NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2012 – The NBA today released its 2012 preseason schedule, a 115-game slate, which tips off Friday, Oct. 5, in Istanbul when the Boston Celtics take on Turkish basketball power Fenerbahce Ulker at Ulker Sports Arena, and concludes Friday, Oct. 26. NBA TV will televise the game in Istanbul.

Including the Istanbul game between the Celtics and Fenerbahce Ulker, the 2012 schedule features nine games played internationally. NBA Europe Live 2012 presented by BBVA features single games each in Barcelona, Berlin, Istanbul, and Milan as part of this year’s tour.  Following the game in Istanbul, the Celtics, led by veteran stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, move on to Milan to play EA7 Emporio Armani Milano at Mediolanum Forum on Oct. 7. Native son Dirk Nowitzki leads the Dallas Mavericks to Berlin where they will play Alba Berlin at O2 World on Oct. 6. Dallas wraps up NBA Europe Live 2012 presented by BBVA in Spain against FC Barcelona Regal in a game played at Palau Sant Jordi on Oct. 9. All four of the NBA’s preseason contests in Europe will be telecast on NBA TV and the network will add further games to its preseason viewing schedule in the coming weeks.

Preseason basketball returns to Mexico when rookie coach Jacque Vaughn leads the Orlando Magic against the New Orleans Hornets and Anthony Davis, the overall No. 1 pick in the 2012  NBA Draft, in Mexico City at Mexico City Arena on Oct. 7. This marks the NBA’s 20th game in Mexico overall, the most NBA games held in any country outside the United States and Canada. NBA TV will provide coverage of NBA Mexico Game.

The defending champion Miami Heat, featuring Kia NBA MVP LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Clippers, headlined by All-Stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, play a pair of contests as part of NBA China Games. The teams will tip off on Oct. 11, as the Heat and Clippers play in Beijing at MasterCard Center. On Oct. 14, Miami and Los Angeles will battle at Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai. NBA TV will carry both NBA China Games contests.

The NBA Canada Series features a two-game slate. Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks travel to Montreal to battle Andrea Bargnani and the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19 at the Bell Centre, while Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves head to Winnipeg to face Greg Monroe and the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 24 at the MTS Centre.

TNT and ESPN will each televise two games during October.  TNT begins its NBA coverage on Thursday, Oct. 18, when the Celtics visit Deron Williams and the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center at 8 p.m. ET.  The network will also feature a Western Conference showdown on Thursday Oct. 25, when the Clippers travel to the Pepsi Center to face Ty Lawson and the Denver Nuggets at 10 p.m. ET.

ESPN will televise a doubleheader on Oct. 26 beginning with the Heat hosting the Hornets at 8 p.m. ET.  The nightcap will showcase the Nuggets visiting Marcin Gortat and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. ET.

The league’s 67th season begins Tuesday, Oct. 30, as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off ’12, with a TNT doubleheader. In the first game (8 p.m. ET), the Heat opens up defense of its NBA title by hosting a Celtics team that took Miami to seven games in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. Before the game, TNT will televise the championship ring ceremony. The second game features two Western Conference powers as the Mavericks visit the Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET).

2012 NBA PRESEASON SCHEDULE
(All Times Local)

Date                Game                                                              Location                                                                         Time
^October 5     Boston @ Fenerbahce Ulker                    Ulker Sports Arena, Istanbul, Turkey                       9:00PM
October 6        Real Madrid @ Memphis                         FedExForum, Memphis, TN                                       7:00PM
October 6        Montepaschi Siena @ San Antonio        AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX                                 7:30PM
October 6        Denver @ LA Clippers                              Mandalay Bay Event Center, Las Vegas, NV           7:30PM
^October 6     Dallas @ Alba Berlin                                 O2 World, Berlin, Germany                                        8:00PM

October 7        Washington @ Charlotte                         Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC                1:00PM
^October 7     Orlando @ New Orleans                          Mexico City Arena, Mexico City,                                1:30PM
October 7        Miami @ Atlanta                                       Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA                                          2:00PM
October 7        Golden State @ LA Lakers                      Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA                                    7:00PM
^October 7     Boston @ EA7 Emporio Armani Milano  Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy                          6:00PM

October 8        Real Madrid @ Toronto                          Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON                                7:00PM
October 8        Montepaschi Siena @ Cleveland          Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH                        7:00PM
October 8        Utah @ Golden State                              Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA                                           7:30PM

