The New York Knickerbockers will open the team’s 63rd season of NBA basketball on Wednesday, Oct. 29, facing Eastern Conference-rivals Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden at 7:30 p.m.

New York’s regular home schedule is highlighted by two visits from the World Champion Boston Celtics on Sunday, Jan. 4 and Friday, Feb. 6, one visit by the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Feb. 2 and one appearance by the Chicago Bulls and the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Derrick Rose, on Monday, Jan. 19, in its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game. The team will play five total afternoon games at home.

The Knicks will play 18 back-to-back sets and four-games-in-five-nights on three occasions.

Prior to the 82-game regular season, New York will participate in six preseason games, including three at Madison Square Garden. Tickets for the preseason home games at MSG go on sale Thursday, Sep. 4 at 9:00 a.m. and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, nyknicks.com, (800) 4NBA-TIX and TicketMaster outlets. The preseason schedule will be released later this month.

Knicks 2008-09 ticket plans are now available, including Season Subscriptions starting as low as $25 per game. For more information call (877) NYK-HOOP or log onto nyknicks.com.

Media Day is scheduled for Monday, Sep. 29 at Madison Square Garden Training Center in Greenburgh, NY.