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The current logo used for ESPN's NBA live game broadcasts (2022-present). (📸 Photo courtesy of SportsVideo.org)
| 🞙 Friday, April 10, 2026
Highlights:
- ESPN continues its NBA: Summer Series coverage in 2026, televising 50 regular-season games alongside 16 national preseason broadcasts.
- The first week of the regular season is highlighted by two ESPN primetime doubleheaders on the first Wednesday (June 17) and Thursday (June 18).
- 2025 NBA Draft #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg makes his NBA Summer Series debut on Wednesday, June 17, when the Mavericks host the Spurs (9:30 PM ET/8:30 PM CT, ESPN).
- 2025 NBA Finals Re-match: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending NBA Summer Series champion Oklahoma City Thunder play the team that they knocked out in last year's playoffs, Tyrese Haliburton and the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, on Thursday, June 18 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.
- ESPN presents its first-ever Emirates NBA Cup Group Play tripleheader on Wednesday, July 22, featuring star power from the likes of Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant & Stephen Curry.
ESPN, in collaboration with the NBA, recently announced its game broadcast schedule for the 2026 NBA Summer Series, which marks the 50th anniversary season. As ESPN gears up for its 24th season of the NBA: Summer Series broadcast presentation, the 2026 season is anticipated to be filled with exciting, star-studded matchups throughout the regular season. This schedule highlights ESPN's role as one of the key national broadcasters for NBA Summer Series coverage.
ESPN plans to broadcast 50 regular-season games during the 2026 season, primarily airing telecasts on Wednesday nights throughout the week. Additionally, ESPN will feature select games on Friday nights, starting in early September. Furthermore, certain contests on Saturday and Sunday will also receive national television coverage from ESPN. Before the regular season begins, ESPN is set to carry 16 preseason games on the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN+) between Friday, May 29 and Friday, June 12.
Season-Opening Action:
ESPN and the ESPN App will broadcast doubleheaders on Wednesday, June 17, and Thursday, June 18, marking the second and third days of the regular season.
In the opening game on June 17, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who led the Eastern Conference with a record of 42-10 in the 2025 season, will visit the New York Knicks, who were Eastern Conference finalists last season, at 7:00 PM ET. The second game will feature the regular-season debuts of the top two picks from the 2025 NBA Draft, as No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks host No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and the San Antonio Spurs at 9:30 PM ET.
The doubleheader on June 18 will commence with a rematch of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana at 7:30 PM ET, followed by Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors hosting Aaron Gordon the Denver Nuggets from Chase Center in San Francisco, California at 10:00 PM ET.
Emirates NBA Cup Group Play Tripleheader on Wednesday, July 22:
On Wednesday, July 22, ESPN and the ESPN App will broadcast three Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play games. The evening will start with Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons visiting Neemias Queta the Boston Celtics at 5:30 PM ET. The second game will feature a rematch from 2025 Western Conference Finals, as the Emirates NBA Cup 2025 runner-up Thunder faces the Timberwolves in Oklahoma City at 8:00 PM ET. The tripleheader will conclude with Gary Payton II and the Warriors hosting Jabari Smith Jr. the Rockets in their first encounter since their seven-game playoff series in the First Round last season, scheduled for 10:30 PM ET.
NBA Summer Showcase:
For the third consecutive year, the NBA will showcase five games during the Summer Showcase, Thursday, August 20. Each matchup will be accessible on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN App. The NBA's Summer Showcase festivities will begin with the Cavaliers facing off against the Knicks at 12:00 PM ET, followed by the Spurs taking on the Thunder at 2:30 PM ET. The schedule will continue with the Mavericks playing against the Warriors at 5:00 PM ET, the Rockets competing against the Lakers at 8:00 PM ET, and the Timberwolves going up against the Nuggets at 10:30 PM ET.
Additional NBA on ESPN Schedule Highlights:
- Seven appearances each by Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets, Jarrett Allen and the Cleveland Cavaliers, & Aaron Wiggins and the reigning NBA Summer Series champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Six appearances by Brandon Williams and the Dallas Mavericks.
- Special 2026 Emirates NBA Cup tripleheader on Wednesday, July 22 (Pistons-Celtics, Timberwolves-Thunder & Rockets-Warriors).
- America 250: Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers play host to Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, July 4 at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN (and WPVI-TV, Channel 6, in the Philadelphia market), during America's 250th birthday celebration.
Besides ESPN's regular season offerings, ESPN will carry select first round and second round games. This season, ESPN will have exclusive of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, while NBC/Peacock is assigned national coverage of the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Of course, ABC will show the 2026 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
All ABC and ESPN NBA broadcasts are available via the ESPN App or with the ESPN Unlimited plan.
Check out a comprehensive overview of ESPN's 2026 NBA Summer Series preseason and regular season broadcast schedule. Periodic updates to this page will be made when appropriate throughout the season.
