With nearly two months lost due to the lockout negotiations, the Miami Heat are now forced to play a condensed 66 games schedule in an intense three and half month tour towards the playoffs. The Heat have 17 back-to-backs over the course of the season, including one instance where they play three games in three nights. The frenetic pace of the schedule consummates in April, when they play eight games in just 11 nights.
The schedule features some primetime matchups in the opening week, with the opener on the road against the Dallas Mavericks and the home opener just two days later against the Boston Celtics. The Lakers make their one visit to Miami less than a month later on January 19th.
Dec. 25 @ Dallas
27 Boston
28 @ Charlotte
30 @ Minnesota
Jan. 1 Charlotte
2 @Atlanta
4 Indiana
5 @ @Atlanta
7 @ New Jersey
10 @ Golden St.
11 @ L.A. Clippers
13 @ Denver
17 San Antonio
19 L.A. Lakers
21 Philadelphia
22 Milwaukee
24 Cleveland
25 @ Detroit
27 New York
29 Chicago
30 New Orleans
Feb. 1 @ Milwaukee
3 @ Philadelphia
5 Toronto
7 Cleveland
8 @ Orlando
10 @ Washington
12 @ Atlanta
13 @ Milwaukee
14 @ Indiana
17 @ Cleveland
19 Orlando
21 Sacramento
23 New York
Mar. 1 @ Portland
2 @ Utah
4 @ L.A. Lakers
6 New Jersey
7 @Atlanta
10 Indiana
13 @ Orlando
14 @ Chicago
16 @ Philadelphia
18 Orlando
20 Phoenix
23 @ Detroit
25 @ Okla. City
26 @ Indiana
29 Dallas
30 @ Toronto
Apr. 1 @ Boston
3 Philadelphia
4 Oklahoma City
6 Memphis
8 Detroit
10 Boston
12 @ Chicago
13 Charlotte
15 @ New York
16 @ New Jersey
18 Toronto
19 Chicago
21 Washington
22 Houston
24 @ Boston
26 @ Washington
For more Magic coverage, please visit Orlando Pinstriped Post, SB Nation's Magic blog. For more Heat coverage, head on over to Peninsula is Mightier, SB Nation's Heat blog.