Newcomers the Tasmania JackJumpers were initially scheduled to play the Adelaide 36ers on December 3 but will instead take on the Brisbane Bullets in the season opener.
The 36ers will travel to Perth to play the Wildcats at RAC Arena on the same night.
The Wildcats, widely tipped to contend for the title again this season, have been heavily affected by the reshuffle because of Western Australia’s tough border stance.
Under their new coach Scott Morrison, Perth will play five home games in the first three weeks of the season with the league bracing for further changes while the Western Australian border remains closed to certain states.
The New Zealand Breakers are scheduled to play on the road until at least February, when it is hoped they will be able to host games in Auckland again.
NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said the league has prioritised getting fans back into stadiums and maintaining the integrity of the schedule, confirming all clubs will play 14 home games under the new fixture.
‘‘We will always prioritise having as many fans in home venues as possible as per our policies and processes,’’ he said.
‘‘Like every sporting organisation around the country, we were acutely aware our schedule would likely change as Australia and New Zealand started to open up and consider vaccination rates and health advice.
‘‘We have the ability to swap and change when necessary but will always maintain the integrity of the schedule and we will always put fans first.
‘‘Getting teams into states and fans into venues safely are absolute priority.
‘‘We will maintain a flexible approach to the schedule to ensure any potential further changes are made with these two objectives at the forefront.
‘‘We will ensure each team still plays 14 home games and we will endeavour to give fans as much notice as possible when further changes are made after round six.’’
After the Tasmania-Brisbane and Perth-Adelaide games on opening night, round one continues with the South East Melbourne hosting the Breakers on the Saturday night.
Sunday features a triple-header, with 36ers-Illawarra Hawks, Sydney Kings-Melbourne United and Wildcats-Cairns Taipans match-ups.
The NBL season was initially set to tip-off on November 18 but was pushed back to December, with a four-team finals series now scheduled to begin in late April.
Meanwhile, the second-tier NBL1 competition now boasts teams from every Australian state and territory.
A Northern Territory team, to be based in Darwin, will join the NBL1 North conference in 2022 as one of two expansion clubs, along with the North Gold Coast Seahawks.
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