ESPN and ABC's NBA Christmas Day slate to feature Lakers vs. Nets in Prime Time

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Tuesday, August 17, 2021
FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James drives past Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in New York.
Frank Franklin II-AP

NEW YORK -- ESPN and ABC will combine to nationally televise all five NBA Christmas Day games on Saturday, December 25, 2021 - a slate that spans 13 consecutive hours of marquee live event coverage.

This year marks ESPN and ABC's 20th consecutive season of NBA coverage, including Christmas Day games.

The Christmas Day slate includes a blockbuster prime-time matchup at 8:00 p.m. ET | 5:00 p.m. PT as the Los Angeles Lakers, led by the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, host the Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. The game will be simulcast on ABC and ESPN.

ABC's national Christmas Day tripleheader begins at 2:30 p.m. ET | 11:30 a.m. PT as the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks, led by NBA Finals M.V.P. Giannis Antetokounmpo, host the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum.

ABC's coverage continues at 5:00 p.m. ET | 2:00 PT as the defending Western Conference Champion Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker host the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

ESPN will bookend the five-game Christmas Day slate, with coverage tipping off at 12:00 p.m. ET | 9:00 a.m. PT from historic Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks and Julius Randle will host the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young in an NBA Playoffs rematch.

In the NBA Christmas nightcap at 10:30 p.m. ET | 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN will televise a Western Conference showdown as Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz host Luka Doni and the Dallas Mavericks.

Additional information regarding the 2021-2022 NBA regular-season schedule will be issued at a later date.

All 2021 NBA Christmas Day telecasts will be available on the ESPN App and the ABC App where available (each via authenticated live streaming).

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