NBA schedule release: Here are the Opening Night, Christmas Day games for 2020-21 season
Ready or not, a new season is coming soon.
The NBA has released its schedule for the first three days of the 2020-21 season. Opening Night features Kevin Durant going up against his former team and a battle for Los Angeles between the Clippers and reigning champion Lakers. There will be five games spread out across Christmas Day for maximum basketball consumption, so make sure you get some sleep the night before.
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NBA schedule 2021
Complete game and broadcast schedules for the first half of the season will be revealed on Friday, Dec. 4. The league will announce the first and second halves of the schedule separately in order to maintain flexibility amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s a tentative breakdown of 2020-21 NBA calendar:
- Preseason games: Dec. 11-19, 2020
- First half of regular season: Dec. 22, 2020-March 4, 2021
- All-Star break: March 5-10, 2021
- Second half of regular season: March 11-May 16, 2021
- Play-in tournament: May 18-21, 2021
- NBA playoffs: May 22-July 22, 2021
Tuesday, Dec. 22 (Opening Night)
(All times Eastern)
| Game | Time | National TV |
| Warriors vs. Nets | 7 p.m. | TNT |
| Clippers vs. Lakers | 10 p.m. | TNT |
Wednesday, Dec. 23
(All times Eastern)
| Game | Time | National TV |
| Bucks vs. Celtics | 7:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Mavericks vs. Suns | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Friday, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day)
(All times Eastern)
| Game | Time | National TV |
| Pelicans vs. Heat | Noon | ESPN |
| Warriors vs. Bucks | 2:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Nets vs. Celtics | 5 p.m. | ABC |
| Mavericks vs. Lakers | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN |
| Clippers vs. Nuggets | 10:30 p.m. | ABC |