NEW YORK — The NBA schedule makers gave the Nets the superstar treatment.
Brooklyn’s NBA franchise announced its 2021-22 regular-season schedule on Friday, and it features 38 national games, including five set to air on ABC, 10 on ESPN, 11 on TNT and another 12 on NBA TV.
The Nets will open the regular season in Milwaukee against the Bucks on Oct. 19 — the same Bucks that eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs last season. The Nets will have their home opener at Barclays Center against reigning Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 24.
The Nets have four long road trips this season: a six-game trip in early November against lesser competition, a five-game road trip that ranks as their second-toughest stretch of the season, and two other four-game road trips.
That five-game road trip includes matchups against the Warriors, Suns, Kings, Jazz and Nuggets. Four of those teams are expected to be in the championship hunt.
The Nets also have a tough three-game West Coast road trip against the Trail Blazers, Clippers and Lakers before coming home to host the 76ers, then face the Clippers again. That is their most difficult stretch of the season.
When might Cam Thomas and Day’ron Sharpe see some action?
After a season derailed by injuries, expect Brooklyn to become load management central. And load-managed players don’t play in the second games of back-to-backs, nor do they play all three games if they’re sandwiched into four nights.
The Nets have 12 sets of back-to-backs and eight sets of three games in four nights. The first set of three games in four nights is actually four games in six nights, and it’s in the first week of the season: Oct. 22 at Philly, Oct. 24 vs. Charlotte, Oct. 25 vs. Washington and Oct. 27 vs Miami.
That stretch just might be too soon to rest fresh legs. The subsequent four-games-in-six-nights stretch comes the following month: Nov. 5 at Detroit, Nov. 7 at Toronto, Nov. 8 at Chicago and Nov. 10 at Orlando.
Somewhere in that four-game stretch, coach Steve Nash will likely opt to rest at least one of Kyrie Irving or James Harden, paving the way for significant minutes for Cam Thomas, the newly-crowned Summer League co-MVP. It’s probably a good bet that Blake Griffin also sits one of these games, opening more minutes for Day’Ron Sharpe behind Nic Claxton at the five.
The Nets have four other sets of four games in six nights this season: Dec. 3-8 features two sets of back-to-backs; Jan. 12-17 is a stretch against middling opponents; Feb. 1-6 is smack-dab in the middle of a five-game road trip; and March 13-18 is another tough stretch that includes three home games against the Knicks, Mavericks and Trail Blazers, plus a road matchup against the Magic.
The Nets close the season with an April 5-10 stretch of four games in six nights as well, painting additional play time for the rookies and the stay-ready group — provided this championship-contending team gives itself a cushion at the end of the year.
Important returns
The Nets will welcome back Spencer Dinwiddie on Oct. 25 when they host the Wizards. Dinwiddie negotiated a sign-and-trade that sent him to Washington this summer.
The Nets will welcome back Caris LeVert four days later when they host the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 29. LeVert was a budding star in Brooklyn who was included in the trade package for James Harden.
The Nets will welcome back D’Angelo Russell on Dec. 3, when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Russell became a first-time All-Star in Brooklyn before he was traded to the Warriors for Kevin Durant.
The Nets will welcome back Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 17. Both Allen and Prince were included in the Harden deal. Allen recently signed a $100 million contract extension as the starting center in Cleveland.
And finally, fan-favorite ‘Uncle’ Jeff Green will make his return to Brooklyn on Dec. 19, when the Nets host the Denver Nuggets. Green had a season that revitalized his career and was able to double his salary on a two-year, $10 million deal in Denver.
Signature games
Here are some games to mark on your calendar:
— NETS @ LAKERS: Oct. 3
It might just be a preseason game, but there’s nothing measly about this matchup. It’s an early, early potential NBA Finals preview with the two favorites going toe-to-toe early.
— NETS @ BUCKS: OCT 19
It’s unfinished business in Brooklyn, and the Nets want to prove the Bucks would have been no match had they been fully healthy. There will be loud boos, some cursing at Durant, and make no mistake, there will be some elite basketball played.
— NETS @ THUNDER: Nov. 14
Thunder fans still have a sour taste in their mouths after Kevin Durant left them for the same Warriors team that came back from down 3-1 in the 2017 Western Conference finals. Expect some serious boos on deck.
— NETS @ CELTICS: Nov. 24
It became a no-holds-barred showdown between Celtics fans and Kyrie Irving the second he decided to leave Boston for Brooklyn. Those fans cursed his name and booed him every time he touched the ball in the playoffs. It’s going to happen again in the regular season, too.
— NETS @ LAKERS: Christmas
Oh yeah. If you thought the preseason game was going to be fun, wait until these two teams face off in a game that actually matters in the win-loss column.
— NETS VS. BUCKS: Jan. 7
Nets fans had better bring some serious energy. The same Bucks who got them off the sticks last season is coming back to Barclays Center where they finished the job.
— NETS @ WARRIORS: JAN. 29
Durant vs. the team he left to join the Nets. Plus with Klay Thompson finally coming back, the Warriors project to be healthy.
