ESPN has already dropped its first Portland Trailblazers telecast of the 2007-08 season.
The Blazers’ game against the New Orleans Hornets, which was to be Greg Oden‘s home opener, will no longer be televised nationally. It is unclear when the game was removed from the national television schedule.
The Blazers were scheduled to make eleven appearances on ABC/ESPN or TNT.
Portland Trailblazers nationally televised games.
Oct. 30: at San Antonio (8:00 PM, TNT)
- Only three games are scheduled on Opening night, with the lone game not on national television being Golden State/Utah.
Nov. 7: vs. New Orleans (10:30 PM, ESPN)
- Already removed from the schedule.
Dec. 6: vs. Miami (10:30 PM, TNT)
- With three games on the schedule this night, only one game can replace this one on National TV: Wolves/Hawks. Look for this game to stay.
Dec. 25: vs. Seattle (8:00 PM, ESPN)
- Assuming the NBA does not find a way to replace this game with another, this will be the Blazers’ first Christmas Day appearance since 2000.
Jan. 3: at Chicago (8:00 PM, TNT)
- Spurs/Nuggets is a lock to replace this game on TNT.
Jan. 18: at Miami (7:00 PM, ESPN)
- Ten games on the schedule and most of them stink. Best possible replacement? Clippers/Jazz.
Jan. 30: vs. Cleveland (9:00 PM, ESPN)
- Another night of ten games on the schedule, and another night where most of those games are relative duds. Possible replacements: Heat/Magic or Warriors/Hornets.
Feb. 1: vs. New York (10:30 PM, ESPN)
- Nine games on the schedule, and none suitable for national TV. The only games that can replace this one in the 10:30 timeslot are Hornets/Kings and Bobcats/Warriors.
Feb. 21: vs. Seattle (10:30 PM, TNT)
- The only non-televised game on the schedule is Spurs/Wolves. Look for this game to stick on TNT.
Feb. 29: vs. L.A. Lakers (10:30 PM, ESPN)
- Now that Oden is gone, how about Durant? Kevin Durant and the Sonics hosting the Heat is the only decent replacement on this twelve-game night.
Mar. 18: vs. Phoenix (10:30 PM, TNT)
- This was to be a special Tuesday night edition of the NBA on TNT. If the network bothers staying with an NBA game that night, look for it to be Lakers/Mavericks, Celtics/Rockets or Nuggets/Pistons.
Apr. 3: vs. Houston (10:30 PM, TNT)
- The only possible replacement would be Clippers/Kings. Who knows? Maybe that game could be for the Pacific Division title.
