ESPN & ABC Combine to Nationally Televise 101 Games during 2021-22 NBA Regular Season

· Blockbuster NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Schedule Includes Two Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers Games

· Superstars on Display All Season Long: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Devin Booker, Kyrie Irving, Luka Dončić, Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Julius Randle and More

· Five-Game Christmas Day Spectacular Featuring Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

· ESPN to Celebrate the NBA's 75th Anniversary Season Across Platforms

ESPN and ABC today announced their 101-game national television schedule for the 2021-22 regular season, which begins on Wednesday, October 20, and culminates on Sunday, April 10. ESPN will televise 82 games, while ABC will broadcast 19 games. This marks ESPN's 20th consecutive season of NBA game coverage, dating back to 2002-03 campaign.

ESPN will celebrate the NBA's 75th anniversary season throughout the year across its platforms. Pillar dates for the regular season schedule include ESPN's season-opening doubleheader on Wednesday, October 20, its Thanksgiving Eve prime-time doubleheader, the five-game Christmas Day slate and the NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC and ABC Sunday Showcase series.

In addition to the regular season, ESPN will televise several NBA preseason games, as well as up to 44 NBA Playoffs telecasts, culminating with exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals. ESPN will also exclusively televise the Eastern Conference Finals and three NBA Play-In Tournament games. All ESPN and ABC NBA telecasts are available to stream via the ESPN App.

NBA on ABC schedule highlights:

· Six appearances by the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry;

· Five appearances each by the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James, the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant, and the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo;

· Four appearances by the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum;

· Kevin Durant returns to Golden State as the Brooklyn Nets visit the Warriors on January 29;

· NBA Finals rematch on the March 6 edition of ABC Sunday Showcase as the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks take on the Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker;

· Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James square off with the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry twice on NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC;

· Christmas Day tripleheader culminating with the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James vs. the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant;

· NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC begins on December 11 at 8:30 p.m. with the Golden State Warriors visiting the Philadelphia 76ers;

· NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks host the Brooklyn Nets on February 26 and visit the Golden State Warriors on March 12.

NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC

The NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC series will return for its seventh season with a star-studded slate featuring some of the league's most compelling matchups. The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James will take on the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry on February 12 and March 5. The series makes its season debut on December 11 when the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry take on the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Schedule through March 12
Date Time (ET) Game
Dec 11 8:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Philadelphia 76ers
Jan 29 8:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Golden State Warriors
Feb 5 8:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers
Feb 12 8:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors
Feb 26 8:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Milwaukee Bucks
Mar 5 8:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Mar 12 8:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Golden State Warriors

ABC Sunday Showcase presented by Reese's

The ABC Sunday Showcase presented by Reese's series will include an NBA Finals rematch as the Milwaukee Bucks host the Phoenix Suns on March 6. The longstanding ABC series returns on February 13 as the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum host the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young.

Schedule through April 3
Date Time (ET) Game
Feb 13 2 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
Feb 27 1 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks 3:30 p.m. Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns
Mar 6 1 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics 3:30 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Milwaukee Bucks
Mar 13 1 p.m. New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets 3:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics
Apr 3 1 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks 3:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers

NBA on ESPN highlights:

· At least 10 appearances each by the NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks;

· Regular season coverage tips off on October 20 as the Boston Celtics visit the New York Knicks, followed by the Denver Nuggets vs. the Phoenix Suns;

· Strong opening week slate includes doubleheader on October 22 as the Brooklyn Nets take on the Philadelphia 76ers, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Phoenix Suns;

· Marquee back-to-back Los Angeles Lakers games, including vs. the Milwaukee Bucks on November 17 and vs. the Boston Celtics on November 19;

· Thanksgiving Eve doubleheader: the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving vs. Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum, followed by the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry vs. the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid;

· 2021 Eastern Conference Finals rematch on March 9 when the Atlanta Hawks square off with the NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks;

· Special Sunday matchups on February 6, February 27, March. 6, March 13 and April 10.

