Blockbuster Christmas Day includes Thunder/Heat Finals Rematch, Two Games at L.A.’s Staples Center

ESPN’s multiplatform coverage of the 2012-13 NBA season will include 90 games, highlighted by 15 exclusive ABC broadcasts and 75 national ESPN telecasts. The 90-game schedule features flexible scheduling, allowing fans to see the most compelling matchups. All ESPN games will also be available on ESPN Mobile TV and WatchESPN. ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes will also have coverage throughout the season. In addition, Kia NBA Countdown will generally preview ABC and ESPN games or doubleheaders 30 minutes prior to game time.

ABC & ESPN Combine for Five Christmas Day Games

ABC and ESPN will combine to present a five-game Christmas Day blockbuster schedule, headlined by an ABC doubleheader featuring the Miami Heat and LeBron James hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant in an NBA Finals rematch at 5:30 p.m. ET.  The doubleheader will begin with the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony visiting the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash at 3 p.m. in one of two ABC/ESPN games from the Staples Center on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day will tip off on ESPN when the Boston Celtics and Rajon Rondo visit the new-look Brooklyn Nets and Deron Williams – the first-ever Christmas Day game in Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center –  at 12 p.m. Additionally, ESPN will televise a prime-time doubleheader, starting with the Houston Rockets and Jeremy Lin visiting the Chicago Bulls and Joakim Noah at 8 p.m., followed by the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul hosting the Denver Nuggets and Ty Lawson – the second game of the day emanating from the Staples Center.

Christmas Day

ESPN’s NBA Schedule to Tip-Off with Star-Studded Doubleheader Nov. 2  

ESPN’s coverage of the 2012-13 NBA season will tip off with a doubleheader Friday, Nov. 2, when the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat – led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – visit the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony at 8 p.m. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant will “host” the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul at 10:30 p.m. Both games will be available across ESPN platforms with the Kia NBA Countdown – one-hour edition – show previewing the action at 7 p.m.

ABC schedule highlights

• 15 exclusive broadcasts;
• Christmas Day blockbuster doubleheader: New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers at 3 p.m.; Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat at 5:30 p.m.;
• Multiple appearances by the NBA’s biggest superstars, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony;
• Six appearances by the Los Angeles Lakers, five appearances each by the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder;
• The first-ever regular season ABC appearances by the Los Angeles Clippers (four games);
• Eastern Conference Finals rematch – Miami Heat at Boston Celtics –  featuring Ray Allen’s return to Boston on Jan. 27;
• Kobe vs. LeBron: Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat Feb. 10;
• Six doubleheaders – Dec. 25, Jan. 27, Feb. 10, March 3, March 10, April 7;
• Kia NBA Countdown pregame show 30 minutes prior to every ABC game or doubleheader.

ESPN schedule highlights

• 75 national telecasts;
• Three Christmas Day games, including Boston at Brooklyn at 12 p.m., plus a primetime doubleheader – Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls at 8 p.m. and Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles. Clippers at 10:30 p.m.;
• ESPN’s opening night Fri, Nov 2: Miami Heat at New York Knicks at 8 p.m.; Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers at 10:30 p.m.;
• Multiple appearances by the NBA’s biggest superstars, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony;
• Six teams with 10 appearances (the maximum allowed): Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder;
• New-look Brooklyn Nets to appear nine times, including two games against the New York Knicks (Dec. 11, Dec. 19);
• Multiple appearances by the Boston Celtics (9), San Antonio Spurs (9) and Dallas Mavericks (7);
• Special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game – Indiana Pacers at Memphis Grizzlies – Mon. Jan. 21;
• Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Feb. 20, at 10:30 p.m.;
• Eastern Conference Finals rematch – Miami Heat at Boston Celtics – March 18 at 8 p.m.;
• 31 doubleheaders;
• Kia NBA Countdown pregame show 30 minutes prior to most ESPN games or doubleheaders.

2012-13 ABC NBA Schedule

2012-13 ESPN NBA Schedule

* ESPN’s NBA games are also available on ESPN Mobile TV and WatchESPN.

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