On the networks that combine for a total of 90 games this season, ESPN/ABC will once again take viewers all the way to the end of the season with plenty of appearances by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bull, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Overall, ESPN will air 75 games including 34 doubleheaders airing mainly on Wednesday and Friday nights. Getting the maximum ten appearances will be the Cavaliers, Spurs, Bulls, Clippers, the Thunder as well as the Portland Trail Blazers. Being shown 9 times on the network will be Golden State, Houston, Lakers, Miami, Knicks and the Washington Wizards.
ABC will have 15 games and will get to air the Cavs an additional six times including the return of LeBron James to Miami on Christmas at 5 p.m. ET.
ESPN and ABC will air three games on Christmas instead of the overloaded five games as with past Christmases.
Here’s the sked with some particulars of the games.
ABC & ESPN 2014-15 NBA Schedule
LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony in Action during Star-studded NBA Opening Week on ESPN
LeBron James Returns to Miami for Cleveland Cavaliers-Miami Heat Christmas Day Showdown
Oklahoma City Thunder and reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant Lead the Way with 16 Total Appearances
ABC & ESPN Combine for 90 National Regular-season NBA TelecastsStar-studded NBA Opening Week on ESPN
The NBA returns to ESPN on Wednesday, October 29, for a doubleheader during NBA opening week. At 8 p.m. ET, the Chicago Bulls welcome Derrick Rose back to action as they visit the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony. At 10:30 p.m., the Oklahoma City Thunder and reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant will visit the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard. The NBA’s opening week continues on Halloween – Friday, October 31 – as the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James visit the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose at 8 p.m. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Lakers and the returning Kobe Bryant host the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul at 10:30 p.m. NBA Countdown will precede both games with special one-hour pre-game shows at 7 p.m.
All ESPN games will be available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox, Fire TV and Apple TV via WatchESPN. ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes will also have coverage throughout the season. In addition, the NBA Countdown pre-game show will generally preview ABC and ESPN games or doubleheaders 30 minutes prior to game time.
NBA Christmas Day Highlighted by LeBron James’ Return to Miami
ABC and ESPN will combine to televise three games on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, beginning at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN when the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony host the Washington Wizards and John Wall. ABC will then broadcast an NBA doubleheader: the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs and Tony Parker host the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant in a rematch of the 2014 Western Conference Finals at 2:30 p.m., followed by the Miami return of LeBron James as the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade at 5 p.m.
Christmas Day schedule
Time (ET) Telecast Network(s) 12 p.m. Washington Wizards at New York Knicks ESPN, WatchESPN 2 p.m. NBA Countdown ABC, WatchABC 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs ABC, WatchABC 5 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat ABC, WatchABC ABC schedule highlights
- 15 exclusive, national broadcasts and seven doubleheaders, including Christmas Day – Dec. 25, Jan. 25, Feb. 8, Mar. 1, Mar. 8, Mar. 15, Apr. 5;
- Christmas Day blockbuster doubleheader: Oklahoma City Thunder at defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs at 2:30 p.m.; LeBron James returns to Miami for Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat at 5 p.m.;
- Multiple appearances by top NBA superstars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and more;
- Six appearances by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant, plus five appearances each by the Cleveland Cavaliers – led by LeBron James – and the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose;
- Four appearances by the Los Angeles Clippers, featuring the “Lob City” tandem of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin;
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers – Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James in matchup of last two MVPs – Jan. 25;
- Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers – Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James – on Feb. 8;
- First-ever Golden State Warriors appearance on Mar. 8;
- NBA Countdown pre-game show generally 30 minutes prior to every ABC game or doubleheader.