- NBA: Summer Series — 2026 "NBA on ESPN" Preseason and Regular Season Broadcast Schedule (All Times ET & Subject to Change)
⯀ Preseason:
|| ● Friday, May 29 (Preseason):
. Suns vs. Lakers (at Palm Springs, CA) - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Sunday, May 31 (Preseason):
. Lakers at Warriors - ESPN, 8:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, June 3 (Preseason):
. Celtics at Grizzlies - ESPN, 5:30 PM ET -
. Spurs at Heat - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Trail Blazers at Warriors - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Friday, June 5 (Preseason):
. Magic at 76ers - ESPN, 7:30 PM ET -
. Kings at Trail Blazers - ESPN, 10:00 PM ET -
|| ● Sunday, June 7 (Preseason):
. Cavaliers at Celtics - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Nuggets at Clippers - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, June 10 (Preseason):
. Mavericks vs. Lakers (Las Vegas) - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Thursday, June 11 (Preseason):
. Rockets at Hawks - ESPN2, 7:30 PM ET -
|| ● Friday, June 12 (Preseason):
. Timberwolves at 76ers - ESPNU, 12:30 PM ET -
. Nets at Raptors - ESPNU, 3:00 PM ET -
. Pacers at Spurs - ESPNU, 5:30 PM ET -
. Nuggets at Thunder - ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET -
. Clippers at Warriors - ESPN+, 10:30 PM ET -
⯀ Regular Season:
|| ● Wednesday, June 17 (Opening Week):
. Cavaliers at Knicks - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Spurs at Mavericks - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Thursday, June 18 (Opening Week):
. Thunder at Pacers - ESPN, 7:30 PM ET -
. Nuggets at Warriors - ESPN, 10:00 PM ET -
|| ● Sunday, June 21 (Opening Week):
. Knicks at Heat - ESPN, 3:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, June 24:
. Cavaliers at Celtics - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Lakers at Timberwolves - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Saturday, June 27:
. Kings at Bucks - ESPN, 2:00 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, July 1:
. Timberwolves at Knicks - ESPN, 7:30 PM ET -
. Spurs at Lakers - ESPN, 10:00 PM ET -
|| ● Saturday, July 4 (4th of July):
. Trail Blazers at Heat - ESPN, 5:30 PM ET -
. Raptors at 76ers - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Suns at Clippers - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, July 8:
. Suns at Mavericks - ESPN, 4:30 PM ET -
. Magic at Knicks - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Lakers at Thunder - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Monday, July 13:
. Clippers at 76ers - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Bulls at Nuggets - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, July 15:
. Rockets at Cavaliers - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Knicks at Mavericks - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, July 22 | 🏆 Emirates NBA Cup Group Play:
. ✵ Pistons at Celtics (East Group B) - ESPN, 5:30 PM ET -
. ✵ Timberwolves at Thunder (West Group A) - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. ✵ Rockets at Warriors (West Group C) - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Saturday, July 25:
. Raptors at Hornets - ESPN, 5:30 PM ET -
. Nets at Bucks - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Mavericks at Clippers - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Thursday, August 13:
. Heat at Nets - ESPN, 12:30 PM ET -
. Pistons at Mavericks - ESPN, 3:00 PM ET -
. Clippers at Thunder - ESPN, 5:30 PM ET -
. Raptors at Bucks - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Warriors at Suns - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Thursday, August 20 (Summer Showcase):
. Cavaliers at Knicks - ABC/ESPN, 12:00 PM ET -
. Spurs at Thunder - ABC/ESPN, 2:30 PM ET -
. Mavericks at Warriors - ABC/ESPN, 5:00 PM ET -
. Rockets at Lakers - ABC/ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Timberwolves at Nuggets - ABC/ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, August 26:
. Nuggets at Raptors - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Pelicans at Bulls - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, September 2:
. Nuggets at Celtics - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Lakers at Spurs - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, September 9:
. Cavaliers at 76ers - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Nuggets at Mavericks - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Friday, September 11:
. Cavaliers at 76ers - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Timberwolves at Rockets - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Saturday, September 12:
. Thunder at Heat - ESPN, 8:00 PM ET -
. Wizards at Nuggets - ESPN, 10:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, September 16 | AWS NBA Rivals Week:
. Cavaliers at Hornets - ESPN, 7:30 PM ET -
. Thunder at Bucks - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, September 23:
. Lakers at Cavaliers - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Spurs at Rockets - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
|| ● Friday, September 25:
. Raptors at Magic - ESPN, 7:30 PM ET -
. Pistons at Warriors - ESPN, 10:00 PM ET -
|| ● Sunday, September 27 | NBA Pioneers Classic:
. Bucks at Celtics - ESPN, 3:30 PM ET -
|| ● Wednesday, September 30:
. Nuggets at Knicks - ESPN, 7:00 PM ET -
. Thunder at Spurs - ESPN, 9:30 PM ET -
🞶 NBA: Summer Series Index — 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 (ABC; ESPN; NBC/Peacock; Prime Video) |
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