The complete national television schedule for the 2012-13 NBA regular season on ABC, TNT and ESPN.
Click here to skip to the schedule. Click here for the 2013 NBA Playoffs schedule.
The Heat, Thunder, Lakers and Knicks are each scheduled to make the maximum 25 national television appearances across ABC, TNT and ESPN during the 2012-13 regular season. Not far behind are the once-moribund Clippers, with 23 appearances. No other Franchise is scheduled for at least twenty appearances.
With no lockout on the horizon for the next five years, the 2012-13 season should begin as scheduled on October 30. TNT will air the customary Opening Night doubleheader, with the Heat hosting the Celtics in the early game and the Mavericks facing the Lakers later in the night.
Likely in order to avoid competition with the World Series, ESPN will take the first Wednesday of the season off. The network will begin its coverage with a Heat/Knicks and Clippers/Lakers doubleheader on Friday, November 2.
ABC will begin regular season coverage with a Knicks/Lakers and Thunder/Heat doubleheader. The network’s coverage will resume with a Heat/Celtics and Thunder/Lakers doubleheader on January 27.
The only teams left off the national television schedule are the Bobcats, Kings and Raptors.
2012-13 NBA Regular Season TV Schedule
# of appearances in parentheses next to team name
| Date | Time (ET) | Away | Home | Net | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., 10/30/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (1) | Heat (1) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (1) | Lakers (1) | TNT | ||
| Thu., 11/1/12 | PPD | Knicks | Nets | TNT |
postponed to Nov. 26
|
| 9:30 PM | Thunder (1) | Spurs (1) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 11/2/12 | 8:00 PM | Heat (2) | Knicks (1) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (1) | Lakers (2) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 11/7/12 | 8:00 PM | Sixers (1) | Hornets (1) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (2) | Clippers (2) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 11/8/12 | 8:00 PM | Thunder (2) | Bulls (1) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (3) | Blazers (1) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 11/9/12 | 10:30 PM | Jazz (1) | Nuggets (1) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 11/14/12 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies (1) | Thunder (3) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (3) | Clippers (4) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 11/15/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (2) | Nets (1) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (4) | Nuggets (2) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 11/16/12 | 7:00 PM | Jazz (2) | Sixers (2) | ESPN |
originally Magic/Pistons
|
| 9:30 PM | Knicks (2) | Grizzlies (2) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 11/21/12 | 7:30 PM | Clippers (5) | Thunder (4) | ESPN | |
| Mon., 11/26/12 | 7:15 PM | Knicks (3) | Nets (2) | TNT | |
| Thu., 11/29/12 | 8:00 PM | Spurs (3) | Heat (5) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (3) | Warriors (1) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 11/30/12 | 10:30 PM | Nuggets (4) | Lakers (3) | ESPN | |
| Wed., 12/5/12 | 8:00 PM | Nuggets (5) | Hawks (1) | ESPN |
originally Bulls/Cavs
|
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (2) | Clippers (6) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 12/6/12 | 8:00 PM | Knicks (4) | Heat (6) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (3) | Suns (1) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 12/7/12 | 7:00 PM | Celtics (3) | Sixers (3) | ESPN | |
| 9:30 PM | Lakers (4) | Thunder (5) | ESPN | ||
| Tue., 12/11/12 | 7:00 PM | Knicks (5) | Nets (3) | ESPN | |
| 9:30 PM | Clippers (7) | Bulls (2) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 12/12/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs (4) | Celtics (4) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (4) | Jazz (3) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 12/13/12 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (5) | Knicks (6) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (5) | Blazers (2) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 12/14/12 | 8:00 PM | Celtics (5) | Rockets (1) | ESPN |
