2020 - 2021 NBA on ESPN Schedule

 

. ESPN's First Half schedule features at least 8 appearances by defending NBA Champion Lakers, Warriors, Celtics, Mavericks & Pelicans

. Rivalry Renewed: ABC's Saturday Primetime series resumes on Saturday, January 30th with LeBron James' Lakers vs. Jayson Tatum's Celtics

. NBA ABC's Sunday Showcase series resumes on Sunday, February 21st with Jaylen Brown's Celtics vs. Zion Williamson's Pelicans.

. All 5 Christmas Day games on ESPN platforms with 13 live hours of coverage

ESPN, in conjunction with the NBA, announced the national television schedule for the first half of the 2020-21 NBA season through Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021. ESPN and ABC will team up to televise 49 games in the first half, with 39 games on ESPN and 10 games on ABC. Marquee dates for the first half of the season include ESPN's opening night game on Wednesday, December 23rd, Christmas Day and the season debuts of Saturday Primetime and Sunday Showcase.

In addition to the regular season, ESPN will also televise five preseason games, beginning on Friday, December 11th. ESPN and/or ABC will air up to 44 2021 NBA Playoffs game telecasts. This year, ESPN will exclusively televise the 2021 Western Conference Finals. Of course, the season culminates with ABC's exclusive presentation of the 2021 NBA Finals. All ABC and ESPN NBA broadcasts are available through the ESPN App.

ESPN's and ABC's live 2020-21 NBA regular season schedule begins on Wednesday, December 23rd at 10:30 PM ET on ESPN, as Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visit Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns. Paul is expected to make his Phoenix debut with this matchup.

The schedule through Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021. ABC's schedule page will go live very shortly.

Preseason:
* Friday, December 11th
Kings vs. Trail Blazers - 10:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson)

* Sunday, December 13th
Clippers vs. Lakers - 8:30 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Rachel Nichols)

* Thursday, December 17th
Warriors vs. Kings - 9:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson)

* Friday, December 18th
Nets vs. Celtics - ESPN2, 8:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)
Lakers vs. Suns - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Jorge Sedano)

Regular Season:
* Wednesday, December 23rd

Mavericks vs. Suns - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, December 25th - Christmas

Pelicans vs. Heat - 12:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Israel Gutierrez)

Clippers vs. Nuggets - 10:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Malika Andrews)

* Wednesday, January 6th

Celtics vs. Heat - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Israel Gutierrez)

Clippers vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson, Malika Andrews)

* Friday, January 8th

Hornets vs. Pelicans - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Clippers vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson, Malika Andrews)

* Wednesday, January 13th

Nets vs. Knicks - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Pelicans vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)

* Friday, January 15th

Mavericks vs. Bucks - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez)

Pelicans vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson, Jorge Sedano)

* Wednesday, January 20th

Celtics vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Suns vs. Rockets - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, January 22nd

Celtics vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Nuggets vs. Suns - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy)

* Wednesday, January 27th

Lakers vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Timberwolves vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, January 29th

Bucks vs. Pelicans - 7:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown, Malika Andrews)

Mavericks vs. Jazz - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)

* Wednesday, February 3rd

Pacers vs. Bucks - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Ariel Helwani)

Suns vs. Pelicans - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, February 5th

Raptors vs. Nets - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)

Celtics vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Richard Jefferson)

* Wednesday, February 10th

Hawks vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Bucks vs. Suns - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)

* Friday, February 12th

Pelicans vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Grizzlies vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson)

* Sunday, February 14th

Trail Blazers vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown)

Lakers vs. Nuggets - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson)

* Wednesday, February 17th

Rockets vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Heat vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, February 19th

Bulls vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Jazz vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Hubie Brown)

* Sunday, February 21st

Nets vs. Clippers - 8:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson)

* Wednesday, February 24th

Warriors vs. Pacers - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Hubie Brown, Jorge Sedano)

Lakers vs. Jazz - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, February 26th

Pacers vs. Celtics - 7:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Trail Blazers vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Richard Jefferson)

