The Year Of Wembanyama: NBA Releases 2023-24 Schedule, Playoffs, Jewel Events
Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 08:50PM By Barry Janoff
August 17, 2023: On the heels of unveiling the schedule for its first In-Season tournament, the NBA today released its full 2023-24 regular season schedule, including jewel events on Christmas, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rivals Week and the regular-season debut of No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama by the San Antonio Spurs.
Wembanyama and the Spurs will be featured in a nationally televised game to begin ESPN’s season coverage on Oct. 25, four nationally televised games during the In-Season Tournament, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and twice during the second annual NBA Rivals Week.
In all, Wembanyama and the Spurs are currently scheduled to be featured in 19 nationally televised games this season (not counting possible In-Season Tournament playoff games) across ESPN/ABC, TNT and NBA TV.
By comparison, the Golden State Warriors are currently scheduled to be featured in 41 nationally televised games, the Los Angeles Lakers 40, Phoenix Suns 37, Boston Celtics 35 and the defending champion Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks 30 times each.
NBA pre-season begins Oct. 5, including NBA Abu Dhabi Games, Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, Oct. 5-7 Abu Dhabi, UAE), NBA Canada Series presented by Bell, Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings (Oct. 8 Vancouver) and NBA Canada Series presented by Bell, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Detroit Pistons (Oct. 12 Montreal).
The 2023-24 NBA regular season is scheduled to run Oct. 24, 2023 to April 14, 2024.
The first day of the 2024 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel is scheduled for April 20, 2024.
Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV is scheduled for June 6, 2024.
The first five days of the 2023-24 NBA regular season (Oct. 24-28) will feature ten national television games as part of Kia NBA Tip-Off 2023, with two doubleheaders each on TNT and ESPN and one on NBA TV, showcasing 14 different teams.
In the first game of a doubleheader on TNT Oct. 24 — marking Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ 40th consecutive year of NBA coverage — the Nuggets will receive their championship rings before hosting the Lakers.
In the second game, the Suns will visit the Warriors, in what is scheduled to be Chris Paul’s debut with the Warriors against his previous team.
ESPN will begin its 22nd consecutive season of NBA telecasts on Oct. 25 with a doubleheader: the Celtics visiting the New York Knicks, and Spurs hosting the Mavericks in the NBA regular-season debut of Wembanyama.
NBA TV will begin its live game coverage of the new season Oct. 28 as the Knicks visit the New Orleans Pelicans and the Suns host the Utah Jazz (10 p.m. ET).
The inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament begins Nov. 3. Games will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, TNT and NBA TV. Wembanyama and the Spurs will have four nationally televised games during the Group Stage.
NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 7, with the NBA In-Season Tournament Finals Dec. 9, with these games to be played in T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
For the second consecutive season, no NBA games have been scheduled for Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7, “to encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and participate in the civic process.”
As part of this initiative, the NBA will “share important resources from voting organizations and highlight the civic engagement work of teams in their markets.”
On Nov. 9, NBA Mexico City Game will feature the Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25) for the 16th consecutive year:
• Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks (ESPN)
• Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets (ESPN, ABC)
• Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN, ABC)
• Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat (ESPN)
• Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns (ESPN).
On Jan. 15, the NBA family will “celebrate one of its most important traditions by honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” with four nationally televised games:
• Houston Rockets at 76ers (NBA TV)
• Spurs (Wembanyama) at Atlanta Hawks (TNT)
• Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies (TNT)
• Oklahoma City Thunder at Lakers (NBA TV).
The second annual NBA Rivals Week will see 11 nationally televised games across four networks (TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV) over five days beginning Jan. 23.
Wembanyama and the Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder Jan. 24 and then host the Portland Trail Blazers Jan. 26.
NBA Rivals Week culminates with an ABC triple-header on Jan. 27.
The complete game and broadcast schedule for NBA Rivals Week is available here.
NBA All-Star Saturday Night is Feb. 17 (ESPN).
The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis (TNT).
All 30 teams will play on the final day of the regular season, April 14.
All 30 teams are scheduled to make at least one appearance on TNT or ESPN in the 2023-24 regular season.
The NBA on TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV will present flexible scheduling throughout the regular season to provide the most compelling matchups to a national audience.
The team average for back-to-backs involving travel between games has been reduced to a record-low 9. The previous low was 9.6 last season.
The 2024 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV and the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals will be exclusively televised by ABC and ESPN/ABC, respectively.
TNT will exclusively televise the 2024 Western Conference Finals and the 2024 NBA All-Star Game,.
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