Intriguing season opener The Blazers will not tiptoe into the season, starting the season against a talented and versatile Utah Jazz team. The Jazz, who added veterans George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw to its young core, are primed to make a serious playoff push this season. Road opener The Blazers first road test comes against the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 29. Portland went 1-1 in Denver last season and all four meetings with the Nuggets were decided by single digits. Playoff rematch The Blazers won't have to wait long to revisit their playoff foes from a season ago. The Blazers will host the Los Angeles Clippers on the second night of the season on Oct. 27 at the Moda Center in a rematch of the first round of the 2015 Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers and Blazers play three times next season all before Dec. 17. The Blazers will visit the Clippers in Los Angeles twice after the early meeting in Portland. Portland will meet its 2016 second round opponent, the Golden State Warriors, for the first time on Nov. 1. at the Moda Center. It will be the first of four meetings between the Blazers and Warriors. National spotlight The Blazers are scheduled to appear on national television 14 times, including six times TNT. It's a huge jump from last season when the Blazers had just four national TV games. Portland will get a national spotlight against the Clippers on Oct. 27 before closing the season with four of their final seven games on national television. Home for the holidays The Blazers mostly avoid having to play on the holidays in 2016-17. The team will be off — and in Portland — on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Blazers will finish a five-game trip Nov. 23 in Cleveland, meaning they will get back to Portland in the wee hours of Thanksgiving with time to get a nap and a feast. The Blazers next play Nov. 25, when they host Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. Meanwhile, Chirstmas Days falls in the middle of a four-game homestand. The Blazers play the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 23 and the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 26, with two days off at home in between. The Blazers will be on the road for New Year's Eve, as they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 30 and then play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 1, 2017. Road weary The Blazers are isolated in the Pacific Northwest, which means they will always face a slew of extended trips. The 2016-17 season is no different. The schedule features five trips of at least four games, including a brutal stretch from March 6 to March 19 where the Blazers play seven of nine games away from Portland. During that stretch, the Blazers will visit Minnesota and Oklahoma City before a brief two-game homestand and then a five-game trip with stops in Phoenix, New Orleans, San Antonio, Atlanta and Miami. Moda-heavy finish After the tough road trip in March, the Blazers close the season with 10 of their final 12 games in Portland. The Blazers close the regular season with four home games, which could be crucial for playoff seeding. What could have been President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey chased Chandler Parsons during free agency, only to have the talented forward choose the Memphis Grizzlies over Portland. Blazers fans will get to imagine what could have been three times next season. The Blazers will visit Parsons and Memphis on Nov. 6 and Dec. 8 and host them Jan. 27. Going back-to-back The Blazers play 15 sets of back-to-back games, down from 19 sets in each of the past two seasons. The NBA has made a concerted effort to reduce the number of four-games-in-five-nights stretches NBA teams play each season. The Blazers have just one two four-in-five stretch this season after they had two a year ago. Portland hosts Washington on March 11 before a road game at Phoenix at March 12. That stretch concludes with back-to-back games at New Orleans and San Antonio on March 14 and 15. http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...rail_blazers_2016-17_schedule_highlights.html
Blazers play 15 sets of back-to-backs (down from 19 last year) and will be off/home for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
December will likely be Blazers' toughest month. Of 15 games, nine are on the road. Blazers have brutal stretch from March 6-19 with 7 of 9 games on the road. But they close with 10 of their final 12 at home including last 4.
I counted 16. Maybe a week was in between and I didnt look at the number date and just went by the day of the week.
Great schedule. 10 of our last 12 home when we're jostling for playoff position is huge. The only weird part is the road trip. Where we play in both Houston and NY. Weird.
I bet NBA Tv will pick up a lot of our games, especially that Tuesday November 1st game against the Whorriors. I think tuesday is their fan night.
I don't know what it is, but we always do. I swear we have been in DC at least 5 or 6 times for that holiday.
People always make a big deal about that. Does one hour really make that big of a difference. I could understand a 3PM game.
Not sure about Charcoal, but for me its not the time. Its the day. Sundays are my relax day. Even better to relax with the Blazers.
I'm fine with it. All the road miles will help us come together as a team. Those last 12 games are just perfect. We should be like a machine by then.
My son is 8 and we usually put him to bed at 830-9. When the game ends, we have to get back to Vancouver then get him to bed. With the 6pm start, he gets to bed late but not too bad. The games seem to play faster as well. The 7-730 starts really throw his sleep off plus have more time outs. I never take him on a day he went to school then has to get up the next day. See lots of people bring kids though.
This is the hardest part of the schedule: It's basically a 10-game road trip (although technically there are two home games that are b2b after road games).