* Sunday, February 28th

Warriors vs. Lakers - 8:00 (Dave Pasch, Richard Jefferson, Jorge Sedano)

* Wednesday, March 3rd

Nets vs. Rockets - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Malika Andrews)

Warriors vs. Trail Blazers - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson)

* Sunday, March 14th

Clippers vs. Pelicans - 9:00 (Mark Jones, Hubie Brown)

* Monday, March 15th

Knicks vs. Nets - 8:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)

Lakers vs. Warriors - 10:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Wednesday, March 17th

Bucks vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Clippers vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Jeff Van Gundy)

* Wednesday, March 24th

Celtics vs. Bucks - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Nets vs. Jazz - 10:00 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy)

* Friday, March 26th

Celtics vs. Bucks - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Hawks vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson)

* Wednesday, March 31st

Mavericks vs. Celtics - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy)

Bucks vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Mark Jackson)

* Wednesday, April 7th

Pelicans vs. Nets - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)

Jazz vs. Suns - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Monday, April 12th

76ers vs. Mavericks - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Nuggets vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Jason Benetti, Richard Jefferson)

* Wednesday, April 14th

Nets vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Mavericks vs. Grizzlies - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Jeff Van Gundy)

* Friday, April 16th

Clippers vs. 76ers - 7:00 (Dave Pasch, Vince Carter, Lisa Salters)

Knicks vs. Mavericks - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Richard Jefferson)

* Saturday, April 17th

Jazz vs. Lakers - 4:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown, Jorge Sedano)

* Sunday, April 18th

Pelicans vs. Knicks - 1:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)

Nets vs. Heat - 3:30 (Mark Jones, Richard Jefferson, Israel Gutierrez)

* Monday, April 19th

Warriors vs. 76ers - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Jazz vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Friday, April 23rd

Celtics vs. Nets - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Jeff Van Gundy, Malika Andrews)

Nuggets vs. Warriors - 10:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson)

* Saturday, April 24th

Raptors vs. Knicks - 1:00 (Mark Jones, Vince Carter, Cassidy Hubbarth)

76ers vs. Bucks - 3:30 (Ryan Ruocco, Hubie Brown)

* Sunday, April 25th

Celtics vs. Hornets - 1:00 (Dave Pasch, Richard Jefferson, Israel Gutierrez)

Suns vs. Nets - 3:30 (Bob Wischusen, Doris Burke, Malika Andrews)

* Wednesday, April 28th

Lakers vs. Wizards - 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth)

Clippers vs. Suns - 10:00 (Ryan Ruocco, Jeff Van Gundy)

* Saturday, May 1st

Warriors vs. Rockets - 7:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Lisa Salters)

Nuggets vs. Clippers - 10:00 (Dave Pasch, Richard Jefferson)

* Monday, May 3rd

Warriors vs. Pelicans - ESPN/ESPN2, 7:30 (Dave Pasch, Vince Carter, Cassidy Hubbarth) (ESPN); (Ryan Ruocco, Richard Jefferson, Angelique Roche) (ESPN2; NBA Special Edition: Marvel's Arena of Heroes)

Nuggets vs. Lakers - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke)

* Friday, May 7th

Celtics vs. Bulls - 7:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Ariel Helwani)

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers - 10:00 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke)

* Sunday, May 9th

Heat vs. Celtics - 1:00 (Mark Jones, Hubie Brown, Lisa Salters)

Knicks vs. Clippers - 3:30 (Dave Pasch, Mark Jackson)

* Wednesday, May 12th

Wizards vs. Hawks - 7:00 (Mike Breen, Mark Jackson)

Trail Blazers vs. Jazz - 9:30 (Dave Pasch, Doris Burke)

* Friday, May 14th

Pelicans vs. Warriors - 9:30 (Mark Jones, Hubie Brown, Jorge Sedano)

* Sunday, May 16th

Celtics vs. Knicks - 1:00 (Bob Wischusen, Jeff Van Gundy, Israel Gutierrez)

Grizzlies vs. Warriors - 3:30 (Mark Jones, Doris Burke)