The NBA schedule will be released in full at some point soon, but on Tuesday we got our first taste of the 2021-22 schedule as the league announced the national TV schedule for the first week of the season, as well as the Christmas Day slate on ESPN and ABC.
Unsurprisingly, the Nets and Lakers dominate the national TV slate, as they surely will all season as the two top Finals favorites loaded with household names up and down their rosters. The two sides will meet in the primetime slot on Christmas in L.A., and each will be in action separately on opening night. Joining them for opening night festivities are the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, which will host the Nets to tipoff the season as they have ring night at the Fiserv Forum. In the nightcap of the first night of the season, the Warriors will head south to L.A. to face the Lakers, as they too seem poised to leap back into the national spotlight this season.
The complete national TV schedule for the first week of the 2021-22 season, as well as the Christmas Day slate, can be found below.
Tuesday, October 19
Nets at Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Warriors at Lakers, 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Wednesday, October 20
Celtics at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Nuggets at Suns, 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Thursday, October 21
Mavericks at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Clippers at Warriors, 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Friday, October 22
Nets at 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Suns at Lakers, 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, December 25
Hawks at Knicks, 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Celtics at Bucks, 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Warriors at Suns, 5:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Nets at Lakers, 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Mavericks at Jazz, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
