Bulls open 2022-2023 season in Miami, includes chance to extend TNT win streak
After five years of waiting, the Bulls will finally get a chance to extend their TNT streak.
For those who forgot all about it, the Bulls have won 20 consecutive Thursday home games that were nationally televised by TNT. The streak began on Feb. 28, 2013 and left off with a win over Cleveland on Mar. 30, 2017.
Then came the rebuild and the Bulls were not welcomed back on TNT. The ban will be lifted on Feb. 16, when the Bulls try to run the streak to 21 against Milwaukee at the United Center.
That was the biggest highlight of the Bulls' 2022-23 schedule, which was released Wednesday afternoon.
The Bulls will open the season on the road against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Oct. 19. Two nights later, they visit Washington, then host Cleveland for the home opener on Oct. 22.
Here are some other highlights from the slate:
- The home opener is the start of a three-game homestand that also features Boston and Indiana. Joel Embiid and Philadelphia drop in on Oct. 29.
- Even though the circus no longer visits the UC, the Bulls can't seem to avoid a long circus-style road trip. They'll make a six-game trek beginning Nov. 23, with stops in Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Utah, Phoenix, Golden State and Sacramento.
- The toughest part of the schedule appears to be between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the Bulls will play 12 of 16 games on the road. There's a four-game trip in December to Minnesota, Miami, Atlanta and New York.
- They'll play a regular-season game against the Pistons in Paris on Jan. 19. They get three days off before and after that game.
- Some of the Western Conference home highlights are Golden State on Jan. 15, Memphis on April 2, Phoenix on Mar. 3 and the Lakers on Mar. 29. The Bulls' second West Coast swing is in late March against Portland, the Lakers and Clippers. So the Bulls will face the Lakers twice in four days.
- In addition to the Feb. 16 home game, the Bulls are scheduled for two road games on TNT - Jan. 26 at Charlotte and Feb. 9 at Brooklyn.
- The Bulls won't make any ABC appearances, but are on ESPN seven times - Nov. 2 vs. Charlotte, Nov. 4 at Boston, Dec. 2 at Golden State, Dec. 14 vs. New York, Jan. 6 at Philadelphia, Feb. 24 vs. Brooklyn and Apr. 5 at Milwaukee. The Feb. 24 game against the Nets is slated for a 9 p.m. start Central time. The two-game series, a staple of the pandemic seasons, returns once this year. The Bulls will host New York for a pair of games on Dec. 14 and 16.
- The Bulls will close the regular season with a Sunday afternoon game against Detroit on Apr. 9. There are four other Sunday afternoon home games on the schedule - Golden State on Jan. 15, Washington on Feb. 26, Indiana on Mar. 5 and Memphis on Apr. 2. That's the highest number of days games the Bulls have played in a few years.
- The five-game Christmas Day slate starts with Sixers at Knicks, followed by Lakers-Mavericks, Bucks-Celtics, Grizzlies-Warriors and Suns-Nuggets.
- Opening night of the regular season is Oct. 18 and will feature Philadelphia at Boston, then the Lakers at Golden State on TNT.
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports