The NBA Restart 2020 Full National TV Schedule

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Harry How/Getty Images

The NBA was the first major U.S. sports league to suspend its season when the COVID-19 outbreak hit. After a four-month layoff, it’s time for the Association to finish what it started.

Basketball resumes July 30 with 22 teams competing in the “bubble” at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Teams play eight regular-season games each to establish playoff berths and seeding, with a potential play-in tournament if the race for the eighth seed is close.

The playoff format remains as usual, with 16 teams competing in best-of-seven-game series beginning with the first round August 17 and continuing with the conference semifinals August 31, conference finals September 15 and the NBA Finals September 30. If necessary, Game 7 of the NBA Finals would be October 12. Games air on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT and regional sports networks.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers restart the season on top of the Western Conference standings, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder. In the East, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks hope to pick up right where they left off after winning a league-leading 53 games before the layoff. Chasing the Bucks are the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

Even with an abundance of health and safety protocols in place, it’s inevitable that COVID-19 will be a factor in determining the 2020 NBA champion. If a star player or multiple players on a team contract the virus, it could sink a contender’s title chances. Several players — including the Lakers’ Avery Bradley — are choosing to opt out of playing in Orlando for personal or family reasons, and there will likely be others as the season progresses. It will also be bittersweet for the eventual NBA champion and their fans to win without frenzied home crowds and victory celebrations.

NBA Restart National TV Schedule

All times Eastern.

Thursday, July 30
6:30pm Utah Jazz vs. New Orleans Pelicans, TNT
9pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers, TNT
Friday, July 31
4pm Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trail Blazers, NBA TV
6:30pm Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN
9pm Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks, ESPN

Saturday, August 1
1pm Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets, ESPN
3:30pm Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN
6pm New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN
8:30pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors, ESPN
Sunday, August 2
3:30pm Portland Trail Blazers vs. Boston Celtics ABC
6pm Sacramento Kings vs. Orlando Magic, NBA TV
8:30pm Milwaukee Bucks vs. Houston Rockets ABC
Monday, August 3
1:30pm Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat, NBA TV
4pm Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA TV
6:30pm Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN
9pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, ESPN
Tuesday, August 4
1:30pm Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, NBA TV
4pm Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers, NBA TV
6:30pm Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, TNT
9pm Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers, TNT
Wednesday, August 5
4pm Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards, NBA TV
6:30pm Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN
9pm Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics, ESPN
Thursday, August 6
1:30pm New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings, NBA TV
4pm Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks, TNT
6:30pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks, TNT
9pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, TNT

Friday, August 7
4pm Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies, NBA TV
6:30pm Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers, TNT
9pm Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors, TNT
Saturday, August 8
1pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers, TNT
3:30pm Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets, TNT
6pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers, TNT
8:30pm Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks, ESPN
Sunday, August 9
3pm San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans ABC
6:30pm Philadelphia 76ers vs. Portland Trail Blazers, NBA TV
9pm Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Clippers, NBA TV
Monday, August 10
3pm Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz, NBA TV
6:30pm Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN
9pm Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, TNT
Tuesday, August 11
2pm Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs, NBA TV
6:30pm Boston Celtics vs. Memphis Grizzlies, TNT
9pm New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings, TNT
Wednesday, August 12
4pm Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets, NBA TV
6:30pm Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN
9pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets, ESPN
Thursday, August 13
To Be Announced
Friday, August 14
To Be Announced