ESPN schedule highlights
- 75 national telecasts and 34 doubleheaders;
- LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony in action during star-studded NBA opening week on ESPN;
- Los Angeles Lakers to visit New York Knicks on Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 1; Phoenix Suns to host Chicago Bulls Super Bowl Weekend on Jan. 30;
- 10 appearances each by the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant, the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan, the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul and the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard;
- Nine appearances each by the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry, the Houston Rockets and Dwight Howard, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant, the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade, the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony and the Washington Wizards and John Wall;
- Derrick Rose’s return to the Chicago Bulls to air on ESPN’s opening night of NBA coverage, Oct. 29;
- First Christmas Day appearance by the Washington Wizards;
- Special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 19;
- The Houston Rockets will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a matchup emanating from Mexico City on Nov. 12;
- NBA Countdown pre-game show generally 30 minutes prior to ESPN games or doubleheaders.
ABC Schedule
Date Time (ET) Game Thu, Dec. 25 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs 5 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat Sun, Jan. 25 1 p.m. Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers Sun, Feb. 8 1 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers Sun, Feb. 22 1 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks Sun, Mar. 1 1 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Chicago Bulls 3:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers Sun, Mar. 8 1 p.m. Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs 3:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors Sun, Mar. 15 1 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Oklahoma City Thunder 3:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers Sun, Apr. 5 1 p.m. Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder 3:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers ESPN Schedule
Date Time (ET) Game Wed, Oct. 29 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers Fri, Oct. 31 8 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers Wed, Nov. 5 8 p.m. Indiana Pacers at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors Fri, Nov. 7 8 p.m. Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Denver Nuggets Wed, Nov. 12 7:30 p.m. Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat 10 p.m. Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves
(From Mexico City)Fri, Nov. 14 10 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers Wed, Nov. 19 7 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers 9:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets Fri, Nov. 21 8 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers Wed, Nov. 26 7:30 p.m. New York Knicks at Dallas Mavericks Wed, Dec. 10 8 p.m. New York Knicks at San Antonio Spurs 10:30 p.m. Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets Fri, Dec. 12 7 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Chicago Bulls 9:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs Tue, Dec. 16 8 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Sacramento Kings Wed, Dec. 17 8 p.m. Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets Fri, Dec. 19 8 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers Thu, Dec. 25 12 p.m. Washington Wizards at New York Knicks Wed, Jan. 7 7 p.m. Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers 9:30 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Minnesota Timberwolves Fri, Jan. 9 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors Wed, Jan. 14 8 p.m. Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers Fri, Jan. 16 8 p.m. Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Clippers Mon, Jan. 19 2:30 p.m. Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks Wed, Jan. 21 8 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors Fri, Jan. 23 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Dallas Mavericks Wed, Jan. 28 8 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at New York Knicks 10:30 p.m. Washington Wizards at Phoenix Suns Fri, Jan. 30 8 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat 10:30 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Phoenix Suns Sat, Jan. 31 9 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at San Antonio Spurs Sun, Feb. 1 2 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks Wed, Feb. 4 8 p.m. Chicago Bulls at Houston Rockets 10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors Fri, Feb. 6 7 p.m. New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets 9:30 p.m. Miami Heat at San Antonio Spurs Wed, Feb. 11 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers Fri, Feb. 20 8 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors Wed, Feb. 25 8 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets 10:30 p.m. San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers Fri, Feb. 27 8 p.m. Miami Heat at New Orleans Pelicans 10:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers Wed, Mar. 4 8 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat 10:30 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers Fri, Mar. 6 8 p.m. Miami Heat at Washington Wizards 10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors Wed, Mar. 11 8 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder 10:30 p.m. Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers Mon, Mar. 16 8 p.m. Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors Wed, Mar. 18 8 p.m. Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls 10:30 p.m. Washington Wizards at Utah Jaz Wed, Mar. 25 7 p.m. Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks 9:30 p.m. Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs Fri, Apr. 3 8 p.m. Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls 10:30 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers Wed, Apr. 8 7 p.m. Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Hornets 9:30 p.m. Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks Wed, Apr. 15 8 p.m. Charlotte Hornets at Toronto Raptors 10:30 p.m. Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
TNT’s schedule is next.
