The 2009-10 NBA national TV schedule features 25 appearances by the Lakers, Celtics and Cavaliers, 24 by the Magic, and 15 or more appearances by the Nuggets (22), Spurs (20), Suns (18) and Blazers (17).
TNT will begin its NBA coverage with an Opening Night doubleheader, featuring Celtics/Cavaliers at 7:30 PM ET and Clippers/Lakers at 10:30. The next night, ESPN tips off its coverage with Hornets/Spurs and Jazz/Nuggets.
ESPN and ABC will combine for a quintuple-header on Christmas Day, with Heat/Knicks, Clippers/Suns and Nuggets/Blazers on ESPN (12, 8 and 10:30 PM, respectively), and Magic/Celtics and Cavaliers/Lakers on ABC (2:30 and 5 PM, respectively). TNT will air doubleheaders on Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, as well as a triple-header on Martin Luther King Day.
Some oddities on the schedule: the Suns, who missed the playoffs last year, will have the 7th-most national television appearances of any NBA team, topping playoff teams like the Blazers, Mavericks, Hornets and Jazz. The Warriors and Wizards, neither of whom made the playoffs last year, have more appearances than the Hawks, who made the second round.
The Knicks and Clippers, usually national television pariahs, will combine for 13 appearances — including a head-to-head matchup in December. Meanwhile, the Pacers, Timberwolves, Grizzlies and Thunder will each have one appearance each.
The Rockets, who were one win away from the Western Conference Finals, have zero national TV appearances.
2009-10 NBA national TV schedule.
# of appearances listed in parentheses ()
|
Date
|
Time | Game | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tue., 10/27/09
|
7:30 PM | Celtics (1)/Cavaliers (1) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (1)/ Lakers (1) | TNT | |
| Wed., 10/28/09 | 8:00 PM | Hornets (1)/Spurs (1) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Jazz (1)/Nuggets (1) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 10/29/09 | 8:00 PM | Spurs (2)/Bulls (1) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (2)/Blazers (1) | TNT | |
| Fri., 10/30/09 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (2)/Celtics (2) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Mavericks (1)/Lakers (2) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 11/4/09 | 7:00 PM | Heat (1)/Wizards (1) | ESPN |
| 9:30 PM | Mavericks (2)/Hornets (2) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 11/5/09 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (3)/Cavaliers (2) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (3)/Jazz (2) | TNT | |
| Fri., 11/6/09 | 8:00 PM | Cavaliers (3)/Knicks (1) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (4)/Blazers (2) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 11/11/09 | 8:00 PM | Cavaliers (4)/Magic (1) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Hornets (3)/Suns (1) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 11/12/09 | 8:00 PM | Cavaliers (5)/Heat (2) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Suns (2)/Lakers (3) | TNT | |
| Fri., 11/13/09 | 8:00 PM | Hawks (1)/Celtics (3) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Lakers (4)/Nuggets (3) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 11/18/09 | 7:00 PM | Cavaliers (6)/Wizards (2) | ESPN |
| 9:30 PM | Spurs (5)/Mavericks (3) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 11/19/09 | 8:00 PM | Suns (3)/Hornets (4) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Bulls (4)/Lakers (5) | TNT | |
| Fri., 11/20/09 | 8:00 PM | Magic (2)/Celtics (4) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (4)/Clippers (2) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 11/25/09 | 7:30 PM | Heat (3)/Magic (3) | ESPN |
| Thu., 11/26/09 | 8:00 PM | Magic (4)/Hawks (2) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Bulls (5)/Jazz (3) | TNT | |
| Fri., 11/27/09 | 7:00 PM | Wizards (3)/Heat (4) | ESPN |
| 9:30 PM | Suns (4)/Timberwolves (1) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 12/3/09 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (5)/Spurs (6) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (5)/Nuggets (5) | TNT | |
