The regular season schedule for 26-27 is now official, along with the number of games per team that will be broadcast on national television in the United States. This is always a good yardstick for gauging the level of interest a franchise generates, or at least the level media outlets expect it to generate, so year-to-year changes in this figure tend to serve as a snapshot of the league’s health. And on this occasion, it reveals two clear winners.
The San Antonio Spurs and the Philadelphia 76ers, each with 34 games, have jumped to the head of the list, a tier they share with two regulars at the top end — the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Texas-based team, which already logged 22 national appearances last season, completes their rise after their Finals run and Victor Wembanyama’s breakout, while the Pennsylvanian squad, with only 14 in 25-26, returns to the summit following the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
Behind the quartet at the top, the Oklahoma City Thunder remain among the standout names, moving from 34 to 30 after failing to defend their ring, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Boston Celtics, in figures similar to last season. The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, experience a slight dip, dropping from the leading group with 34 to 28, while the Heat, strengthened by the arrival of Giannis, sneak into the top 10 climbing from five to 25.
The Antetokounmpo effect is also felt in Milwaukee, the big loser of the summer’s moves. The Wisconsin franchise begins to feel the consequences of the Greek star’s departure, dropping from the middle of the table with 14 national TV games to just two. They happen to be two of the games against Miami, which means that the only attention directed toward them in this respect remains tied to Giannis.
2026-27 NBA Season Watch Guide ✍️📺
The 2026-27 schedule of national games will generally feature Mondays on Peacock, Tuesdays on NBC/Peacock, Wednesdays on ESPN, Thursdays on Prime Video, Fridays on Prime Video and ESPN, Saturdays on Prime Video in the afternoon and ABC at… pic.twitter.com/Ozim9CZB51— NBA (@NBA) August 13, 2026
Thus begins the list of teams ordered from most to least national games broadcast across the country.
- Los Angeles Lakers – 34
- New York Knicks – 34
- Philadelphia 76ers – 34
- San Antonio Spurs – 34
- Oklahoma City Thunder – 30
- Denver Nuggets – 28
- Golden State Warriors – 28
- Boston Celtics – 27
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 27
- Miami Heat – 25
- Houston Rockets – 21
- Dallas Mavericks – 21
- Detroit Pistons – 19
- Cleveland Cavaliers – 17
- Indiana Pacers – 11
- Portland Trail Blazers – 11
- Atlanta Hawks – 10
- Phoenix Suns – 9
- Los Angeles Clippers – 8
- Orlando Magic – 8
- Toronto Raptors – 7
- Charlotte Hornets – 6
- Utah Jazz – 6Washington Wizards – 6
- Chicago Bulls – 3
- Brooklyn Nets – 2
- Memphis Grizzlies – 2
- Milwaukee Bucks – 2
- New Orleans Pelicans – 2
- Sacramento Kings – 2
