Timberwolves 2016-17 Regular Season Home Opener Set for November 1 vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Team’s first-ever Christmas Day game at Oklahoma City headlines 19-game national television schedule

Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves will tip off their 27th regular season in the NBA as they travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Wednesday, Oct. 26. This is the third consecutive season the Wolves have opened on the road after opening at home for 14 consecutive seasons from 2000 to 2013. The Wolves home opener is Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m., against the Grizzles. Ticket packages are available by calling 612-673-1234 or visiting www.timberwolves.com.

The Wolves 82-game regular season schedule is highlighted by the team’s first-ever Christmas Day game in which they will travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on ESPN at 7 p.m. Minnesota will appear on national television 19 times this season, including four times on TNT, six on ESPN and nine on NBA TV: Nov. 17 vs. Philadelphia on TNT, Nov. 23 at New Orleans on ESPN, Dec. 8 at Toronto on TNT, Dec. 13 at Chicago on ESPN, Dec. 25 at Oklahoma City on ESPN, Jan. 19 at L.A. Clippers on TNT, Feb. 1 at Cleveland on ESPN, Feb. 24 vs. Dallas on ESPN, March 21 vs. San Antonio on ESPN and April 6 at Portland on TNT.

Minnesota’s longest homestand of the season is six games from Feb. 4-14, highlighted by a visit from LeBron James and the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 14. The Wolves also have a pair of four-game homestands, the first occurring from Nov. 12-17 and featuring back-to-back home games against the Los Angeles Clippers (Nov. 12) and Los Angeles Lakers (Nov. 13). The second four-game homestand is from Jan. 7-13 and features visits from Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks (Jan. 9) and Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder (Jan. 13). Other notable home games include Dec. 11 and March 10 vs. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, a visit from Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose and the New York Knicks on Nov. 30, and an appearance at Target Center by Dwyane Wade and the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 12.

Minnesota’s 2016-17 local television broadcast schedule will be released at a later date. Following are key facts regarding the Wolves' 2016-17 regular-season schedule.

Key Facts About the Timberwolves 2016-17 Schedule
• By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: October/November (9 home, 9 away = 18 total, December (8 home, 7 away = 15 total), January (9 home, 6 away = 15 total), February (7 home, 5 away = 12 total), March (6 home, 9 away = 15 total), April (2 home, 5 away = 7 total).

• By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Monday (9 home, 1 away = 9 total), Tuesday (6 home, 7 away = 13 total), Wednesday (4 home, 10 away = 14 total), Thursday (4 home, 3 away = 7 total), Friday (7 home, 7 away = 14 total), Saturday (6 home, 9 away = 15 total), Sunday (5 home, 4 away = 9 total).
• The Wolves enjoy one six-game homestand: Feb. 4-14 (MEM, MIA, TOR, NO, CHI, CLE) and two four-game homestands: Nov. 12-17 (LAC, LAL, CHA, PHI) and Jan. 7-13 (UTA, DAL, HOU, OKC).
• Minnesota has two four-game road trips: Feb. 25-Mar. 4 (at HOU, at SAC, at UTA, at SA) and Apr. 4-9 (at GS, at POR, at UTA, at LAL). The road schedule also includes five three-game road trips.
• Minnesota will play on national television 19 times this season: nine times on NBA TV, six times on ESPN and four times on TNT.
• The Wolves will play 14 back-to-backs: one home-home, five away-away, four away-home and four home-away. Last year, the Wolves also had 14 back-to-back sets.
• The Wolves will open their regular-season slate on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Oct. 26, the third consecutive year the Wolves have opened a season away from Target Center. Minnesota opened at home 14 consecutive seasons from 2000 to 2013. The Wolves are 16-11 in season openers, including 3-7 in season openers on the road.
• The Wolves will play 52 games against Western Conference and 30 games versus Eastern Conference opponents.
• Minnesota will play each Western Conference opponent four times (two home, two away), with the exception of Dallas (two home, one away), L.A. Clippers (two home, one away), New Orleans (one home, two away), and Phoenix (one home, two away). The Wolves will face off against each Eastern Conference team twice (one home, one away).
2016-17 Timberwolves Opponent Breakdown

Northwest Division

Denver (H: 11/3, 1/22; A: 12/28, 2/15); Oklahoma City (H: 1/13, 4/11; A: 11/5, 12/25); Portland (H: 1/1, 3/6; A: 3/25, 4/6); Utah: (H: 11/28, 1/7; A: 3/1, 4/7).

Pacific Division

Golden State (H: 12/11, 3/10; A: 11/26, 4/4); L.A. Clippers (H: 11/12, 3/8; A: 1/19); L.A. Lakers (H: 11/13, 3/30; A: 3/24, 4/9); Phoenix (H: 12/19; A: 11/25, 1/24); Sacramento (H: 12/23, 4/1; A: 10/29, 2/27).

Southwest Division

Dallas (H: 1/9, 2/24; A: 1/15); Houston (H: 12/17, 1/11; A: 2/25, 4/12); Memphis (H: 11/1, 2/4; A: 10/26, 11/19); New Orleans (H: 2/10; A: 11/23, 3/19); San Antonio (H: 12/6, 3/21; A: 1/17, 3/4).

Atlantic Division

Boston (H: 11/21; A: 3/15); Brooklyn (H: 1/28; A: 11/8); New York (H: 11/30; A: 12/2); Philadelphia (H: 11/17; A: 1/3); Toronto (H: 2/8; A: 12/8).

Central Division

Chicago (H: 2/12; A: 12/13); Cleveland (H: 2/14; A: 2/1); Detroit (H: 12/9 A: 2/3); Indiana (H: 1/26; A: 3/28); Milwaukee (H: 12/30; A: 3/11).

Southeast Division

Atlanta (H: 12/26; A: 12/21); Charlotte (H: 11/15; A: 12/3); Miami (H: 2/6; A: 3/17); Orlando (H: 1/30; A: 11/9); Washington (H: 3/13; A: 1/6).