New-look Miami Heat will open season at Celtics

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and the new-look Miami Heat are poised to make their season debut against the NBA’s reigning Big Three.

The Heat will open the 2010-11 season against the Boston Celtics on October 26 at TD Garden, multiple league sources said Monday night.

The Heat’s first game at AmericanAirlines Arena will be on Oct. 29 against the Orlando Magic on ESPN.

The league will release a portion of the schedule tonight during an hourlong special on NBA TV.

During the show, matchups will be announced for TNT’s opening night doubleheader, as well as a slate of Christmas Day games on ABC and ESPN, and games played on the Jan. 17 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The Heat will also travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers at 5:15 p.m. on Christmas on ABC.

The Heat-Celtics game opens a TNT doubleheader that will showcase the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the second game. ESPN was working to secure the rights to Miami’s home opener, which will be either the following night (Wednesday) or that Friday.

The league’s television partners were still negotiating games yesterday, and it’s possible some opening week matchups could be shifted before the 7 p.m. start of the NBA TV show today. The Heat is expected to play the maximum of 34 nationally televised games, with interest in the team spiking after Miami re-signed Wade and added James and Bosh in free agency. There has been no shortage of national criticism and scrutiny in the wake of the dynamic makeover.

There are plenty of subplots in play for the Heat-Celtics opener. Boston, the defending Eastern Conference champion, knocked off Wade and the Heat in five games during the first round of the playoffs. In the second round, the Celtics eliminated Cleveland in six games in what proved to be James’ final appearance with the Cavaliers.

The game also features the battle of the respective Big 3s, with the Celtics’ star-studded trio earning that nickname three seasons ago when Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were traded to Boston to join Paul Pierce. The Celtics won the 2007-08 NBA title in their first season together.

Many expect the Heat to make a similarly quick run to a championship led by Wade, Bosh and James, the two-time reigning league Most Valuable Player who couldn’t lead the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals the past two seasons. The Celtics are also among a number of teams that publicly acknowledged the Heat’s collection of star power, but stopped well short of conceding a division, conference or NBA title. “They should be good, but they ain’t done nothing yet,’‘ Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo told Yahoo! Sports last month. “Miami looks really good on paper, and I’m sure they’re going to be really good. But they still have to come together as a team. I’m not saying they won’t, but who knows if those guys can jell.’‘

Wade, James and Bosh have kept track of everything that has been said or insinuated in recent weeks. They plan to use the talk as motivation. “I’m going to have a lot of [bulletin board] stuff in my locker,’‘ James said during the Heat’s July 9 introductory press conference in Miami. “I like that. It’s on.’‘

Wade said the Heat welcomes the challenge and the bull’s-eye, at home and on the road this season.

The league will release its full 2010-11 schedule Aug. 10. The opener vs. Boston is one of several marquee games on the Heat’s schedule. The more highly anticipated matchups include James’ first visit to Cleveland, Bosh’s first trip back to Toronto, Miami’s game at Chicago and a potential Christmas Day showdown against the Lakers.

“I understand people are going to say stuff. And we accept it with open arms,’‘ Wade said. “And even on the road, because every place is going to sell out when we come to town. So [opposing teams] can thank us now.’‘