The 2026-27 season is Year 2 of the NBA new 11-year media deals, and the national schedule is split across NBC and Peacock, ESPN and ABC and Amazon Prime Video, with NBA TV adding games and NBA League Pass covering everything else. Here is exactly where every game lives this season and how to watch without cable.
Quick Facts
- National partners: NBC and Peacock, ESPN and ABC, Amazon Prime Video, plus NBA TV
- Games per partner: NBC/Peacock about 100, ESPN/ABC 80, Prime Video 66
- Stream without cable: Peacock (NBC games), ESPN App (ABC/ESPN), Prime Video (Amazon), NBA App (League Pass)
- Out-of-market games: NBA League Pass
- Opening night (Oct 20): NBC and Peacock tripleheader
The NBA weekly TV map for 2026-27
| Night | Where the national games are |
|---|---|
| Monday | Peacock NBA Monday (Oct 26 to Apr 5), also on NBC Sports Network |
| Tuesday | NBC and Peacock doubleheaders (from Oct 27) |
| Wednesday | ESPN doubleheaders all season |
| Thursday | Prime Video doubleheaders (from January) |
| Friday | Prime Video game nights (from Oct 23); ESPN doubleheaders from January |
| Saturday | NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC (from Dec 12); Prime Video afternoons from February |
| Sunday | Sunday Night Basketball on NBC/Peacock (Jan 24 to Apr 4); NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC (from Feb 28) |
NBC and Peacock
NBC and Peacock carry about 100 regular-season games. Peacock streams every NBCUniversal game, and NBC broadcasts a portion of them. The weekly staples are Peacock NBA Monday (Oct 26 to Apr 5, up to two games a night), NBC and Peacock Tuesday doubleheaders from Oct 27, and Sunday Night Basketball from Jan 24 to Apr 4 (off Feb 14 and 21). NBC/Peacock also carries Holiday Hoops (seven games Dec 21 to 29, six on NBC/Peacock), Presidents Day and MLK Day quadrupleheaders, and 2027 All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. To watch the NBC slate without cable, you need Peacock.
ESPN and ABC
ESPN and ABC carry 80 regular-season games and the biggest events. ESPN runs Wednesday doubleheaders all season and adds Friday doubleheaders in January. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC starts Dec 12, and the NBA Sunday Showcase on ABC brings afternoon doubleheaders beginning Feb 28. ABC and ESPN also carry the five-game Christmas Day slate (including the Knicks hosting the Spurs in a Finals rematch), the NBA Finals on ABC, and the 2027 Western Conference Finals. Stream it all on the ESPN App.
Amazon Prime Video
Prime Video carries 66 regular-season games, with Friday game nights from Oct 23, Thursday doubleheaders from January, and Saturday afternoon games from February. Prime Video is also the exclusive home of the Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds (through the Dec 11 championship), all six SoFi NBA Play-In games, the 2027 Eastern Conference Finals, and the Global Games in Paris (Jan 14) and Manchester (Jan 17). You need an Amazon Prime membership.
NBA TV and NBA League Pass
NBA TV carries additional national games through the season. NBA League Pass covers out-of-market and non-national games; you can buy and watch it on NBA.com and the NBA App, with Amazon as the primary third-party digital distributor. Games in your local market are still subject to blackout, so League Pass is built for out-of-market viewing.
How to watch the NBA without cable
Each national partner has its own app: the ESPN App for all ABC and ESPN games, Peacock for all NBC games, and Prime Video for Amazon games. The NBA App and NBA.com handle League Pass plus Tap to Watch links that point you to the right place for any game. A stack of Peacock, the ESPN App, Prime Video and League Pass covers essentially every game on the calendar.
Opening week 2026-27
The season tips off Tuesday, Oct 20 with an NBC and Peacock tripleheader: Celtics at Pistons (3:00 ET), 76ers at Knicks (7:00 ET) and Thunder at Spurs (9:30 ET). ESPN follows with doubleheaders on Wednesday Oct 21 and Thursday Oct 22, and Prime Video opens its slate Friday Oct 23 with a doubleheader starting at TD Garden. For tonight specifically, see NBA on TV Today, and for the full season grid use the NBA National TV Schedule. You can also track the NBA standings and the opening night slate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch the NBA in 2026-27?
National games are on NBC and Peacock, ESPN and ABC, Amazon Prime Video and NBA TV. Out-of-market and non-national games are on NBA League Pass.
How do I watch the NBA without cable?
Use Peacock for NBC games, the ESPN App for ABC and ESPN games, Prime Video for Amazon games, and the NBA App for League Pass.
Is the NBA on NBC in 2026-27?
Yes. NBC and Peacock carry about 100 games, including opening night and Sunday Night Basketball, and Peacock streams all of them.
What NBA games are on Amazon Prime Video?
Prime Video has 66 regular-season games plus the NBA Cup knockout rounds, all six Play-In games, the 2027 Eastern Conference Finals and the Global Games.
Do I need NBA League Pass?
Only for out-of-market and non-national games. National games are already on NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ABC and Prime Video.
