The National Basketball Association released the 2012-13 schedule on Thursday. And with the release comes the national TV schedules from ESPN/ABC, TNT and NBA TV. We’ll post all of the press releases from the partners tonight and that includes the one I’m about to show you from ESPN/ABC.
ESPN will air 75 games over the span of the entire season. ABC will air another 15, but in those games, they’ll be among just eight teams, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, the two Los Angeles teams (Clippers and Lakers), Miami, New York and Oklahoma City. The Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Thunder will get the most appearances on ABC, between 5 and 6 among them.
ABC and ESPN will combine for five games on Christmas Day starting at noon ET. ABC gets an afternoon doubleheader with ESPN airing two games at night.
Here’s the press release.
ABC & ESPN 2012-13 NBA Schedule
Blockbuster Christmas Day includes Thunder/Heat Finals Rematch, Two Games at L.A.’s Staples Center
ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of the 2012-13 NBA season will include 90 games, highlighted by 15 exclusive ABC broadcasts and 75 national ESPN telecasts. The 90-game schedule features flexible scheduling, allowing fans to see the most compelling matchups. All ESPN games will also be available on ESPN Mobile TV and WatchESPN. ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes will also have coverage throughout the season. In addition, NBA Countdown will generally preview ABC and ESPN games or doubleheaders 30 minutes prior to game time.
ABC & ESPN Combine for Five Christmas Day Games
ABC and ESPN will combine to present a five-game Christmas Day blockbuster schedule, headlined by an ABC doubleheader featuring the Miami Heat and LeBron James hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant in an NBA Finals rematch at 5:30 p.m. ET. The doubleheader will begin with the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony visiting the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash at 3 p.m. in one of two ABC/ESPN games from the Staples Center on Christmas Day.
Christmas Day will tip off on ESPN when the Boston Celtics and Rajon Rondo visit the new-look Brooklyn Nets and Deron Williams – the first-ever Christmas Day game in Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center – at 12 p.m. Additionally, ESPN will televise a prime-time doubleheader, starting with the Houston Rockets and Jeremy Lin visiting the Chicago Bulls and Joakim Noah at 8 p.m., followed by the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul hosting the Denver Nuggets and Ty Lawson – the second game of the day emanating from the Staples Center.
Christmas Day
Time (ET) Game Network 12 p.m. Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets ESPN, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN 2:30 p.m. NBA Countdown ABC 3 p.m. New York Knicks at L.A. Lakers ABC 5:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat ABC 8 p.m. Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls ESPN, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN 10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at L.A. Clippers ESPN, ESPN Mobile TV, WatchESPN ESPN’s NBA Schedule to Tip-Off with Star-Studded Doubleheader Nov. 2
ESPN’s coverage of the 2012-13 NBA season will tip off with a doubleheader Friday, Nov. 2, when the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat – led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – visit the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony at 8 p.m. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant will “host” the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul at 10:30 p.m. Both games will be available across ESPN platforms with the NBA Countdown – one-hour edition – show previewing the action at 7 p.m.
ABC schedule highlights
- 15 exclusive broadcasts;
- Christmas Day blockbuster doubleheader: New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers at 3 p.m.; Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat at 5:30 p.m.;
- Multiple appearances by the NBA’s biggest superstars, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony;
- Six appearances by the Los Angeles Lakers, five appearances each by the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder;
- The first-ever regular season ABC appearances by the Los Angeles Clippers (four games);
- Eastern Conference Finals rematch – Miami Heat at Boston Celtics – featuring Ray Allen’s return to Boston on Jan. 27;
- Kobe vs. LeBron: Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat Feb. 10;
- Six doubleheaders – Dec. 25, Jan. 27, Feb. 10, March 3, March 10, April 7;
- NBA Countdown pregame show 30 minutes prior to every ABC game or doubleheader.
