deposits for partial season ticket plans and group tickets (20 or more tickets to a single game) are being accepted to determine seating location priority. Single game tickets go on sale closer to the start of the season. The Cavaliers 2008-09 promotional schedule also will be announced closer to the start of the season and before single game tickets go on sale.

For ticket information, fans can call (800) 820-CAVS or visit www.cavs.com.

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