2006-07 Schedule Notes

Okay, the schedule has been released. (Yeah, at this point you have to go through the main NBA schedule to see the games. No word on when the Kings team schedule will be up.) The skinny?

• The season begins November 1, when the Kings visit Minnesota. Three months exactly from today. The Kings then get a day off, then face a back-to-back in Chicago (hello, Ben!) and Milwaukee.
• The home opener is Monday, November 6, against Minnesota. No game on November 7. (Whew.) This is good overall - the team is in town, hopefully at least 2-2... Strange that after four games, an off-day will without a doubt be the biggest day of the season, though.
• The first appearance on national TV for the team is Nov. 8, a Wednesday ESPN game at home against Detroit.
• Ah, the Lakers. January 4. In Sacramento. (Then, not until March 2 and April 1 in L.A., and, um, the LAST GAME OF THE SEASON on April 18 in ARCO. Whoever decided to make this happen deserves two raises.)
• Meetings with Golden State? Nov. 16 and Dec. 12 in Oakland; Dec. 30 and April 13 in Sacramento.
• Meetings with the Clippers? Dec. 29 and April 15 in Los Angeles; Nov. 28 and March 30 in Sacramento.
• The Spurs come to town Nov. 19.
• How about a Texas Two-step instead of a Triangle? A back-to-back in Dallas and San Antonio on Dec. 1-2.
• Shaq and Flash come to town on Dec. 7.
• Gilbert Arenas comes to town Dec. 21. (I'm more excited about Arenas visiting than LeBron James.)
• (Sorry, LeBron. See you Jan. 9.)
• There's only one Christmas game! (Lakers-Heat.) What the hell? Can't we get Wizards-Cavs, Bulls-Pistons, Mavs-Spurs, Suns-Clippers, too? Bah humbug to you, David Stern.
• Chris Webber's 76ers are in town Dec. 27.
• Ron-Ron visits the Motor City on Saturday, January 20.
• SHOCKING: ESPN will televise Artest-in-Indianapolis on February 25.
• The Kings play once between March 22 and March 29. Hopefully, that will be good rest time for the playoff run.
• But, umm... there's quite an April gauntlet. It goes something like this: at the Lakers, vs Dallas, at Denver, vs Utah, vs Houston, at San Antonio, vs Golden State, at the Clippers, vs New Orleans, vs the Lakers. That's six of the last 10 games against 2005-06 playoff teams. Two other games against the close runners-up to those playoffs. Another is a rivalry game. So at home against Houston - who has, you know, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady - appears to be the easiest game of the month. I really hope we're 20 games over .500 on March 31.