2012-13 ABC NBA Schedule
Date Time (ET) Game Tue, Dec. 25 3 p.m. New York Knicks at L.A. Lakers 5:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat Sun, Jan. 27 1 p.m. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at L.A. Lakers Sun, Feb. 10 1 p.m. L.A. Clippers at New York Knicks 3:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat Sun, Feb. 24 1 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Dallas Mavericks Sun, March 3 1 p.m. Miami Heat at New York Knicks 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at L.A. Clippers Sun, March 10 1 p.m. Boston Celtics at Oklahoma City Thunder 3:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at L.A. Lakers Sun, March 17 3:30 p.m. New York Knicks at L.A. Clippers Sun, April 7 1 p.m. New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder 3:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers Sun, April 14 1 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat ESPN schedule highlights
- 75 national telecasts;
- Three Christmas Day games, including Boston at Brooklyn at 12 p.m., plus a primetime doubleheader – Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls at 8 p.m. and Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles. Clippers at 10:30 p.m.;
- ESPN’s opening night Fri, Nov 2: Miami Heat at New York Knicks at 8 p.m.; Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m.;
- Multiple appearances by the NBA’s biggest superstars, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony;
- Six teams with 10 appearances (the maximum allowed): Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder;
- New-look Brooklyn Nets to appear nine times, including two games against the New York Knicks (Dec. 11, Dec. 19);
- Multiple appearances by the Boston Celtics (9), San Antonio Spurs (9) and Dallas Mavericks (7);
- Special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game – Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies – Mon. Jan. 21;
- Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Feb. 20, at 10:30 p.m.;
- Eastern Conference Finals rematch – Miami Heat at Boston Celtics – March 18 at 8 p.m.;
- 31 doubleheaders;
- NBA Countdown pregame show 30 minutes prior to most ESPN games or doubleheaders.
2012-13 ESPN NBA Schedule
Date Time (ET) Game Fri, Nov. 2 8 p.m. Miami Heat at New York Knicks 10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers Wed, Nov. 7 8 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Hornets 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at L.A. Clippers Fri, Nov. 9 10:30 p.m. Utah Jazz at Denver Nuggets Wed, Nov.14 8 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. Miami Heat at L.A. Clippers Fri, Nov.16 7 p.m. Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons 9:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Memphis Grizzlies Wed, Nov.21 7:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder Fri, Nov.30 10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at L.A. Lakers Wed, Dec. 5 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers 10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at L.A. Clippers Fri, Dec. 7 7 p.m. Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder Tue, Dec. 11 7 p.m. New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets 9:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Chicago Bulls Wed, Dec. 12 8 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz Fri, Dec. 14 8 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Orlando Magic 10:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at Denver Nuggets Wed, Dec. 19 7 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks 9:30 p.m. Milwaukee Bucks at Memphis Grizzlies Tue, Dec. 25 12 p.m. Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets 8 p.m. Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls 10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at L.A. Clippers Fri, Jan. 4 8 p.m. Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers Wed, Jan. 9 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at San Antonio Spurs 10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at L.A. Clippers Fri, Jan. 11 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at L.A. Lakers Wed, Jan. 16 8 p.m. New Orleans Hornets at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. Miami Heat at Golden State Warriors Fri, Jan. 18 7 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics 9:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks Mon, Jan. 21 1 p.m. Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies Fri, Jan. 25 8 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks Sun, Jan. 27 6:30 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks Wed, Jan. 30 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Brooklyn Nets 10:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns Fri, Feb. 1 7 p.m. Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves Wed, Feb. 6 9 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves Fri, Feb. 8 8 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Miami Heat 10:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz Sun, Feb. 10 8 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Brooklyn Nets Wed, Feb. 20 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks 10:30 p.m. Boston Celtics at L.A. Lakers Fri, Feb. 22 8 p.m. Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors Sun, Feb. 24 7 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks 9:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Oklahoma City Thunder Wed, Feb. 27 8 p.m. Detroit Pistons at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers Fri, March 1 8 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Brooklyn Nets 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets Sun, March 3 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers Wed, March 6 9 p.m. Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs Fri, March 8 8 p.m. Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors Wed, March 13 8 p.m. Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Denver Nuggets Mon, March 18 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Utah Jazz Wed, March 20 8 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Dallas Mavericks Wed, March 27 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls 10:30 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Portland Trail Blazers Wed, April 3 7 p.m. New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks Fri, April 5 8 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers 10:30 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at L.A. Lakers Wed, April 10 8 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets Wed, April 17 8 p.m. Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies 10:30 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers * ESPN’s NBA games are also available on ESPN Mobile TV and WatchESPN.
TNT’s schedule is next.