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NBA on ESPN current logo | Credit: Google Images |
- NBA on ESPN Returns for 18th Straight Season
- ESPN to Televise 83 NBA Regular Season Games (+5 Preseason Games)
- Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, Rockets, Celtics, Bucks, Pelicans and Jazz appear at least 10 times this season.
- Lakers' home opener to be televised against the Utah Jazz on Friday, October 25 at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
- NBA Wednesday marquee doubleheader (November 13): Clippers vs. Rockets at 7:30 p.m. (ET) followed by Warriors vs. Lakers at 10 p.m. (ET).
- Special Thanksgiving Eve Doubleheader (Wednesday, Nov. 27): Kyrie Irving returns to Boston as a member of Brooklyn Nets as they visit Kemba Walker and the Boston Celtics (7 p.m., ET); Lakers visit Pelicans in New Orleans as LeBron James and Zion Williamson, two #1 NBA draft picks 16 years apart: LeBron in 2003 and Zion this year, meet as NBA players for the first time (9:30 p.m. ET).
- Kawhi Leonard returns to Toronto with the Clippers on Wednesday, December 11th at 7 p.m. (ET) after guiding the Raptors to their first ever NBA Championship last season.
- Jimmy Butler returns to Philadelphia on Wednesday, December 18 as the Heat visit the 76ers at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
- Zion vs. RJ on NBA Friday: Former Duke teammates and #1 / #3 2019 NBA Draft picks Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett will square off against each other for the first time in the NBA - New Orleans Pelicans vs. New York Knicks - on Friday, January 10 at 8 p.m. (ET).
- D'Angelo Russell returns to Brooklyn as the Warriors visit the Nets on Wednesday, February 5th at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
- 2019 NBA Finals re-match on NBA Monday: Warriors @ Raptors on Monday, March 16th at 8 p.m. (ET).
ESPN announced their 2019-20 NBA regular-season schedule on Monday afternoon. The cable network will serve as the home of 83 nationally televised NBA contests during the next NBA basketball season.
Preseason: ESPN will carry 5 national preseason games prior to the regular season getting going in early October.
Opening Week: ESPN's opening week of 4 basketball games starts on Wednesday, October 23. The first game of that doubleheader at 7:30 p.m. (ET) has Kemba Walker and the Boston Celtics visiting Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in a rivalry that spawns back several decades. NBA Wednesday then shifts to Portland as Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers host Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets at 10 p.m. (ET). Mind you, Blazers-Nuggets is a second round re-match from last season's playoffs, with Portland prevailing in seven games.
Opening week continues on Friday, October 25. The first game that night's doubleheader coverage will be the reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks taking on Zion and the New Orleans Pelicans at 8 p.m. (ET). NBA Friday then shifts to Los Angeles as the Lakers host Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Thanksgiving Eve: On Wednesday, November 27, you can call this particular NBA Wednesday "homecoming" night. Kyrie Irving returns to Boston (Nets @ Celtics) at 7 p.m. ET followed Anthony Davis returning to New Orleans (Lakers @ Pelicans) at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Christmas: On Wednesday, December 25, ESPN will televise 2 Christmas games: Celtics vs. Raptors at 12:00 p.m. (ET) & Pelicans vs. Nuggets at 10:30 p.m. (ET). In addition, ESPN will televise Clippers vs. Lakers at 8:00 PM ET along with ABC.
You will notice that on the final night of the NBA's regular season, Wednesday, April 15, ESPN has intentionally left NBA Wednesday open in order to flex in two important and pertinent games in regards to upcoming NBA Playoffs, which start the following Saturday (April 18). Good move! 😁
ESPN and ABC will team for up to 44 NBA Playoffs games, culminating with ABC"s exclusive coverage of the 2020 NBA Finals. This season, ESPN will exclusively show the Eastern Conference Finals. All ESPN and ABC game telecasts this season are available via the ESPN App.
Overall, ESPN will carry 21 Wednesday doubleheaders & 15 Friday doubleheaders throughout the season.
