The highest-profile teams in the NBA will make the most national television appearances during the 2013-14 regular season.
The NBA released its 2013-14 regular season schedule on Tuesday, with the Heat, Lakers and Knicks each making the maximum number of appearances on ESPN, ABC and TNT (25). The season begins October 29 with the Heat hosting the Bulls and the Clippers facing the Lakers in a TNT doubleheader.
The Christmas Day slate will again feature five games — Bulls/Nets at Noon ET on ESPN, Thunder/Knicks at 2:30 on ABC, Heat/Lakers at 5 PM on ABC, Rockets/Spurs at 8 PM on ESPN, and Clippers/Warriors at 10:30 PM on ESPN.
In other holiday action, ESPN and TNT will combine for three games on Martin Luther King Day. ESPN will air Nets/Knicks at 2:30 PM ET, while TNT gets a Lakers/Bulls and Pacers/Warriors primetime doubleheader.
ABC will televise the minimum 15 games yet again this season, opening its regular Sunday schedule with Spurs/Heat and Lakers/Knicks on January 26. As was the case last year, only eight NBA teams are scheduled to appear on ABC — the Heat (6), Knicks (6), Lakers (5), Bulls (5), Thunder (4), Clippers (2), Spurs (1) and Rockets (1).
ESPN is set to air its customary 75 telecasts, including a special Heat/Knicks Saturday game the night before the Super Bowl. ESPN will also air Dwight Howard‘s first road game against the Lakers on February 19 and the return of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Boston on January 26. ESPN’s schedule also includes Pistons/Kings on November 15, for some reason.
TNT’s usual 52 game slate includes the second meeting of the season between the Heat and Lakers (January 23) as well as the second return of Howard to Los Angeles (April 8).
(2013-14 schedule from ESPN Media Zone, Turner Sports)
