| ⏵ Sunday, May 24, 2026
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Highlights:
- The 50th season of the NBA: Summer Series gets underway with six live preseason games this week. ABC, Peacock/NBCSN, & ESPN will each televise two preseason games.
- NBC Sports officially begins full-time NBA Summer Series coverage with a pair of 76ers-Knicks preseason games from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday, May 28, and Saturday, May 30, with both games tipping off at 12:00 PM ET/8:00 PM GST.
- Two Western Conference contenders meet in a preseason game on Friday evening as Luka DonΔiΔ and the Los Angeles Lakers meet Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on Friday, May 29, at 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT, live from Palm Springs, California.
- ABC is set to televise TWO Saturday neutral-site preseason games on Saturday, May 30. First up, Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic play Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat in Mexico City at 3:30 PM ET/2:30 PM CT. Then, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves clash with three-time MVP winner Nikola JokiΔ and the Denver Nuggets in a 2025 Western Conference Quarterfinals rematch from San Diego at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT.
- The first week of the preseason wraps up with a Lakers-Warriors matchup, featuring two revamped teams hoping to make noise out in the West, on Sunday, May 31 at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT on ESPN.
Welcome back, friends! We’re starting another NBA Summer Series season, which is especially notable this year as it marks the 50th anniversary. For the first time, ABC/ESPN no longer holds exclusive broadcasting rights; now, Prime Video and NBC Sports are also partners for the Summer Series broadcast media rights. With this update, let’s move forward with our first press release of the season!
This week, the Summer Series will air six preseason games nationally, as basketball is ALMOST back! Throughout the week, viewers can find telecasts on Peacock/NBCSN, ESPN & ABC. More details about this week’s games will be shared in the following paragraphs.
Atlantic Division rivals will tip off the preseason as Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers visit Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the first of two Abu Dhabi Games from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday, May 28, at 12:00 PM ET (8:00 PM GST) on Peacock and NBCSN. NBC Sports’ Kate Scott (play-by-play), 2024 NBA Champion Jayson Tatum (analyst) & Taylor McGregor (reporter) will call 76ers-Knicks from Ethihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Last year, the Knicks narrowly missed reaching the NBA Finals, falling to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. This season, expectations are high for the Knicks to contend for the championship once again. They boast a strong, deep roster featuring Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has a chance to start fresh after an injury-plagued 2025 season that cost them a playoff spot. Last season, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey averaged a career-high 26.3 points per game. This year, the 76ers introduced an exciting new duo: Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft from Baylor.
Live coverage begins with the premiere edition of NBA Showtime, presented by Little Caesars, live from Stamford, Connecticut, at 11:00 AM ET on Peacock and NBCSN, hosted by NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Webber. Following 76ers-Knicks at 2:30 PM ET, Fareed and Webber return to anchor NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars.
The following night, Friday, May 29, the Los Angeles Lakers open up their first preseason with Luka DonΔiΔ on the roster with a Pacific Division game against Dillon Brooks and the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 PM ET (7:30 PM PT local) on ESPN and the ESPN App. ESPN’s Kelvin Hutchinson (play-by-play), veteran NBA head coach PJ Carlesimo (analyst), six-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns (analyst), Kristian Winfield (reporter), & Taylor Eiserman (reporter) will call Suns-Lakers from Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA.
During the offseason, the Lakers achieved their primary objective by signing a three-year extension with superstar Luka DonΔiΔ, keeping him in L.A. through the 2028 season. In 2025, the Lakers made it all the way to Game 7 of the second round before getting eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, can L.A. take the next step toward reaching the Finals for the first time since the 2020 Florida bubble?
As Devin Booker begins his 11th season in Phoenix, he has been through plenty of ups and downs during his time in the Valley. Phoenix looks to bounce back after getting eliminated in the Play-In Tournament by the Kings in the #9 vs. #10 matchup last season. The peak of Booker’s time with the Suns came in 2021, when Phoenix qualified for its first NBA Finals since 1993, before losing to the Bucks in six games. “Although we didn’t get it done in ‘21, I was able to see it go from the bottom almost to the top. It wasn’t easy, but just understanding that it’s an everyday grind and it starts right now,” Booker said. “I have unfinished business here.”
Pregame coverage begins with NBA Countdown presented by Target at 10:00 PM ET on ESPN, featuring host Miles Johnson, two-time Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 2023 NBA Champion and NBA All-Star Jamal Murray, and two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery. Devon Henderson makes his official debut as the new NBA Summer Series insider. Following Suns-Lakers, this distinguished studio team returns for NBA: After the Buzzer presented by PS5 at 1:00 AM ET on ESPN.
Saturday, May 30, features three games across two different continents. To start things off, the Knicks and 76ers close out the fourth annual Abu Dhabi Games at 12:00 PM ET on Peacock and NBCSN. NBC Sports’ Kate Scott, Jayson Tatum & Taylor McGregor will call Saturday’s Knicks-76ers exhibition contest.
Live coverage begins at 11:30 AM ET with NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars, hosted by NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed, joined by 2016 National Champion Kris Jenkins (analyst), Chris Webber (analyst), four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala (analyst), & 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose (analyst). After Saturday’s matchup, the studio team will return for NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars at 2:30 PM ET on Peacock and NBCSN.
