NBA PLAYOFFS ARE HERE! NBC SPORTS' FIRST NBA POSTSEASON COVERAGE SINCE 2002 BEGINS THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 19, ON NBC AND PEACOCK

NBA Announces Schedule for NBA Playoffs First Round Games 1-4

Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford, and Zora Stephenson to Call Victor Wembanyama's First Career Playoff Game - West No. 2 Seed Spurs vs. No. 7 Trail Blazers - this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

Noah Eagle, Grant Hill, and Ashley ShahAhmadi to Call East No. 1 Seed Pistons vs. East No. 8 in First Game of Sunday Doubleheader at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; Basketball Night in America Begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

First Round Tripleheaders on Monday, April 20, and Tuesday, April 21, across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN

STAMFORD, Conn. - April 15, 2026 - The NBA Playoffs return to NBC for the first time since 2002 and debut on Peacock beginning this Sunday, April 19, with a star-studded first slate of games throughout the opening week of postseason action featuring the first career playoff game for Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks hosting the Hawks at iconic Madison Square Garden, a clash of two all-time greats in the Lakers' LeBron James and Rockets' Kevin Durant, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets facing four-time NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves for the third time in the last four postseasons, and more.

NBC Sports will present up to 41 games of live coverage throughout the First Round and Conference Semifinals, as well as exclusive coverage of the entire Western Conference Finals.

NBC SPORTS' UPCOMING NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

Sunday, April 19:

Time (ET) Matchup Platforms Broadcasters

6:30 p.m. Game 1: East No. 8 at Pistons NBC, Peacock Noah Eagle, Grant Hill, Ashley ShahAhmadi

9 p.m. Game 1: Trail Blazers at Spurs NBC, Peacock Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford, Zora Stephenson

Monday, April 20:

Time (ET) Matchup Platforms Broadcasters

7 p.m. Game 2: Raptors at Cavaliers Peacock, NBCSN Mark Followill, Robbie Hummel, Chris Mannix

8 p.m. Game 2: Hawks at Knicks NBC, Peacock Noah Eagle, Grant Hill, Jordan Cornette

10:30 p.m. Game 2: Timberwolves at Nuggets NBC, Peacock Michael Grady, Brian Scalabrine, Austin Rivers, Grant Liffmann

Tuesday, April 21:

Time (ET) Matchup Platforms Broadcasters

7 p.m. Game 2: East No. 7 at Celtics Peacock, NBCSN Jason Benetti, Robbie Hummel, Jordan Cornette

8 p.m. Game 2: Trail Blazers at Spurs NBC, Peacock Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Zora Stephenson

10:30 p.m. Game 2: Rockets at Lakers NBC, Peacock Terry Gannon, Jamal Crawford, Ashley ShahAhmadi

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

For the first time since June 12, 2002 - Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals - NBC Sports will present NBA Playoff games, featuring a First Round doubleheader this Sunday, April 19.

Cade Cunningham and the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons face the Eastern Conference No. 8 seed (to be determined after the results of the NBA Play-In Tournament) in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The last time the Pistons played in the postseason on NBC was Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 12, 2002, where they fell to the Celtics, 90-79.

NBC Sports' Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill (analyst), who played the first six seasons of his career with Detroit and made five All-NBA and NBA All-Star teams during his tenure with the franchise, and Ashley ShahAhmadi (courtside reporter) will call East No. 8 seed-Pistons.

In the second game of the night, Victor Wembanyama makes his playoff debut when the Western Conference No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs host 2026 NBA All-Star Deni Avdija and the No. 7 seed Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round from Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The last time the Spurs played in the postseason on NBC was Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 12, 2002, where they fell to the Lakers, 87-85. The Trail Blazers have not played in the postseason on NBC since Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round on April 28, 2002, where they also fell to the Lakers, 92-91.

NBC Sports' Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller (analyst), three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (analyst), and Zora Stephenson (courtside reporter) will call Trail Blazers-Spurs. Crawford played for the Trail Blazers in 2011-2012.