October 9        Milwaukee @ Cleveland                         Canton Memorial Civic Center, Canton, OH           7:00PM
October 9        Memphis @ Chicago                               United Center, Chicago, IL                                          7:00PM
October 9        Charlotte @ New Orleans                      New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA                       7:00PM
^October 9      Dallas @ FC Barcelona Regal               Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain                            9:00PM

October 10        Oklahoma City @ Houston                State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, TX                                     7:00PM
October 10        Indiana @ Minnesota                         FARGODOME, Fargo, ND                                              7:00PM
October 10        Phoenix @ Sacramento                      Power Balance Pavilion, Sacramento, CA                    7:00PM
October 10        Portland @ LA Lakers                        Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, CA                7:00PM
October 10        Toronto @ Detroit                              The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI             7:30PM
October 10        Atlanta @ San Antonio                      AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX                                       7:30PM

October 11        New York @ Washington                 Verizon Center, Washington, DC                                     7:00PM
October 11        Philadelphia @ Orlando                  Amway Center, Orlando, FL                                               7:00PM
October 11        New Orleans @ Charlotte                North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC       7:30PM
^October 11        Miami @ LA Clippers                    MasterCard Center, Beijing, China                                    7:30PM
October 11        Maccabi Haifa @ Golden State      Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA                                                  7:30PM

October 12        Detroit @ Toronto                          Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON                                         7:00PM
October 12        Minnesota @ Indiana                   Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN                         7:00PM
October 12        Cleveland @ Chicago                    Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL                                              7:00PM
October 12         New Orleans @ Houston            Toyota Center, Houston, TX                                                   7:00PM
October 12        Oklahoma City @ Utah                EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT                         7:00PM
October 12        Portland @ Phoenix                     US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ                                            7:00PM
October 12         Denver @ San Antonio               AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX                                               7:30PM

October 13        Brooklyn @ Philadelphia           TBD                                                                                                7:00PM
October 13        Chicago @ Minnesota                Target Center, Minneapolis, MN                                              7:00PM
October 13        New York @ Boston                   XL Center, Hartford, CT                                                             7:30PM
October 13        Washington @ Cleveland         Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH                                      7:30PM
October 13        Detroit @ Milwaukee                BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI                          7:30PM
October 13        Utah @ LA Lakers                      Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA                                                7:30PM

^October 14        LA Clippers @ Miami                Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai, China                              12:30PM
October 14         San Antonio @ Houston             Toyota Center, Houston, TX                                                    1:00PM
October 14         Atlanta @ Memphis                     FedExForum, Memphis, TN                                                    5:00PM

October 15        Boston @ Philadelphia                Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA                                    7:00PM
October 15        Orlando @ Cleveland                   TBD                                                                                               7:00PM
October 15        Toronto @ Memphis                    FedExForum, Memphis, TN                                                    7:00PM
October 15        Golden State @ Denver                Pepsi Center, Denver, CO                                                        7:00PM
October 15        Portland @ Sacramento               Power Balance Pavilion, Sacramento, CA                            7:00PM
October 15        Washington @ Brooklyn              Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY                                               7:30PM
October 15        Houston @ Dallas                         American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX                                    7:30PM

October 16        Atlanta @ Indiana                        Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN                            7:00PM
October 16        Milwaukee @ Chicago                 United Center, Chicago, IL                                                        7:00PM
October 16        Charlotte @ Oklahoma City       Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK                    7:00PM
October 16        Maccabi Haifa @ Minnesota      Target Center, Minneapolis, MN                                              7:00PM
October 16        Utah @ LA Lakers                        Honda Center, Anaheim,                                                            7:00PM
October 16        Brooklyn @ Boston                       TD Garden, Boston, MA                                                             7:30PM
October 16        Orlando @ Detroit                        The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI                       7:30PM

October 17         Washington @ Toronto               Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON                                              7:00PM
October 17         Cleveland @ Philadelphia           Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA                                     7:00PM
October 17        Memphis @ Houston                    Toyota Center, Houston, TX                                                      7:00PM
October 17         Golden State @ Sacramento       Power Balance Pavilion, Sacramento, CA                               7:00PM
October 17        Denver @ Portland                        Rose Garden, Portland, OR                                                        7:00PM
October 17         Phoenix @ Dallas                         American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX                                       7:30PM
October 17        Utah @ LA Clippers                      Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA                                                7:30PM