Coverage then shifts to ABC and the ESPN App with NBA Countdown presented by Google, beginning at 3:00 PM ET, previewing the Magic-Heat matchup. NBA Countdown features host Malika Andrews, three-time champion Danny Green, former No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick Chiney Ogwumike, ESPN Senior NBA Writer Brian Windhorst, and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania. Additionally, NBA Countdown will have a second airing at 8:00 PM ET, before the Timberwolves-Nuggets game, with Andrews, Green, Ogwumike, Windhorst & Charania.
Two Florida foes, the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic, will travel from the Sunshine State to Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, for their preseason opener on Saturday, May 30, at 3:30 PM ET/2:30 PM CT on ABC and the ESPN App. ESPN’s Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst) & Kenyatta Moore Jr. (reporter) will call Magic-Heat from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.
Last year, both clubs faced off in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament. Both teams would make the playoffs before getting ousted in the first round. Both teams acquired a veteran shooter to assist their preexisting duos. The Magic acquired Desmond Bane while the Heat acquired Norman Powell. Bane has shot a 41% clip from three-point range, while Powell established himself with a stellar 2025 season with the Clippers, averaging 41.8% from deep.
Northwest Division rivals set to challenge the defending NBA Summer Series champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder — the Denver Nuggets (2023 champion), and the Minnesota Timberwolves (back-to-back West Finals appearances) — open their respective 2026 preseasons on Saturday, May 30 at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT on ABC and the ESPN App from Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. ESPN’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame pairing of Mike Breen (play-by-play) and Doris Burke (analyst), fellow analyst and 2016 NBA Champion Iman Shumpert, Lisa Salters (reporter) & Kevin Connors (reporter) will call Timberwolves-Nuggets from Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.
Once the Timberwolves-Nuggets game finishes, stay tuned for NBA: After the Buzzer presented by Chime at 11:00 PM ET on ABC as Malika Andrews and company recap Saturday’s preseason action.
The first week of preseason action concludes on Sunday, May 31, with a preseason primetime showdown over ESPN and the ESPN App. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers face off against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT. ESPN’s new lead team of Curtis Stockley, Tim Legler, and Richard Jefferson debuts, with Susan Reutter reporting courtside.
Pregame coverage kicks off at 8:00 PM ET with NBA Countdown presented by Target with Miles Johnson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, & 76ers superstar Tyrese Maxey. This trio returns to provide postgame coverage on NBA: After the Buzzer presented by PS5 following the conclusion of the Lakers-Warriors preseason game.
This week’s NBA Summer Series preseason schedule across Peacock/NBCSN, ESPN, & ABC is as follows ➘:
- NBA: Summer Series -- Full Court Press | 2026 Preseason Week #1 | National Broadcast Schedule | Monday, May 25, 2026 - Sunday, May 31, 2026 | All Times Eastern and Subject to Change
πΈ Thursday, May 28, 2026 (Preseason) (Peacock/NBCSN):
. 11:00 AM (ET) - NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars - Peacock, NBCSN
Ahmed Fareed, Chris Webber
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. 12:00 PM (ET) - Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks presented by Starbucks (Abu Dhabi) - Peacock, NBCSN
Kate Scott, Jayson Tatum, Taylor McGregor
. 2:30 PM (ET) - NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars - Peacock, NBCSN
Ahmed Fareed, Chris Webber
πΈ Friday, May 29, 2026 (Preseason) (ESPN):
. 10:00 PM ET - NBA Countdown presented by Target - ESPN, ESPN App
Miles Johnson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Renee Montgomery, Devon Henderson
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. 10:30 PM ET - Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns presented by State Farm (Palm Springs) - ESPN, ESPN App
Kelvin Hutchinson, PJ Carlesimo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristian Winfield, Taylor Eiserman
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. 1:00 AM ET - NBA: After the Buzzer presented by PS5 - ESPN, ESPN App
Miles Johnson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, Renee Montgomery, Devon Henderson
πΈ Saturday, May 30, 2026 (Preseason) (Peacock/NBCSN; ABC):
. 11:30 AM ET - NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars - Peacock, NBCSN
Ahmed Fareed, Chris Webber, Kris Jenkins, Jalen Rose, Andre Iguodala
π. 12:00 PM ET - New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers presented by Starbucks (Abu Dhabi) - Peacock, NBCSN
Kate Scott, Jayson Tatum, Taylor McGregor
. 2:30 PM ET - NBA Showtime presented by Little Caesars - Peacock, NBCSN
Ahmed Fareed, Chris Webber, Kris Jenkins, Jalen Rose, Andre Iguodala
. 3:00 PM ET & 8:00 PM ET - NBA Countdown presented by Google - ABC, ESPN App
Malika Andrews, Danny Green, Chiney Ogwumike, Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania
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. 3:30 PM ET - Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat presented by Wingstop (Mexico City) - ABC, ESPN App
Dave Pasch, Jay Bilas, Kenyatta Moore Jr.
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. 8:30 PM ET - Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets presented by Wingstop (San Diego) - ABC, ESPN App
Mike Breen, Doris Burke, Iman Shumpert, Lisa Salters, Kevin Connors
. 11:00 PM ET - NBA: After the Buzzer presented by Chime - ABC, ESPN App
Malika Andrews, Danny Green, Chiney Ogwumike, Brian Windhorst, Shams Charania
πΈ Sunday, May 31, 2026 (Preseason) (ESPN):
See Poster Above
⚫ Note: This week’s NBA Summer Series broadcast schedule and commentator assignments are subject to change without notice.
|| π Sources: NBA Summer Series Weekly Press Releases Center ||
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