Caption: The current NBA on ESPN logo (2022-present). Photo credit: SportsVideo.org
Thursday, August 15, 2024
- ABC returns for the 23rd consecutive season of NBA coverage - including NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC, NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC & exclusive coverage of the 2025 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
- ABC to televise three games on Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25) - Timberwolves vs. Mavericks (2:30 PM ET), 76ers vs. Celtics (5:00 PM ET) & Lakers vs. Warriors (8:00 PM ET).
- ABC commences ninth season of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC - the national NBA game of the week - on Saturday, January 25 with a special doubleheader during NBA Rivals Week - Nuggets vs. Timberwolves (3:00 PM ET), Celtics vs. Mavericks (5:30 PM ET) & Lakers vs. Warriors (8:30 PM ET).
On Thursday, August 15, ABC and ESPN disclosed, in coordination with the NBA, their full 2024-25 NBA regular season broadcast schedule. The 2024-25 season marks ABC's 23rd straight season with an NBA broadcast package. Recently, the Walt Disney Company (who owns ABC and ESPN), announced a new 11-year rights deal with the NBA which will see ABC remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals through the 2035-36 season. (More details about the new media rights deal later on this year in a separate article.)
Christmas Day Star Power:
As always, ABC launches their NBA coverage with a tripleheader on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25, showcasing some of the league's top stars and top-tier teams. The tripleheader (which will also be simulcasted on ESPN) starts at 2:30 PM (ET), when rising star Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves visit Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks. Following that game, at 5:00 PM (ET), two of the Eastern Conference's elite teams face off when Jayson Tatum and the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics host Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Christmas Day action wraps up on ABC at 8:00 PM (ET) when two of the league's most recognizable faces get together for yet another matchup as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers go against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC:
One of the two signature packages on ABC is NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC. In short, this Saturday night primetime series allows ABC to air the marquee NBA telecast for the week. The league's biggest stars and top teams are recognized and awarded with the Saturday night primetime slot. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC, which began back in 2016, kicks off the ninth season on Saturday, January 25 with a special tripleheader during NBA Rivals Week.
The tripleheader tips off at 3:00 PM (ET) when Nikola Jokiฤ and the Denver Nuggets travel to Target Center in Minneapolis to battle Anthony Edwards and the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves. The middle game at 5:30 PM (ET) sees a NBA Finals re-match take center stage as Jaylen Brown and the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics take on electrifying star Luka Donฤiฤ and the Dallas Mavericks. The primetime game at 8:30 PM (ET) needs ZERO introduction as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers enter a Western Conference showdown with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Following the January 25 tripleheader, NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC will carry at least one game each week through Saturday, March 15 (with the exception of Saturday, February 15, due to the NBA All-Star Break).
Check out the 2024-25 NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Schedule (Subject to Change):
2024-25 NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Schedule (Subject to Change):
. * Saturday, January 25 - * 3:00 PM ET - * Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
. * Saturday, January 25 - * 5:30 PM ET - * Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks
. Saturday, January 25 - 8:30 PM ET - Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors
. Saturday, February 1 - 8:30 PM ET - Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks
. Saturday, February 8 - 8:30 PM ET - Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
. Saturday, February 22 - 8:30 PM ET - Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
. Saturday, March 1 - 8:30 PM ET - Golden State Warriors at Philadelphia 76ers
. Saturday, March 8 - 8:30 PM ET - Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics
. Saturday, March 15 - 8:30 PM ET - New York Knicks at Golden State Warriors
* == special edition of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC:
On Sunday afternoons, ABC features the stars of today and the future of tomorrow via the NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC package. It complements the Saturday night package that ABC also has.
The Sunday afternoon series starts on Super Bowl Sunday, Sunday, February 9 at 2:00 PM (ET), when Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Philadelphia 76ers take on Bobby Portis and the Milwaukee Bucks in a marquee Eastern Conference matchup.
Succeeding this game, ABC will have your Sunday afternoon plans every single weekend through Sunday, March 16 (with the exception of Sunday, February 16 due to the NBA All-Star Break).
