In the extremely unlikely event the NBA plays a full 82-game schedule this season, the league will feature several big market, big name teams during Opening Week. The 2011-12 NBA season is scheduled to begin on November 1, two days earlier than the original opening date of the shortened 1998-99 season (November 3). Of note, the first two weeks of the 1998-99 season were canceled on October 13. The Opening Night slate, which at this juncture seems unlikely to be played as scheduled, features the Bulls against the Mavericks at 8:00 PM ET and the Thunder against the Lakers at 10:30 PM, both on TNT. The next night, ESPN is scheduled to air another pair of games seemingly destined for the chopping block — the Heat will face the Knicks at 8:00 PM and the Lakers will take on the Warriors at 10:30 PM. Wrapping up the Opening Week slate, TNT is set to air Magic/Heat and Nuggets/Trail Blazers on November 3, and ESPN would air Celtics/Hawks and Trail Blazers/Clippers on November 4. On Christmas Day, the Celtics will take on the Knicks at 12 PM ET on ESPN, followed by Heat/Mavericks at 2:30 PM on ABC and Bulls/Lakers in the nightcap at 5:00 PM, also on ABC. For the first time since 2007, there will fewer than five games on the holiday, according to SMW.