originally Warriors/Magic
|
| 10:30 PM | Grizzlies (3) | Nuggets (6) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 12/19/12 | 7:00 PM | Nets (4) | Knicks (7) | ESPN | |
| 9:30 PM | Bucks (1) | Grizzlies (4) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 12/20/12 | 7:00 PM | Thunder (6) | T’Wolves (1) | TNT | |
| 9:30 PM | Heat (7) | Mavs (5) | TNT | ||
| Tue., 12/25/12 | 12:00 PM | Celtics (6) | Nets (5) | ESPN | |
| 3:00 PM | Knicks (8) | Lakers (6) | ABC | ||
| 5:30 PM | Thunder (7) | Heat (8) | ABC | ||
| 8:00 PM | Rockets (2) | Bulls (3) | ESPN | ||
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (7) | Clippers (8) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 12/27/12 | 8:00 PM | Mavs (6) | Thunder (8) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Celtics (7) | Clippers (9) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 1/4/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (4) | Heat (9) | ESPN |
originally Pacers/Celtics
|
| 10:30 PM | Lakers (7) | Clippers (10) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 1/9/13 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (8) | Spurs (6) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (7) | Clippers (11) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 1/10/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks (9) | Pacers (1) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (10) | Blazers (3) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 1/11/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (5) | Knicks (10) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Thunder (9) | Lakers (9) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 1/16/13 | 8:00 PM | Rockets (3) | Mavs (8) | ESPN |
originally Hornets/Celtics
|
| 10:30 PM | Heat (11) | Warriors (2) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 1/17/13 | 8:00 PM | Clippers (12) | T’Wolves (2) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Heat (12) | Lakers (10) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 1/18/13 | 8:00 PM | Bulls (6) | Celtics (8) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Thunder (10) | Mavs (9) | ESPN | ||
| Mon., 1/21/13 | 1:00 PM | Pacers (2) | Grizzlies (5) | ESPN | |
| 7:00 PM | Spurs (7) | Sixers (4) | TNT | ||
| 9:30 PM | Lakers (11) | Bulls (7) | TNT | ||
| Thu., 1/24/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks (11) | Celtics (9) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (13) | Suns (2) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 1/25/13 | 8:00 PM | Spurs (8) | Mavs (10) | ESPN | |
| Sun., 1/27/13 | 1:00 PM | Heat (13) | Celtics (10) | ABC | |
| 3:30 PM | Thunder (11) | Lakers (12) | ABC | ||
| 6:30 PM | Hawks (2) | Knicks (12) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 1/30/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (14) | Nets (6) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Lakers (13) | Suns (3) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 1/31/13 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies (6) | Thunder (12) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (11) | Warriors (3) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 2/1/13 | 7:00 PM | Heat (15) | Pacers (3) | ESPN | |
| 9:30 PM | Lakers (14) | T’Wolves (3) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 2/6/13 | 9:00 PM | Spurs (9) | T’Wolves (4) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 2/7/13 | 8:00 PM | Lakers (15) | Celtics (11) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Bulls (8) | Nuggets (8) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 2/8/13 | 8:00 PM | Clippers (14) | Heat (16) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Bulls (9) | Jazz (4) | ESPN | ||
| Sun., 2/10/13 | 1:00 PM | Clippers (15) | Knicks (13) | ABC | |
| 3:30 PM | Lakers (16) | Heat (17) | ABC | ||
| 8:00 PM | Spurs (10) | Nets (7) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 2/14/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (18) | Thunder (13) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (16) | Lakers (17) | TNT | ||
| Wed., 2/20/13 | 8:00 PM | Hornets (2) | Cavs (1) | ESPN |
originally Heat/Hawks
