Wolves open 2012-13 schedule at home Nov. 2

Well, the schedule is finally out.

The Timberwolves will open the 2012-13 season at home Nov. 3 against the Sacramento Kings. You can find the entire schedule here.

Here are some nuggets about the just-released schedule:

--Five of the Wolves' first six games are against Eastern Conference teams, including games Nov. 4 at Toronto and Nov. 5 at the newly-situated Brooklyn franchise.

--The Wolves will play 14 nationally-televised games this season, the most since 2005-06. That incudes seven home games -- Dec. 20 vs. Oklahoma City (TNT); Jan. 17 vs. the L.A. Clippers (TNT); Feb. 1 vs. the Lakers (ESPN); Feb. 2 vs. New Orleans (NBA TV); Feb. 6 vs. San Antonio (ESPN); March 4 vs. Miami (NBA TV) and March 10 vs. Dallas (NBA TV). The team's local TV schedule will be released at a later date. In all, the Wolves play on TNT three times.

--The team's longest homestand starts Jan. 30, when the Wolves play six straight at home against the Clippers, Lakers, New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio and New York.

--Longest road trips? The team has two four-game road trips, Nov. 23-28 (Portland, Golden State, Sacramento and the Clippers) and Jan. 9-14 (Oklahoma City, New Orleans, San Antonio, Dallas).

--Here are some games to look for:

-Nov. 23 the Wolves will face Portland for the first time, in Portland. Will it be a grudge match? For Brandon Roy -- who has agreed to terms with the Wolves on a two-year deal -- it will be his first game against his old team since his retirement and subsequent return to the game. How will he be greeted in Portland? Also, will the Wolves' attempt to pluck restricted free agent Nicolas Batum away from the Blazers during the off-season heighten the rivalry?

-Dec. 20 will be the Wolves' first game against defending Western Conference champ Oklahoma City, and it will be at Target Center.

-On Dec. 29 Phoenix and, presumably, Michael Beasley, will come to Target Center.

--The Wolves play at defending champion Miami Dec. 18 but will host King James and company at Target Center March 4.

--Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will make their first appearance in Minnesota Feb. 1.

--The Wolves won't play on Christmas Day, but they will play the Knicks in New York Dec. 23.

Meanwhile, it appears the announcement of the three-team trade the Wolves are a part of -- one that includes Phoenix and New Orleans -- was slowed by some snags related to New Orleans' salary cap situation. Still, the deal should get done, perhaps by tomorrow.