Counting the number of nationally broadcast games handed out during the NBA's annual schedule release day is one of the best ways to find out what the league thinks about your favorite basketball team.
The NBA is, frankly, in the entertainment business. It makes an effort to showcase its best teams, even if there is a tendency to favor franchises in big markets (looking at you Los Angeles, New York and the Bay Area). That means more nationally broadcast games for the championships contenders, while the teams expected to be toward the top of next year's draft will play most of their games in front of a local television audience.
This year, the NBA handed out the most nationally televised games—aired on ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV—to the Los Angeles Lakers (39), Golden State Warriors (36), Boston Celtics (34) and New York Knicks (30). The Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors tied for last place with four such games apiece.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the biggest risers this year in terms of nationally broadcast games, jumping from 10 at this time last season to 25 currently on the 2024–25 schedule. The Oklahoma City Thunder (+12 games), Knicks (+9), Pacers (+8) and Rockets (+7) will also get significant bumps in the national spotlight this season compared to last.
Scroll forth to view the comprehensive list of the nationally televised games handed out to all 30 NBA teams. (Note: If you're curious about how many national TV games each team was awarded without counting NBA TV—meaning just on ESPN, ABC and TNT—scroll down to the second chart.)
Now, not all NBA fans have access to NBA TV. Here's a list of the national televised games that each team will play on ESPN, ABC and TNT:
The 2024–25 NBA regular season tips off Oct. 22 with a doubleheader on TNT, as the Knicks battle the Celtics at TD Garden, and the Timberwolves visit the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking NBA Teams by Number of National TV Games in 2024–25 Season.