October 18         Memphis @ Milwaukee              La Crosse Center, La Crosse, WI                                               7:00PM
October 18        New Orleans @ Atlanta                Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA                                                         7:30PM
October 18         Detroit @ Miami                          AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL                                         7:30PM
#October 18        Boston @ Brooklyn                    Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY                                                   8:00PM

October 19        New York @ Toronto                    Bell Centre, Montreal, QC                                                           7:00PM
October 19         Indiana @ Orlando                      Amway Center, Orlando, FL                                                        7:00PM
October 19        Minnesota @ Chicago                  United Center, Chicago, IL                                                          7:00PM
October 19        Phoenix @ Oklahoma City          BOK Center, Tulsa, OK                                                                7:00PM
October 19        Sacramento @ LA Lakers            Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV                                   7:00PM
October 19        Golden State @ Portland             Rose Garden, Portland, OR                                                        7:00PM
October 19        Philadelphia @ Brooklyn             Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY                                                  7:30PM

October 20        Dallas @ Atlanta                          Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA                                                          7:00PM
October 20         Memphis @ Indiana                  Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN                              7:00PM
October 20        LA Clippers @ Utah                    EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT                             7:00PM
October 20        New York @ Boston                    Times Union Center, Albany, NY                                               7:30PM
October 20        San Antonio @ Miami                AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL                                          7:30PM
October 20        Charlotte @ Detroit                    The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI                         7:30PM
October 20        Washington @ Milwaukee        BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI                           7:30PM

October 21        San Antonio @ Orlando              Amway Center, Orlando, FL                                                       6:00PM
October 21        Sacramento @ LA Lakers           Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA                                                 6:30PM
October 21        Denver @ Oklahoma City           Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK                      7:00PM
October 21        Philadelphia @ Boston                TD Garden, Boston, MA                                                               7:30PM

October 22        Milwaukee @ Toronto                Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON                                                  7:00PM
October 22        Sacramento @ Phoenix              US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ                                                  7:00PM
October 22         Utah @ Portland                         Rose Garden, Portland, OR                                                           7:00PM
October 22        New Orleans @ Dallas                American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX                                          7:30PM
October 22        Golden State @ LA Clippers      Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA                                                   7:30PM

October 23         Miami @ Charlotte                     PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC                                                                 7:00PM
October 23        Indiana @ Cleveland                   Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH                                         7:00PM
October 23        Oklahoma City @ Chicago         United Center, Chicago, IL                                                             7:00PM
October 23        Phoenix @ Golden State             Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA                                                            7:30PM

October 24        Orlando @ Memphis                   FedExForum, Memphis, TN                                                          7:00PM
October 24         Houston @ New Orleans           New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA                                         7:00PM
October 24        Dallas @ Oklahoma City             INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS                                             7:00PM
October 24        Detroit @ Minnesota                   MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB                                                           7:00PM
October 24        New York @ Brooklyn                 Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY                                               7:30PM
October 24        Washington @ Miami                 Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO                                                     7:30PM
October 24        LA Lakers @ LA Clippers           Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA                                                     7:30PM

October 25        Milwaukee @ Charlotte              Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC                                  11:00AM
October 25        Portland @ Utah                          EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT                                 7:00PM
October 25        Sacramento @ LA Lakers          Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, CA                                   7:00PM
#October 25        LA Clippers @ Denver              Pepsi Center, Denver, CO                                                               8:00PM

October 26        Houston @ Orlando                     Amway Center, Orlando, FL                                                          7:00PM
October 26        Indiana @ Chicago                       Joyce Center, South Bend, IN                                                       7:00PM
October 26         Minnesota @ Milwaukee           Resch Center, Green Bay, WI                                                        7:00PM
October 26        Atlanta @ Detroit                         The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI                           7:30PM
October 26        Charlotte @ Dallas                       American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX                                          7:30PM
October 26        Washington @ San Antonio       AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX                                                     7:30PM
$October 26         Denver @ Phoenix                    US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ                                                   7:30PM
$October 26        New Orleans @ Miami              AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL                                            8:00PM

^ – indicates televised on NBA TV
# – indicates televised on TNT
$ – indicates televised on ESPN