Are you ready for some LeBron?
The new NBA schedule was released on Tuesday, and recent Miami transplant LeBron James and his new team, the Heat, will be seen in a whopping 34 regular-season games this season across TNT, ESPN and ABC.
As expected, James — who jilted his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers on national television last month and joined fellow league All Stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami — will face off against the L.A. Lakers on Christmas Day.
In that marque game, the two-time defending league-champion Lakers should provide a nice high-profile test for the newly assembled so-called "Super Team."
But the Dec. 2 matchup against James' decimated former team should provide ratings that are almost as good.
League broadcast partner TNT will cover James' return to Cleveland, and will certainly capture every boo and burned jersey.
Here's how the cable channel is promoting this bloodbath … with a straight face: "Reigning Most Valuable Player LeBron James makes his return to Cleveland when the new-look Heat, featuring All Stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, take on Antawn Jamison and the Cavaliers."
As for other highlights, James and Co. will open the season against 2009-10 NBA Finals runner-up Boston in a TNT double header on Oct. 26 that will also include the Lakers playing the Houston Rockets.
On Feb. 10, TNT will showcase the Finals rematch featuring Kobe Bryant and the Lakers and the Boston Celtics, who now have former Bryant running mate Shaquille O'Neal on their roster.
