NBA announces 2026 national TV schedule on ESPN/ABC, NBC, Prime

The NBA has announced its national television schedule for the 2026 season, with a notable increase in games broadcast on over-the-air television. This increase, from 79 in 2025 to 90 in 2026, comes as the total number of nationally televised games remains at 247. On Super Bowl Sunday, the NBA will not have any games broadcast nationally.

For ABC and ESPN, the networks will no longer air a game on Super Bowl Sunday, as they aired a game in the early afternoon previously. Instead, the networks will focus on the Super Bowl itself. A notable addition to the NBA-NFL doubleheader on New Year's Eve is the Nuggets-Timberwolves game on Prime Video at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the Ravens-Bengals game on Thursday Night Football at 8 p.m. ET.

On February 15, 2026, the NBA will make its debut on the Presidents Day quadrupleheader. NBC will air the first game of the quadrupleheader, with the Celtics-Pistons tip-off at 3 p.m. ET, the 76ers-Knicks game at 7 p.m. ET, and the Thunder-Spurs game at 9:30 p.m. ET. Terry Gannon will call the game, with Robbie Hummel providing color commentary from the Pistons bench and Brian Scalabrine from the Celtics bench.

NBC will continue to air games on Tuesday nights throughout the season, including a tripleheader on October 20, with the Celtics-Knicks broadcast featuring commentary from the bench. NBCSN will air games on Monday nights, but will primarily feature "on the bench" games. All Monday night games on NBCSN will stream on Peacock.

As for other networks, ABC will start its coverage with a doubleheader on Wednesday, October 21, featuring the Heat-Timberwolves and the Warriors-Lakers games. ESPN will follow suit with a doubleheader on Wednesday, October 21, featuring the Heat-Timberwolves and the Warriors-Lakers games. ABC will return to NBA action on December 12 with a Saturday primetime game between the Knicks and the Heat.