Bulls announce 09-10 schedule Options

[DutheDoduhon21]

09-10 schedule

August 4, 2009 — The Chicago Bulls will tip off their 44th season on Thursday, Oct. 29, when they host the San Antonio Spurs in their season opener at 7:00 p.m. at the United Center. This year, all Chicago Bulls home games will tip off at 7:00 p.m.

Chicago will hit the road for the first time when the Bulls travel to Boston to take on the Celtics on Oct. 30, followed by a game in Miami against the Heat on Nov. 1. The Bulls will play five of their first nine games at the UC, before they head west for a six-game road trip from Nov. 17-30. The team will wrap up its road swing with a stop in Milwaukee on Nov. 30. In January, the Bulls will return to the West Coast for their longest trip of the year, when they play seven straight on the road from Jan. 18-29.

From Dec. 11-21, the Bulls will host a six-game homestand, their longest homestand of the season, and the team's longest since an eight-game stretch during the 2006-07 campaign. The team's second-longest stretch at home will take place March 1-9, when the Bulls play four straight at the UC.

Chicago's home schedule features the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 15, while the Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic will visit the United Center on Jan. 2 and Feb. 10. The Cleveland Cavaliers will play at the UC on March 19 and April 8. Other games of interest include: San Antonio on Oct. 29, Denver on Nov. 10, Detroit on Dec. 2 and Jan. 11, Boston on Dec. 12 and April 13, the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 2, Miami on Feb. 6 and March 25, Portland on Feb. 26, Dallas on March 6, Utah on March 9, and Phoenix on March 30.

On the year, Chicago will play 22 back-to-back sets, and four blocks of four games in five nights. The Bulls will play 17 Saturday games (13 home), 16 Tuesday games (11 home), 14 Friday games (four home), 11 Wednesday games (three home), 11 Thursday games (five home), 10 Monday games (five home), and three Sunday games (zero home).

The Bulls will play a season-high 15 games in December, January and March, and they will follow that up with 14 and 13 contests in February and November respectively. Chicago's 2009-2010 monthly calendar is as follows: two games in October (one home), 13 games in November (four home), 15 games in December (11 home), 15 games in January (five home), 14 games in February (seven home), 15 games in March (nine home) and eight games in April (four home).

Chicago's first action of the preseason will start on Oct. 2 at Indiana, when they face the Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Bulls will then travel to London, where they will play the Utah Jazz on Oct. 6 at The O2, as part of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS. The game marks Chicago's first trip to Europe since the Bulls participated in the McDonald's Championship in Paris in 1997.

Other preseason home dates include contests with Milwaukee on Oct. 13, Minnesota on Oct. 16, Orlando on Oct. 19 and Washington on Oct. 23. Chicago's preseason road schedule rounds out with a game in Green Bay, Wis., against Milwaukee on Oct. 10, and a tilt at Minnesota on Oct. 14.

Tickets for every Chicago Bulls home game will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 at the United Center Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, online at Bulls.com or by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX. For season tickets, 11-Game Plans or groups, call 312-455-4000 and ask for a Ticket Representative. Printable version of the Bulls' 2009-10 schedule.

[SoxFan1]

San Antonio and Boston to start the season, and then in Miami? Great. It's going to be a long season.

[Balta1701-B]

This year's circus trip doesn't look overloaded: Sacto, Lakers, Nuggets, Blazers, Jazz, Bucks. 4 rough ones in a row, weak bookends, only 6 games long, no back to backs, and who knows exactly where hte Jazz and Blazers and Nuggets will be this year.

There's a 7 game road trip in late January through the Warriors, Clippers, Suns, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder, and Hornets, with back to back games right before we leave on the trip, during the trip (Suns right before Rockets) and then 4 in 5 days and 6 in 9 days leading in to the AS break. That might be the toughest stretch of the season.

[Balta1701-B]

Each of the last 2 years, the Bulls have been at or near the league lead in back to back games with 22.

[Cowch]

Coming to Utah on Thanksgiving Day? Well I guess I will have to see if I can go. I'm glad for the second year in a row they come to Utah fairly early in the season. That beginning is pretty rough, but it will be a good test. The schedule release always gets me really excited for basketball.

[DutheDoduhon21]

we also have alot of nationally televised games this season, i think the first 2 games are.

[rockren]

San Antonio and Boston to start the season, and then in Miami? Great. It's going to be a long season.

Go get 'em, Derrick.

[eddog2]

Go get 'em, Derrick.

I think us playing 2 very good teams to start the season could be a very good thing (or very bad). Playing San Antonio before they truly get game comfortable with their new lineup could allow us to steal one. But I think San Antonio and the Lakers will battle for 1st place and I think the Spurs have a good chance of having the best record in the league next year.

I really am looking forward to seeing Blair get blocked by Tyrus and then later in the game flipping Taj or Tyrus over like he did Thabeet. Blair is going to be pumped for this game. Especially if he's get to play against Taj who should never have been drafted ahead of him.

Rose/Paker. Can you say easy layups all night long? Rose's suspect defense will be challenged from day 1.

The Spurs are much improved and I'm wondering whether they'll start Manu, Mason, or Hill at SG.

Duncan/Bonner/Ratliff
McDyess/Blair
Jefferson/Udoka
Manu/Mason
Parker/Hill


I love that our first 2 games are nationally televised and I'm hoping that we take it to the Celtics. Only wish that BG was here to have another shootout with Allen.

I'm also looking forward to December 2nd which is our first of 4 games against BG and the Pistons. I think I'll go to that game.

I really like that in our last 11 games we play New Jersey twice, Charlotte twice, the Suns, Bucks, and Detroit. I think all 5 teams (Detroit the least likely) could be playing for draft picks an not the playoffs so that could be huge. We have to play Boston and Cleveland but both are at home so that could be huge (and they may have their playoff seeds locked up already). Toronto & Washington away will likely be our toughest games during that stretch of 11 games.

13 nationally televised games (9 TNT & 4 ESPN) and another 5 on NBATV (which supposedly will be free if you have Comcast Digital Classic). Does that seem like more than normal? It must be the Rose effect.

[Sanitarium]

13 nationally televised games (9 TNT & 4 ESPN) and another 5 on NBATV (which supposedly will be free if you have Comcast Digital Classic). Does that seem like more than normal? It must be the Rose effect.

When you make noise in the playoffs good things happen.

Or in GSW's case a few years ago, your team blows up

[eddog2]

When you make noise in the playoffs good things happen.

Or in GSW's case a few years ago, your team blows up

Big market, thrilling playoff series = excitement going into next year. I doubt Rose is the reason why we will be in the spotlight more especially after seeing that OKC only got 1 nationally televised game (against Dallas) even though they have one of the biggest up and coming stars of the league. It will be interesting to see whether Rose or Durant has the better season. Both have the potential to be megasuperstars in this league and I really like how unselfish Durant is.

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

Well, crap. What a way to start the season. I noticed they changed the home tip-offs from 7:30 to 7:00.

[Balta1701-B]

Well, crap. What a way to start the season. I noticed they changed the home tip-offs from 7:30 to 7:00.

So if we start the season off on our usual early year run of crap, does VDN survive Dec.?