ESPN and ABC's live game coverage for the 2021-22 NBA regular season tips off with a doubleheader on Wednesday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN when Kemba Walker and the New York Knicks host Walker's former team - Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. In the nightcap, the defending Western Conference Champion Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker will host the Denver Nuggets and reigning NBA M.V.P. Nikola Jokić at 10 p.m. Action continues on Friday, October 22. NBA on ESPN doubleheaders generally air at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the season. The full schedule is below.

NBA on ESPN schedule through April 10

Date Time (ET) Game

Wed, Oct 20 7:30 p.m. Boston Celtics at New York Knicks 10 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns

Fri, Oct 22 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers 10 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, Oct 27 7:30 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at New Orleans Pelicans 10 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers

Fri, Oct 29 7:30 p.m. Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat 10 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets

Wed, Nov 3 7:30 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets 10 p.m. Charlotte Hornets at Golden State Warriors

Fri, Nov 5 7:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks 10 p.m. New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors

Wed, Nov 10 7:30 p.m. Detroit Pistons at Houston Rockets 10 p.m. Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers

Fri, Nov 12 7:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Golden State Warriors

Wed, Nov 17 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Milwaukee Bucks 10 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Fri, Nov 19 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Wed, Nov 24 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors

Fri, Dec 3 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks 10 p.m. LA Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, Dec 8 7:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat 10 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors

Fri, Dec 10 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks 10 p.m. Boston Celtics at Phoenix Suns

Wed, Dec 15 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks 10 p.m. LA Clippers at Utah Jazz

Fri, Dec 17 7:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Pelicans

Wed, Jan 5 7:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks 10 p.m. Utah Jazz at Denver Nuggets

Fri, Jan 7 7:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets 10 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, Jan 12 7:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks 10 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls

Fri, Jan 14 7:30 p.m. Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers 10 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies

Wed, Jan 19 7:30 p.m. Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. LA Clippers at Denver Nuggets

Fri, Jan 21 8:00 p.m. Toronto Raptors v. Washington Wizards

Wed, Jan 26 7:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs 10 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz

Fri, Jan 28 7:30 p.m. Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks 10 p.m. New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks

Wed, Feb 2 7:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at New York Knicks 10 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Utah Jazz

Fri, Feb 4 10 p.m. New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets

Sun, Feb 6 6 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks

Wed, Feb 9 7:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets 10 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz

Wed, Feb 16 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks 10 p.m. Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers

Fri, Feb 25 7:30 p.m. Miami Heat at New York Knicks 10 p.m. LA Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers

Sun, Feb 27 7:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors 10 p.m. New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, Mar 2 7:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers 10 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns

Fri, Mar 4 7:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls 10 p.m. New York Knicks at Phoenix Suns

Sun, Mar 6 7:30 p.m. New York Knicks at LA Clippers 10 p.m. New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets

Wed, Mar 9 7:30 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks 10 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz

Sun, Mar 13 8 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns

Mon, Mar 14 8 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers 10:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Utah Jazz

Wed, Mar 16 7:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Brooklyn Nets 10 p.m. Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors

Wed, Mar 23 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies 10 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, Mar 30 7:30 p.m. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics 10 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors

Wed, Apr 6 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks 10 p.m. Phoenix Suns at LA Clippers

Sun, Apr 10 1 p.m. TBD 3:30 p.m. TBD

ESPN and ABC NBA Christmas Day presented by State Farm

As previously announced, the ESPN and ABC NBA Christmas Day tradition enters its 20th season on Friday, December 25, with approximately 13 consecutive hours of live event coverage. The Christmas Day slate will feature a blockbuster prime-time matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, led by the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, playing host to the Brooklyn Nets, led Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. The game airs at 8 p.m. on both ABC and ESPN.

ESPN and ABC Christmas Day schedule
Time (ET) Game Platform
12 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks ESPN, ESPN App
2:30 p.m. Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks ABC, ESPN App
5 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns ABC, ESPN App
8 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Lakers ABC, ESPN, ESPN App
10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz ESPN, ESPN App

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