- Rivalry Renewed: Exclusive NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC Series Returns on Jan. 30 with Defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James vs. the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum
- Exclusive ABC Sunday Showcase Series is Back Feb. 21 with the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown vs. the New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson
- All Five Christmas Day Games on ESPN Platforms Spanning 13 Hours of Live Event Coverage
ESPN and ABC today, in conjunction with the NBA, announced its national television schedules for the first half of the 2020-21 regular season through Wednesday, March 3, 2021. ESPN and ABC will combine to televise 49 games during the first half, with 39 on for ESPN and 10 on ABC. Pillar dates in the first half include ESPN’s season opener on Wednesday, December 23, Christmas Day and the season debuts of the NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC and ABC Sunday Showcase series.
In addition to the regular season, ESPN will televise five NBA preseason games, beginning Fri, December 11 as well as up to 44 NBA Playoffs telecasts, culminating with exclusive coverage of the 2021 NBA Finals. This season, ESPN will exclusively televise the 2021 Western Conference Finals. All ESPN and ABC NBA telecasts are available to stream via the ESPN App.
NBA on ABC highlights through Sun, Feb 28:
- 3 appearances each from the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics;
- NBA Christmas Day highlighted by the Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, preceded by an Eastern Conference matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics, as Kyrie Irving makes his first return to TD Garden, and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. a returning Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors;
- NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC begins on January 30th with the historic Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics rivalry at 8:30 p.m.;
- Kevin Durant returns to Golden State when Steph Curry and the Warriors host the Brooklyn Nets on Sat, Feb 13;
- The Miami Heat visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sat, Feb. 20, for a 2020 NBA Finals rematch;
- ABC Sunday Showcase begins on Feb. 21 at 3:30 p.m. when the New Orleans Pelicans host the Boston Celtics.
NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC
The NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC series will return for its sixth season with a star-studded slate featuring some of the league’s most anticipated matchups. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC begins on Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m. with a historic NBA rivalry, as the Los Angeles Lakers, starring LeBron James and Anthony Davis faceoff against the Boston Celtics, starring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Schedule through Feb. 27
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Jan 30 | 8:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics |
| Feb 6 | 8:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks |
| Feb 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Brooklyn Nets at Golden State Warriors |
| Feb 20 | 8:30 p.m. | Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers |
| Feb 27 | 8:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Brooklyn Nets |
* Schedule subject to change pending future event considerations
ABC Sunday Showcase
The ABC Sunday Showcase series returns at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, as Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans host Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics.
Schedule through Feb. 28
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Feb 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics at New Orleans Pelicans |
| Feb 28 | 3:30 p.m. | LA Clippers at Milwaukee Bucks |
* Schedule subject to change pending future event considerations
NBA on ESPN highlights through Wed, Mar. 3:
- At least 5 appearances each by the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans;
- Regular season coverage tips off on Wed, Dec. 23 with Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul’s debut with the Suns;
- 2020 Eastern Conference Finals rematch on Wed, Jan 6 when Boston visits Miami;
- 15 doubleheader features Luka Dončić versus Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zion Williamson versus LeBron James;
- Special 8 p.m. Sunday night matchups on Feb. 21, Brooklyn Nets vs. LA Clippers and Feb. 28, Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers.
ESPN and ABC’s live game coverage for the 2020-21 NBA regular season tips off on Wed, December 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN when Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks visit Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns, as Chris Paul makes his debut with the Suns.
NBA on ESPN schedule through Wed, Mar. 3
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Wed, Dec 23 | 10:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns |
| Wed, Jan 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics at Miami Heat |
| 10 p.m. | LA Clippers at Golden State Warriors | |
| Fri, Jan 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Charlotte Hornets at New Orleans Pelicans |
| 10 p.m. | LA Clippers at Golden State Warriors | |
| Wed, Jan 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks |
| 10 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans at LA Clippers | |
| Fri, Jan 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks |
| 10 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Wed, Jan 20 | 7 p.m. | Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers |
| 9:30 p.m. | Phoenix Suns at Houston Rockets | |
| Fri, Jan 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers |
| 10 p.m. | Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns | |
| Wed, Jan 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers |
| 10 p.m. | Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors | |
| Fri, Jan 29 | 7:30 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks at New Orleans Pelicans |
| 10 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz | |
| Wed, Feb 3 | 7 p.m. | Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks |
| 9:30 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns | |
| Fri, Feb 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets |
| 10 p.m. | Boston Celtics at LA Clippers | |
| Wed, Feb 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks |
| 10 p.m. | Milwaukee Bucks at Phoenix Suns | |
| Fri, Feb 12 | 7:30 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans at Dallas Mavericks |
| 10 p.m. | Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Wed, Feb 17 | 7:30 p.m. | Houston Rockets at Philadelphia 76ers |
| 10 p.m. | Miami Heat at Golden State Warriors | |
| Fri, Feb 19 | 7 p.m. | Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers |
| 9:30 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets | |
| Sun, Feb 21 | 8 p.m. | Brooklyn Nets at LA Clippers |
| Wed, Feb. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat |
| 10 p.m. | Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz | |
| Fri, Feb 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics |
| 10 p.m. | Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Sun, Feb 28 | 8 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers |
| Wed, Mar 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Brooklyn Nets at Houston Rockets |
| 10 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers |
* Schedule subject to change pending future event considerations
Christmas Day
The ESPN and ABC NBA Christmas Day tradition enters its 19th season on Friday, December 25 with approximately 13 consecutive hours of live event coverage. The primetime matchup will feature the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, starring 2020 Finals M.V.P. LeBron James, and the Dallas Mavericks, starring NBA All Star Luka Dončić. The game airs at 8 p.m. on both ABC and ESPN.
The full five game Christmas schedule, along with ESPN’s season-opening game – Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns – were announced previously.
ESPN and ABC Christmas Day schedule
| Time (ET) | Telecast | Platform |
| 12 p.m. | New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat | ESPN, ESPN App |
| 2:30 p.m. | Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks | ABC, ESPN App |
| 5 p.m. | Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics | ABC, ESPN App |
| 8 p.m. | Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers | ABC, ESPN,
ESPN App |
| 10:30 p.m. | LA Clippers at Denver Nuggets | ESPN, ESPN App |
* Schedule subject to change pending future event considerations
The schedules and coverage details for the 2020-21 NBA regular season on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes will be announced soon.
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