The 2019-20 NBA on ESPN schedule is as follows (see below):
ESPN's 2019-20 NBA Preseason and Regular Season Broadcast Schedule (subject to change)
Preseason:
* Tuesday, October 8
Mavericks vs. Thunder (BOK Center in Tulsa) - 8:00 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy)
Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers (Memorial Coliseum) - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)
* Wednesday, October 9
Pelicans vs. Bulls - 8:00 (Mike Breen, Hubie Brown)
* Wednesday, October 16
Hawks vs. Knicks - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke)
Warriors vs. Lakers - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)
Regular Season:
* Wednesday, October 23 | Week 1
Celtics vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Hubie Brown, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)
* Friday, October 25 | Week 1
Mavericks vs. Pelicans - 8:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Ariel Helwani)
Jazz vs. Lakers - 10:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, October 30 | Week 2
Bucks vs. Celtics - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)
Clippers vs. Jazz - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)
* Friday, November 1 | Week 2
Rockets vs. Nets - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Lakers vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke)
* Wednesday, November 6 | Week 3
Warriors vs. Rockets - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Bucks vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Friday, November 8 | Week 3
Cavaliers vs. Wizards - 7:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Ariel Helwani)
* Wednesday, November 13 | Week 4
Clippers vs. Rockets - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters)
Warriors vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Friday, November 15 | Week 4
Jazz vs. Grizzlies - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke)
Celtics vs. Warriors - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, November 20 | Week 5
Warriors vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy)
Celtics vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
* Friday, November 22 | Week 5
Spurs vs. 76ers - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Rockets vs. Clippers - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, November 27 | Week 6
Nets vs. Celtics - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Israel Gutierrez)
Lakers vs. Pelicans - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Friday, December 6 | Week 7
Nuggets vs. Celtics - 8:00 (Adam Amin, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Lakers vs. Trail Blazers - 10:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke)
* Wednesday, December 11 | Week 8
Clippers vs. Raptors - 7:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Richard Jefferson, Jorge Sedano)
Pelicans vs. Bucks - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Chauncey Billups)
* Friday, December 13 | Week 8
Lakers vs. Heat - 7:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Israel Gutierrez)
Clippers vs. Timberwolves - 9:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown)
- Replaces Warriors vs. Jazz
* Wednesday, December 18 | Week 9
Heat vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Rinaldi)
Celtics vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson)
- Replaces Warriors vs. Trail Blazers
* Friday, December 20 | Week 9
Mavericks vs. 76ers - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Rinaldi)
- Note: The Pelicans vs. Warriors game was originally scheduled to be Game 2 of a ESPN doubleheader (10:30 PM ET), but dropped in favor of the Mavericks vs. Lakers game on Sunday, December 29.
* Wednesday, December 25 | Week 10 | Christmas Day
Celtics vs. Raptors - 12:00 (Adam Amin, Richard Jefferson, Ariel Helwani)
Clippers vs. Lakers (ESPN & ABC) - 8:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
Pelicans vs. Nuggets - 10:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Chauncey Billups, Jorge Sedano)
* Sunday, December 29 | Week 10
Mavericks vs. Lakers - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
- Replaces Pelicans vs. Warriors
* Friday, January 3 | Week 11
76ers vs. Rockets - 8:00 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Pelicans vs. Lakers - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, January 8 | Week 12
Nuggets vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Jorge Sedano)
Bucks vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson)
* Friday, January 10 | Week 12
Pelicans vs. Knicks - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Lakers vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)
- Replaces Warriors vs. Clippers
* Wednesday, January 15 | Week 13
Nets vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Tom Rinaldi)
Trail Blazers vs. Rockets - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy)
* Friday, January 17 | Week 13
Bulls vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
Trail Blazers vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Chauncey Billups)
* Wednesday, January 22 | Week 14
76ers vs. Raptors - 7:00 (Adam Amin, Doris Burke)
Spurs vs. Pelicans - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Tom Rinaldi)
- Replaces Jazz vs. Warriors
* Friday, January 24 | Week 14
Clippers vs. Heat - 8:00 (Dave Pasch, Chauncey Billups, Ariel Helwani)
- Replaces Rockets vs. Timberwolves
* Sunday, January 26 | Week 14
Celtics vs. Pelicans - 6:00 (Mark Jones, Hubie Brown, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, January 29 | Week 15
Pistons vs. Nets - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Rockets vs. Trail Blazers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)