| Fri., 12/4/09 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (6)/Cavaliers (7) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (6)/Lakers (6) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 12/9/09 | 7:00 PM | Pistons (1)/76ers (1) | ESPN |
| Thu., 12/10/09 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (6)/Wizards (4) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Magic (5)/Jazz (4) | TNT | |
| Fri., 12/11/09 | 8:00 PM | Blazers (3)/Cavaliers (8) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Magic (6)/Suns (5) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 12/16/09 | 8:00 PM | Mavericks (4)/Thunder (1) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (7)/Warriors (1) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 12/17/08 | 8:00 PM | Magic (7)/Heat (7) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Suns (6)/Blazers (4) | TNT | |
| Fri., 12/18/09 | 8:00 PM | Clippers (3)/Knicks (2) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Wizards (5)/Warriors (2) | ESPN | |
| Fri., 12/25/09 | 12:00 PM | Heat (8)/Knicks (3) | ESPN |
| 2:30 PM | Celtics (7)/Magic (8) | ABC | |
| 5:00 PM | Cavaliers (9)/Lakers (7) | ABC | |
| 8:00 PM | Clippers (4)/Suns (7) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (6)/Blazers (5) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 12/31/09 | 7:00 PM | Heat (9)/Spurs (8) | TNT |
| 9:30 PM | 76ers (2)/Clippers (5) | TNT | |
| Wed., 1/6/10 | 10:30 PM | Lakers (8)/Clippers (6) | ESPN |
| Fri., 1/8/10 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (8)/Hawks (3) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Cavaliers (10)/Nuggets (7) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 1/10/10 | 9:00 PM | Cavaliers (11)/Blazers (6) | ESPN |
| Thu., 1/14/10 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (7)/Celtics (9) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Cavaliers (12)/Jazz (5) | TNT | |
| Fri., 1/15/10 | 8:00 PM | Raptors (1)/Knicks (4) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Magic (9)/Blazers (7) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 1/17/10 | 9:00 PM | Jazz (6)/Nuggets (8) | ESPN |
| Sun., 1/18/10 | 5:30 PM | Suns (8)/Grizzlies (1) | TNT |
| 8:00 PM | Mavericks (5)/Celtics (10) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Magic (10)/Lakers (9) | TNT | |
| Wed., 1/20/10 | 9:00 PM | Jazz (7)/Spurs (9) | ESPN |
| Thu., 1/21/10 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (10)/Cavaliers (13) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (7)/Nuggets (9) | TNT | |
| Fri., 1/22/10 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (11)/Knicks (5) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Bulls (8)/Suns (9) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 1/28/10 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (11)/Magic (11) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Mavericks (6)/Suns (10) | TNT | |
| Sun., 1/31/10 | 1:00 PM | Nuggets (10)/Spurs (10) | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | Lakers (12)/Celtics (12) | ABC | |
| Wed., 2/3/10 | 8:00 PM | Heat (10)/Celtics (13) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (8)/Jazz (8) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 2/4/10 | 8:00 PM | Heat (11)/Cavaliers (14) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (11)/Blazers (9) | TNT | |
| Fri., 2/5/10 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (9)/Hawks (4) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (11)/Lakers (13) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 2/7/10 | 2:30 PM | Magic (12)/Celtics (14) | ABC |
| Mon., 2/8/10 | 8:00 PM | Hornets (5)/Magic (13) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (12)/Lakers (14) | TNT | |
| Thu., 2/11/10 | 8:00 PM | Magic (14)/Cavaliers (15) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (13)/Nuggets (12) | TNT | |
| Sun., 2/14/10 | 8:00 PM | 2010 NBA All-Star Game | TNT |
| Wed., 2/17/10 | 9:00 PM | Suns (11)/Mavericks (7) | ESPN |
