Lakers’ schedule features three early games against playoff teams

The Lakers will open their road to a repeat with four games at Staples Center, including three against teams that made the playoffs a season ago. Their schedule opens with the Clippers on Dec. 22, followed by games against the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Clippers, Mavericks and Trail Blazers were all in the playoffs last year.

The Lakers will also host the Golden State Warriors on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Only half of the 72-game schedule was announced Friday because of how the COVID-19 pandemic could affect how and when games are played. The schedule for the second half of the regular season, which is expected to run from March through late May, won’t be released until late February or early March.

The Lakers have three sizable road trips, including a seven-game trek through the Eastern Conference in late January with stops in Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston and Atlanta.

The Lakers’ first trip includes two-game sets at San Antonio and Memphis, a new quirk in the pandemic schedule designed to limit travel.

Nineteen of the 37 games scheduled so far will be at home. Fifteen will be televised nationally with another seven set to be aired on NBA TV.

LAKERS 2020-21 SCHEDULE (first half)

(all times Pacific; national TV listed)

DECEMBER

22, vs. Clipper, 7 pm (TNT); vs. Dallas, 5 pm (ABC); 27, vs. Minnesota, 7 pm (NBA TV); 28, vs. Portland, 7 pm (NBA TV); 30, at San Antonio, 5:30 pm.

JANUARY

1, at San Antonio, 5 pm (NBA TV); 3, at Memphis, 3 pm; 5, at Memphis, 5 pm (NBA TV); 7, vs. San Antonio, 7 pm; 8, vs. Chicago, 7 pm; 10, at Houston, 4 pm; 12, at Houston, 5 pm (NBA TV); 13. At Oklahoma City, 5 pm; 15, vs. New Orleans, 7 pm (ESPN), 18, vs. Golden State, 7 pm (ESPN); 21, at Milwaukee, 4:30 pm (TNT); 23, at Chicago, 5 pm; 25, at Cleveland, 4:30 pm; 27, at Philadelphia, 4:30 pm (ESPN); 28, at Detroit, 4 pm; 30, at Boston, 5:30 pm (ABC).

FEBRUARY

1, at Atlanta, 4:30 pm; 4, vs. Denver, 7 pm (TNT); 6, vs. Detroit, 7 pm; 8, vs. Oklahoma City, 7 pm; 10, vs. Oklahoma City, 7 pm; 12, vs. Memphis, 7 pm (ESPN); 14, at Denver, 4:30 pm (NBA TV); 16, at Minnesota, 5 pm; 18, vs. Brooklyn, 7 pm (TNT); 20, vs. Miami, 5:30 pm (ABC); 22, vs. Washington, 7 pm (NBA TV); 24, at Utah, 7 pm (ESPN); 26, vs. Portland, 7 pm (ESPN); 28, vs. Golden State, 5 pm (ESPN).

MARCH

2, vs. Phoenix, 7 pm (TNT); 3, at Sacramento, 7 pm.