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Nets go up against Lakers in Christmas Day showdown; Open vs. Bucks on October 19

By Net Income and Chris Milholen

New York vs. Los Angeles. Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James. Nets vs. Lakers. It’s the NBA’s Christmas Day showdown at Staples Center in L.A.

ESPN is reporting that the Nets-Lakers game will be the “highlight” of the five-game holiday special. the 8 p.m. ET game that annually attracts the biggest audience of the holiday and often the biggest audience of the regular season. The game will be carried on both ABC and ESPN.

The Nets-Lakers game could be a potential NBA Finals preview as the two teams were installed in July as betting favorites to win the 2021-22 title. It was also be the latest in a series of games between the two NBA players generally considered the best in the sport.

The Nets, with their “Big Three” will not only be featured not only on Christmas day but during Opening Week of the 2021-22 season. According to an announcement by the NBA Tuesday, the week will feature two nationally televised Nets games, Opening Night on October 19 vs. the Bucks at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, then three days later vs. the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Bucks won’t be hosting their ring night prior to their home opener but rather in a ceremony the night before at Fiserv.

Opening night, on the 19th, will be broadcast on TNT while the Philly game, on the 22nd, will be broadcast on ESPN. The league will be announcing the full regular-season and broadcast schedule for all 30 NBA teams on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Last season, the Nets appeared on national TV 39 times.

The Nets will also face off against the Lakers and Bucks during preseason — on October 3 vs L.A. at Staples Center then on October 8 vs. Milwaukee at Barclays Center, the preseason home opener. The Nets open training camp in San Diego on September 28.

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