Live coverage on Sunday begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with NBA Showtime, hosted by NBC Sports' Maria Taylor alongside Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.

MONDAY, APRIL 20

NBC Sports will present a First Round NBA Playoff tripleheader on Monday, April 20, across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN.

Seven-time NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell and the Eastern Conference No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers host two-time NBA All-Star Scottie Barnes and the No. 5 Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN.

NBC Sports' Mark Followill (play-by-play), NBA veteran Robbie Hummel (analyst), and Chris Mannix (courtside reporter) will call Raptors-Cavaliers.

Following Cavaliers-Raptors, three-time NBA All-Star Jalen Brunson and the Eastern Conference No. 3 seed New York Knicks host 2026 NBA All-Star Jalen Johnson and the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round from Madison Square Garden in New York City at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

This will be the first Knicks playoff game on NBC since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 29, 2001, when they defeated NBC Sports NBA analyst Vince Carter's Raptors, 97-89. The Hawks have not played in the postseason on NBC since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 23, 1999, when they fell to the Knicks, 90-78.

NBC Sports' Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill (analyst), and Jordan Cornette (courtside reporter) will call Hawks-Knicks.

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, who became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both assists and rebounds this season, and the Western Conference No. 3 seed Denver Nuggets, host four-time NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards and the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round from Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

This is the first Nuggets playoff game on NBC since Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 21, 1994, when they fell to the Jazz, 91-81. This will be the first Timberwolves playoff game on NBC since Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round on April 28, 2002, when they fell to the Mavericks, 115-102.

NBC Sports' Michael Grady (play-by-play), 2008 NBA champion Brian Scalabrine (analyst), NBA veteran Austin Rivers (analyst), and Grant Liffmann (courtside reporter) will call Timberwolves-Nuggets. Rivers played for both the Nuggets (2021-2022) and Timberwolves (2022-2023) during his career.

Live coverage on Monday begins at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN with NBA Showtime, hosted by NBC Sports' Maria Taylor alongside Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21

NBC Sports will present a First Round NBA Playoff tripleheader on Tuesday, April 21, across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN.

Six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, and the Eastern Conference No. 2 seed Boston Celtics host the Eastern Conference No. 7 seed (to be determined after the NBA Play-In Tournament) in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round from TD Garden in Boston, Mass., at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN.

This will be the first Celtics playoff game on NBC since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 31, 2002, where they fell to the Nets, 96-88.

NBC Sports' Jason Benetti (play-by-play), in his NBA on NBC debut, NBA veteran Robbie Hummel (analyst), and Jordan Cornette (courtside reporter) will call East No. 7-Celtics.

Following East No. 7-Celtics, Wembanyama and the Spurs host Avdija and the Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

NBC Sports' Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller (analyst), and Zora Stephenson (courtside reporter) will call Trail Blazers-Spurs.

Capping the night is a battle of two all-time greats when four-time NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, and NBA MVP LeBron James and the Western Conference No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers host two-time NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant and the No. 5 Houston Rockets in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

James and Durant met in the 2012, 2017, and 2018 NBA Finals, with Durant holding a 9-5 advantage. This will be their first non-Finals postseason matchup.

The Lakers have not played in the postseason on NBC since the aforementioned Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals on June 12, 2002 - the last NBA game on NBC before the 2025-26 season - that saw them clinch their 14th championship in franchise history. This will be the first Rockets playoff game on NBC since Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round on May 15, 1999, where they fell to the Lakers, 98-88.

NBC Sports' Terry Gannon (play-by-play), three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (courtside reporter) will call Rockets-Lakers.

Live coverage on Tuesday begins at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN with NBA Showtime, hosted by NBC Sports' Maria Taylor alongside Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.

Further information will be provided on NBC Sports' later postseason games later this week.

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NBC Sports' coverage of the NBA is led by coordinating producer Frank DiGraci and director Pierre Moossa. Sam Flood is Executive Producer & President, NBC Sports Production.

NBA Showtime precedes every NBA playoff game on NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN. The coordinating producer of NBA Showtime is Adam Littlefield. NBA Showtime is directed by Jared Sumner.

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