SUNS RELEASE 2008 PRESEASON SCHEDULE

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns will tip-off the club’s 41^st NBA season with an eight-game preseason schedule that includes the NBA’s first outdoor game of the modern era, the team announced today. First-round draft pick Robin Lopez and free-agent acquisition Matt Barnes are expected to make their Suns debuts.

The Suns will open the preseason at home for the first time in four seasons, hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The game is one of three the Suns will host at US Airways Center in exhibition play. The Charlotte Bobcats will visit the Valley of the Sun on Oct. 20 and the NBA’s Oklahoma City franchise will serve as the Suns’ opponent in their preseason finale on Oct. 23. All home games will tip-off at 7 p.m.

Originally announced on Feb. 19, the NBA’s first outdoor game of the modern era will take place when the Suns host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. The 16,000-seat stadium is an NBA-style arena with no roof located in a spectacular desert setting and annually plays host to one of the world’s major tennis tournaments, the Pacific Life Open. TNT will carry the contest which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The tilt is one of two neutral site games Phoenix will play against Denver during the 2008 preseason. The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. will host the other on Oct. 17 at 4:30 p.m. Phoenix time.

Below is the Suns’ 2008 preseason schedule. Attached is the club’s full 2008-09 schedule.

2008 PHOENIX SUNS PRESEASON SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME

Wed., Oct. 8 Atlanta US Airways Center, Phoenix 7 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 9 Utah Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 11 Denver Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Indian Wells, C.A. 7 p.m.

Wed., Oct. 15 Atlanta Philips Arena, Atlanta 4 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 17 Denver Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y. 4:30 p.m.

Mon., Oct. 20 Charlotte US Airways Center, Phoenix 7 p.m.

Tues., Oct. 21 L.A. Clippers STAPLES Center, Los Angeles 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 23 Oklahoma City US Airways Center, Phoenix 7 p.m.

All times Phoenix time (Pacific time zone)

- Suns.com -

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