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Seattle gets LA in NBA season opener again

Almost one year to the day after opening the season with a 30-point thud at Los Angeles against the Clippers, the Seattle SuperSonics get a chance at a little revenge. For the second straight year, the Sonics and Clippers will tip off the new season on the same court. But this time, it`ll be the KeyArena court when the teams get together for the 2005-06 opener on Wednesday, Nov. 2. It`ll be the first of two straight home games to open the new campaign for the Sonics, with Minnesota coming to town two nights later for a nationally televised game on ESPN. Seattle then hits the road for six games in nine nights, one of two six-gamers on the new schedule. The Sonics will visit Memphis, Cleveland, Washington, Toronto, New Jersey and Boston. That`s followed by a friendly stretch with 11 out of their next 13 at home from mid November through mid December.

Most games will be televised. FSN, now in its second year with the team, will show at least 70 games. In addition, the Sonics will appear seven times on TNT, four on ESPN, and once on ABC. NBA TV, available on satellite, will pick up five games. A handful games likely will overlap on FSN and one of the national networks.

Former coach Nate McMillan comes to town the first time on the visitors bench when the Portland Trail Blazers hit the Key on Monday, Jan. 30. The NBA champion San Antonio Spurs are here on March 26 for their only visit, Eastern Conference champion Detroit plays its lone game in Seattle on March 3, and the Shaquille O`Neal-led Miami Heat are here on Jan. 13. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit on Dec. 2.