ESPN and ABC unveil American Express NBA Tip-Off and NBA Christmas Day presented by State Farm broadcast schedules for the 2026-27 regular season

· LeBron James returns to Los Angeles on Christmas Day; Philadelphia home opener and James' home debut headline American Express NBA Tip-Off

· Defending NBA Champion New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs meet in NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day

· Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokić and Stephen Curry headline American Express NBA Tip-Off and Christmas Day

ESPN and ABC today announced star-studded American Express NBA Tip-Off and NBA Christmas Day presented by State Farm game schedules for the 2026-27 regular season. It marks ESPN's 25th consecutive season of NBA game coverage, culminating with the NBA Finals exclusively on ABC.

American Express NBA Tip-Off on ESPN

ESPN tips off its 2026-27 NBA regular season coverage on Wednesday, Oct. 21, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards, along with newly acquired LaMelo Ball, visit the Miami Heat and two-time Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who makes his Heat debut. Following the opener, at 10 p.m., the Golden State Warriors and two-time Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers and Luka Dončić.

American Express NBA Tip-Off continues Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell visit the new-look Philadelphia 76ers and four-time Kia NBA MVP LeBron James in Philadelphia's home opener and James' regular-season home debut with the franchise. The evening's nightcap features a clash of Western Conference contenders as the Denver Nuggets and three-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić visit the Oklahoma City Thunder and reigning two-time Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 9:30 p.m.

NBA Christmas Day presented by State Farm on ESPN and ABC

ESPN continues its longstanding tradition of presenting wall-to-wall coverage of all five games on Christmas, December 25, the biggest day of the regular season. All games will once again air on both ESPN and ABC.

The action tips off at 12 p.m. from Madison Square Garden where the San Antonio Spurs and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama visit the defending NBA Champion New York Knicks and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson in a highly anticipated NBA Finals rematch. At 2:30 p.m., the Miami Heat and Giannis Antetokounmpo travel to Boston to face the Celtics and Jayson Tatum.

Coverage continues at 5 p.m., where the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James visit his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Dončić, in James' first game in Los Angeles since joining Philadelphia. At 8 p.m., a Western Conference showdown takes center stage as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander host the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball.

The star-studded slate concludes at 10:30 p.m. as the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokić visit the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

American Express NBA Tip-Off Schedule

Date Time (ET) Game Where to Watch

Wed, Oct. 21 7:30 p.m. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat ESPN

Wed, Oct. 21 10 p.m. Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers ESPN

Thu, Oct. 22 7 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers ESPN

Thu, Oct. 22 9:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ESPN

NBA Christmas Day presented by State Farm Schedule

Time (ET) Game Where to Watch

12 p.m. San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks ESPN, ABC

2:30 p.m. Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics ESPN, ABC

5 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers ESPN, ABC

8 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ESPN, ABC

10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors ESPN, ABC

The complete 2026-27 NBA on ESPN regular season schedule will be announced on Thursday.

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