The 2020 NBA Playoffs will tip off on Monday, August 17, with a quadrupleheader, totaling more than 10 consecutive hours of live event coverage on ESPN. ABC and ESPN will combine to broadcast up to 44 NBA Playoffs game telecasts, including up to 18 first round games.
- ESPN’s four-game slate for Monday, August 17, begins at 1:30 p.m. ET when the Denver Nuggets take on the Utah Jazz.
- At 4 p.m. ET, the defending NBA Champion Toronto Raptors square off with the Brooklyn Nets.
- The quadrupleheader continues at 6:30 p.m. ET as the Boston Celtics meet the Philadelphia 76ers.
- The 10-plus hour Game 1 marathon culminates at 9 p.m. ET when the LA Clippers open their first round series against the Dallas Mavericks.
- Additionally, the Western Conference top seeded Los Angeles Lakers will appear in two games during ESPN’s first week of NBA Playoffs coverage.
- On Thursday, August 20, the Lakers will square off with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of their series at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- The Lakers will then appear in an exclusive ABC broadcast on Saturday, August 22, for Game 3 of their first round series at 8:30 p.m. ET.
- ESPN will also exclusively televise the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals and ABC will exclusively broadcast the 2020 NBA Finals.
- All games emanate from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
- Also this week, ESPN will exclusively televise the 2020 NBA Draft Lottery telecast presented by State Farm on Thursday, August 20, amid its four-game slate that day.
- The 30-minute telecast will air at 8:30 p.m. ET after ESPN’s third game of the day and prior to the 9 p.m. ET nightcap.
- Here is a look at ESPN and ABC’s complete schedule of NBA coverage through August 30 (all times in ET):
- Monday, August 17:
- 1 PM – NBA Countdown Presented by Mountain Dew on ESPN
- 1:30 PM – Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets Game 1 on ESPN
- 4 PM – Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 1 on ESPN
- 6:30 PM – Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Game 1 on ESPN
- 9 PM – Dallas Mavericks vs. LA Clippers Game 1
- Thursday, August 20:
- 1 PM – Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat Game 2 on ESPN
- 3:30 PM – Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 on ESPN
- 6 PM – Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks Game 2 on ESPN
- 8:30 PM – 2020 NBA Draft Lottery Telecast Presented by State Farm on ESPN
- 9 PM – Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 2 on ESPN
- Saturday, August 22:
- 5:30 PM – The Jump Presented by Mountain Dew on ESPN
- 6 PM – Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Game 3 on ESPN
- 8 PM – The Jump Presented by Draft Kings on ABC and ESPN
- 8:30 PM – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers Game 3 on ESPN
- Sunday, August 23:
- 12:30 PM – NBA Countdown Presented by Draft Kings on ABC
- 1 PM – Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers Game 4 on ABC
- 3:30 PM – LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks Game 4 on ABC
- Thursday, August 27:
- TBD – First Round Game 6 if necessary on ESPN
- TBD – First Round Game 6 if necessary on ESPN
- TBD – First Round Game 6 if necessary on ESPN
- TBD – First Round Game 6 if necessary on ESPN
- Sunday, August 30:
- TBD – First Round Game 7 if necessary on ESPN
- TBD – First Round Game 7 if necessary on ESPN