New York, NY

The NBA unveiled it's lockout-shortened, 66-game regular season schedule, presenting challenges to everyone.

After a 149-day lockout that nearly demolished the season, the league compressed the NBA's 66th season by allotting each team with 66 games, the maximum the league could fit in it.

Instead of its original slate of three matchups, the shortened 2011-12 season will open Christmas Day with a marathon of marquee clashes.

The defending champion Mavericks, who will not play more than four consecutive tilts on the road or at American Airlines Center, highlight five nationally televised games on Christmas, with a NBA finals rematch with the Miami Heat at Dallas.

The Mavs and Heat will meet twice this season, with the other encounter coming on March 12.

Also on Christmas Day, the Chicago Bulls and reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose will square off against the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers in Los Angeles. The Lakers will be playing their first season under their new coach, Mike Brown.

Other Christmas bouts slated include the New York Knicks hosting the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic invading Oklahoma City and the Golden State Warriors entertaining Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers.

There will games scheduled every day from Dec. 25 through April 26, but despite the frenetically condensed season there is not one day where all 30 teams will see action.

The most games scheduled will be 14 and it will be for one day. There will be seven 13-game days.

On the average, every team will play two more games a month, which is expected to take a toll on the players as it leaves little less time for practice and rest.

With the tentative new labor accord yet to be officially ratified, all concerned parties from the owners, players, arena owners and nearby business and all those impacted by a lockout are expected to adapt with the grinding schedule as opposed to having no games or season at all.

It has been noted that young teams, which include the Thunder, should be better equipped to face the grueling schedule.

Veteran teams, like the Celtics, could benefit from 16 fewer regular-season games.

Another challenge this season is the dreaded back-to-back-to-back set.

In the shortened schedule, each team will play three games in three consecutive days at least once, and 11 teams will have to mix it up with the back-to-back-back set twice.

Also, there will be cities which will not get a chance to see other NBA superstars play as each team will play just 18 out-of-conference games, which translates to every team skipping six cities.

Orlando is set to host the All-Star Game on Feb. 26, but the trade deadline, usually held a few days later, has not been revealed.

If the unveiled schedule holds, the regular season will conclude April 26, with the postseason set to begin two days later.

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