| Thu., 2/18/10 | 8:00 PM | Nuggets (13)/Cavaliers (16) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Celtics (15)/Lakers (15) | TNT | |
| Fri., 2/19/10 | 8:00 PM | Mavericks (8)/Magic (15) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Celtics (16)/Blazers (10) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 2/21/10 | 1:00 PM | Cavaliers (17)/Magic (16) | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | Celtics (17)/Nuggets (14) | ABC | |
| 8:00 PM | Hawks (5)/Warriors (3) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Jazz (9)/Blazers (11) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 2/24/10 | 9:00 PM | Lakers (16)/Mavericks (9) | ESPN |
| Thu., 2/25/10 | 8:00 PM | Cavaliers (18)/Celtics (18) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (15)/Warriors (4) | TNT | |
| Fri., 2/26/10 | 8:00 PM | Mavericks (10)/Hawks (6) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (8)/Suns (12) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 2/28/10 | 1:00 PM | Suns (13)/Spurs (14) | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | Nuggets (16)/Lakers (17) | ABC | |
| 7:00 PM | Heat (12)/Magic (17) | ESPN | |
| 9:30 PM | Hornets (6)/Mavericks (11) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 3/4/10 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (18)/Heat (13) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Jazz (10)/Suns (14) | TNT | |
| Fri., 3/5/10 | 7:00 PM | Pistons (2)/Cavaliers (19) | ESPN |
| 9:30 PM | Hornets (7)/Spurs (15) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 3/7/10 | 2:30 PM | Lakers (19)/Magic (18) | ABC |
| 8:00 PM | Wizards (6)/Celtics (19) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (12)/Nuggets (17) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 3/11/10 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (10)/Magic (19) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (13)/Warriors (5) | TNT | |
| Sun., 3/14/10 | 3:30 PM | Celtics (20)/Cavaliers (20) | ABC |
| Mon., 3/15/10 | 8:00 PM | Pistons (3)/Celtics (21) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Lakers (20)/Warriors (6) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 3/17/10 | 8:00 PM | Spurs (16)/Magic (20) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Hornets (8)/Warriors (7) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 3/18/10 | 7:00 PM | Magic (21)/Heat (14) | TNT |
| 9:30 PM | Hornets (9)/Nuggets (18) | TNT | |
| Sun., 3/21/10 | 8:00 PM | Pistons (4)/Cavaliers (21) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (14)/Suns (15) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 3/24/10 | 7:00 PM | Nuggets (19)/Celtics (22) | ESPN |
| 9:30 PM | Lakers (21)/Spurs (17) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 3/25/10 | 8:00 PM | Heat (15)/Bulls (11) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Mavericks (12)/Blazers (15) | TNT | |
| Sun., 3/28/10 | 8:00 PM | Spurs (18)/Celtics (23) | ESPN |
| Wed., 3/31/10 | 10:00 PM | Warriors (8)/Jazz (11) | ESPN |
| Thu., 4/1/10 | 8:00 PM | Magic (22)/Mavericks (13) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (16)/Nuggets (20) | TNT | |
| Fri., 4/2/10 | 8:00 PM | Hawks (7)/Cavaliers (22) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Jazz (12)/Lakers (22) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 4/4/10 | 1:00 PM | Cavaliers (23)/Celtics (24) | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | Spurs (19)/Lakers (23) | ABC | |
| Wed., 4/7/10 | 8:00 PM | Wizards (7)/Magic (23) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (20)/Suns (16) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 4/8/10 | 8:00 PM | Cavaliers (24)/Bulls (12) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Lakers (24)/Nuggets (21) | TNT | |
| Sun., 4/11/10 | 1:00 PM | Magic (24)/Cavaliers (25) | ABC |
| 3:30 PM | Blazers (17)/Lakers (25) | ABC | |
| Tue., 4/13/10 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (25)/Bulls (13) | TNT |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (22)/Suns (17) | TNT | |
| Wed., 4/14/10 | 8:00 PM | Pacers (1)/Wizards (8) | ESPN |
| 10:30 PM | Suns (18)/Jazz (13) | ESPN |