|
| 10:30 PM | Celtics (12) | Lakers (18) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 2/21/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (19) | Bulls (10) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (11) | Clippers (17) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 2/22/13 | 8:00 PM | T’Wolves (5) | Thunder (14) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (12) | Warriors (4) | ESPN | ||
| Sun., 2/24/13 | 1:00 PM | Lakers (19) | Mavs (12) | ABC | |
| 7:00 PM | Grizzlies (7) | Nets (8) | ESPN |
originally Sixers/Knicks
|
|
| 9:30 PM | Bulls (11) | Thunder (15) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 2/27/13 | 8:00 PM | Warriors (5) | Knicks (14) | ESPN |
originally Pistons/Wizards
|
| 10:30 PM | Nuggets (9) | Blazers (4) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 2/28/13 | 8:00 PM | Sixers (6) | Bulls (12) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | T’Wolves (6) | Lakers (20) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 3/1/13 | 8:00 PM | Grizzlies (8) | Heat (20) | ESPN |
originally Mavs/Nets
|
| 10:30 PM | Thunder (16) | Nuggets (10) | ESPN | ||
| Sun., 3/3/13 | 1:00 PM | Heat (21) | Knicks (15) | ABC | |
| 3:30 PM | Thunder (17) | Clippers (18) | ABC | ||
| 8:00 PM | Bulls (13) | Pacers (4) | ESPN | ||
| Tue., 3/5/13 | 7:00 PM | Celtics (13) | Sixers (7) | TNT | |
| 9:30 PM | Lakers (21) | Thunder (18) | TNT | ||
| Wed., 3/6/13 | 9:00 PM | Bulls (14) | Spurs (13) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 3/7/13 | 8:00 PM | Thunder (19) | Knicks (16) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Clippers (19) | Nuggets (11) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 3/8/13 | 8:00 PM | Hawks (3) | Celtics (14) | ESPN |
originally Sixers/Heat
|
| 10:30 PM | Rockets (4) | Warriors (6) | ESPN | ||
| Sun., 3/10/13 | 1:00 PM | Celtics (15) | Thunder (20) | ABC | |
| 3:30 PM | Bulls (15) | Lakers (22) | ABC | ||
| Wed., 3/13/13 | 8:00 PM | Jazz (5) | Thunder (21) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Knicks (17) | Nuggets (12) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 3/14/13 | 8:00 PM | Mavs (14) | Spurs (14) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Knicks (18) | Blazers (5) | TNT | ||
| Sun., 3/17/13 | 3:30 PM | Knicks (19) | Clippers (20) | ABC | |
| Mon., 3/18/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (22) | Celtics (16) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Knicks (20) | Jazz (6) | ESPN | ||
| Wed., 3/20/13 | 8:00 PM | Nets (10) | Mavs (15) | ESPN | |
| Mon., 3/25/13 | 7:00 PM | Heat (23) | Magic (1) | ESPN |
blacked out in MIA, ORL
|
| Tue., 3/26/13 | 7:00 PM | Knicks (21) | Celtics (17) | TNT | |
| 9:30 PM | Clippers (21) | Mavs (16) | TNT | ||
| Wed., 3/27/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (24) | Bulls (16) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Nets (11) | Blazers (6) | ESPN | ||
| Tue., 4/2/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks (22) | Heat (25) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Mavs (17) | Lakers (23) | TNT | ||
| Wed., 4/3/13 | 7:00 PM | Knicks (23) | Hawks (4) | ESPN | |
| Thu., 4/4/13 | 7:00 PM | Bulls (17) | Nets (12) | TNT | |
| 9:30 PM | Spurs (15) | Thunder (22) | TNT | ||
| Fri., 4/5/13 | 8:00 PM | Heat (26) | Bobcats (1) | ESPN |
originally Thunder/Pacers; blacked out in MIA
|
| 10:30 PM | Rockets (5) | Blazers (7) | ESPN |
originally Grizzlies/Lakers
|
|
| Sat., 4/6/13 | 7:30 PM | Sixers (8) | Heat (27) | ESPN |
blacked out in MIA, PHI
|
| Sun., 4/7/13 | 1:00 PM | Knicks (24) | Thunder (23) | ABC | |
| 3:30 PM | Lakers (24) | Clippers (22) | ABC | ||
| Wed., 4/10/13 | 8:00 PM | Nets (13) | Celtics (18) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Spurs (16) | Nuggets (13) | ESPN | ||
| Thu., 4/11/13 | 8:00 PM | Knicks (25) | Bulls (18) | TNT | |
| 10:30 PM | Thunder (24) | Warriors (7) | TNT | ||
| Sun., 4/14/13 | 1:00 PM | Bulls (19) | Heat (28) | ABC | |
| Tue., 4/16/13 | 8:00 PM | Raptors (1) | Hawks (5) | TNT |
IND/BOS canceled due to Boston Marathon bombing
|
| 10:30 PM | Blazers (8) | Clippers (23) | TNT | ||
| Wed., 4/17/13 | 8:00 PM | Jazz (7) | Grizzlies (9) | ESPN | |
| 10:30 PM | Rockets (6) | Lakers (25) | ESPN |
originally Warriors/Blazers
|