Check out the 2024-25 NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC schedule below (Subject to Change) ๐:
2024-25 NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC Schedule (Subject to Change):
. Sunday, February 9 (Super Bowl Sunday) - * 2:00 PM ET - Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks
. Sunday, February 23 - 1:00 PM ET - New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
. Sunday, February 23 - 3:30 PM ET - Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
. Sunday, March 2 - 1:00 PM ET - Denver Nuggets at Boston Celtics
. Sunday, March 9 - 1:00 PM ET - Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
. Sunday, March 9 - 3:30 PM ET - Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks
. Sunday, March 16 - 1:00 PM ET - Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks
. Sunday, March 16 - 3:30 PM ET - Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
* == special start time due to Super Bowl Sunday
Additional NBA on ABC schedule highlights:
- Six appearances each by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers & Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics.
- Five appearances each by Luka Donฤiฤ and the Dallas Mavericks & Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
- Ninth season of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC - the marquee NBA national game of the week - returns on Saturday, January 25 with a special tripleheader during NBA Rivals Week: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves (3:00 PM ET), Celtics vs Mavericks in 2024 NBA Finals re-match (5:30 PM ET) & Lakers vs. Warriors (8:30 PM ET) - another meeting between LeBron James & Stephen Curry.
- Coast to Coast: Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers take on Julius Randle and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, February 1.
- Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokoumnpo tussle as the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Super Bowl Sunday.
- The Denver Nuggets vs. Boston Celtics game to precede ABC's Oscars coverage on Sunday, March 2 for the very first time (!!).
ABC's regular season coverage of 20 games for 2024-25 includes games on Saturday nights & Sunday afternoons, Christmas Day games, first and second playoff games & exclusive coverage of the 2025 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
The official pregame show for ABC's (and well as ESPN's) coverage is NBA Countdown, which generally airs 30 minutes before a game on ABC tips off.
All ABC NBA broadcasts this season will be available on the ESPN App.
The complete 2024-25 NBA on ABC Schedule (including all regular season broadcast) is displayed below. Updates will be made regularly throughout the season as far as announcer assignments and game schedules are concerned.
|| * NBA on ABC: 2024-25 NBA Preseason & Regular Season Broadcast Schedule (All Times Eastern; Subject to Change)
- NBA on ABC: 2024-25 NBA Regular Season Broadcast Schedule (All Times Eastern; Subject to Change)
* Wednesday, December 25 - ๐ Christmas Day
. Timberwolves at Mavericks - ABC/ESPN, 2:30 PM (ET) -
. 76ers at Celtics - ABC/ESPN, 5:00 PM (ET) -
. Lakers at Warriors - ABC/ESPN, 8:00 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, January 25 - season debut of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Nuggets at Timberwolves - ABC, 3:00 PM (ET) -
. Celtics at Mavericks - ABC, 5:30 PM (ET) -
. Lakers at Warriors - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, February 1 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Lakers at Knicks - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, February 8 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Celtics at Knicks - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Sunday, February 9 - Super Bowl Sunday ๐ and the season debut of NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC
. 76ers at Bucks - ABC, 2:00 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, February 22 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Lakers at Nuggets - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Sunday, February 23 - NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC
. Knicks at Celtics - ABC, 1:00 PM (ET) -
. Mavericks at Warriors - ABC, 3:30 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, March 1 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Warriors at 76ers - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Sunday, March 2 - NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC
. Nuggets at Celtics - ABC, 1:00 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, March 8 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
. Lakers at Celtics - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Sunday, March 9 - NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC
. Nuggets at Thunder - ABC, 1:00 PM (ET) -
. Suns at Mavericks - ABC, 3:30 PM (ET) -
* Saturday, March 15 - NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC (season finale)
. Knicks at Warriors - ABC, 8:30 PM (ET) -
* Sunday, March 16 - NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC (season finale)
. 76ers at Mavericks - ABC, 1:00 PM (ET) -
. Suns at Lakers - ABC, 3:30 PM (ET) -
- Sources ๐: ESPN Press Room (schedule)
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