* Friday, January 31 | Week 15
Mavericks vs. Rockets - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
- Originally scheduled for 8:00 PM ET, but bumped up to 7:30 PM ET
Trail Blazers vs. Lakers - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters, Rachel Nichols)
* Wednesday, February 5 | Week 16
Magic vs. Celtics - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Cassidy Hubbarth)
- Replaces Warriors vs. Nets
Heat vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
- Replaces Nuggets vs. Jazz
* Friday, February 7 | Week 16
Raptors vs. Pacers - 8:00 (Mark Jones, Richard Jefferson, Jorge Sedano)
Trail Blazers vs. Jazz - 10:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke)
* Wednesday, February 12 | Week 17
Bucks vs. Pacers - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, LaPhonso Ellis, Adam Schefter)
Lakers vs. Nuggets - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Jimmy Dykes)
* Friday, February 14 | Week 17 | 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend (Chicago, IL)
2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game - 7:00 (Mark Jones, Chiney Ogwumike, Peter Rosenberg, Cassidy Hubbarth)
* Friday, February 21 | Week 18
Nuggets vs. Thunder - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Ariel Helwani)
Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
* Wednesday, February 26 | Week 19
Grizzlies vs. Rockets - 8:00 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Rinaldi)
- Replaces Mavericks vs. Spurs
Celtics vs. Jazz - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Chauncey Billups)
* Friday, February 28 | Week 19
Thunder vs. Bucks - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
Nuggets vs. Clippers - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
* Sunday, March 1 | Week 19
Lakers vs. Pelicans - 8:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
* Wednesday, March 4 | Week 20
Pacers vs. Bucks - 7:00 (Dave Pasch, Chauncey Billups, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Pelicans vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Israel Gutierrez)
- Replaces Magic vs. Heat
* Friday, March 6 | Week 20
Heat vs. Pelicans - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Jorge Sedano)
- Replaces Jazz vs. Celtics
Bucks vs. Lakers - 10:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
* Wednesday, March 11 | Week 21
Nuggets vs. Mavericks - 8:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Tom Rinaldi)
Pelicans vs. Kings - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Richard Jefferson) (scheduled, but cancelled due to Coronavirus)
Play suspended following Nuggets-Mavericks on Wednesday, March 11 due to Coronavirus.
These are the regular season games that ESPN was originally scheduled to televise prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (Subject to Change):
. Sunday, March 15 - 9:00 PM (ET) - Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers
. Monday, March 16 - 8:00 PM (ET) - Golden State Warriors at Toronto Raptors
. Monday, March 16 - 10:30 PM (ET) - Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers
. Wednesday, March 18 - 7:30 PM (ET) - Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
. Wednesday, March 18 - 10:00 PM (ET) - Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers
. Wednesday, March 25 - 7:00 PM (ET) - Los Angeles Clippers at Brooklyn Nets
. Wednesday, March 25 - 9:30 PM (ET) - Houston Rockets at Milwaukee Bucks
. Wednesday, April 1 - 9:00 PM (ET) - Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks
. Wednesday, April 8 - 7:00 PM (ET) - Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics
. Wednesday, April 8 - 9:30 PM (ET) - San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
. Wednesday, April 15 - 7:30 PM (ET) - Game TBD
. Wednesday, April 15 - 10:00 PM (ET) - Game TBD
* 2019-20: NBA Season Restart at ESPN's Wide of World Sports complex (Orlando, FL) (Seeding games)
* Friday, July 31 - Seeding games
Celtics vs. Bucks - 6:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
Rockets vs. Mavericks - 9:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Rachel Nichols)
* Saturday, August 1 - Seeding games
Heat vs. Nuggets - 1:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
Jazz vs. Thunder - 3:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)
Pelicans vs. Clippers - 6:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
Lakers vs. Raptors - 8:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)
* Monday, August 3 - Seeding games
Grizzlies vs. Pelicans - 6:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)
Lakers vs. Jazz - 9:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Rachel Nichols)
* Wednesday, August 5 - Seeding games
Thunder vs. Lakers - 6:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Rachel Nichols)
Nets vs. Celtics - 9:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters)
* Saturday, August 8 - Seeding games
Bucks vs. Mavericks - 8:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters)
* Monday, August 10 - Seeding games
Raptors vs. Bucks - 6:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Rachel Nichols)
* Wednesday, August 12 - Seeding games
Raptors vs. 76ers - 6:30 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson, Malika Andrews)
Clippers vs. Nuggets - 9:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)
* Friday, August 14 - Seeding games
Heat vs. Pacers - 4:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Rachel Nichols)
Thunder vs. Clippers - 6:30 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Lisa Salters)
76ers vs. Rockets - 9:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Rachel Nichols)