NBA on ESPN has wall to wall coverage this Christmas – ESPN delivers the gift of non-stop hoops action this Christmas with a bonanza of NBA and NBL across the holiday period including an epic Christmas Day NBL double header and seven live games on Boxing Day, highlighted by the first of its kind NBA Holiday Special: Dunk The Halls.
Hoops fans will receive the gift of 24 live NBA and NBL games in just eight days across ESPN this Christmas period.
An NBA double header tips off at 11.30am AEDT on Tuesday December 24 with the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets followed by Golden State Warriors and the Indiana Pacers at 2pm AEDT.
The National Basketball League then follows with an epic Christmas Day schedule on Wednesday December 25. It begins at 6pm AEDT with the defending champion Tasmania JackJumpers and New Zealand Breakers.
Following live at 8.30pm AEDT, the Sydney Kings and Illawarra Hawks do battle in the latest instalment of the Freeway Series.
Boxing Day Basketball Bonanza
ESPN’s traditional Boxing Day marathon follows on Thursday December 26 where ESPN has FIVE live NBA game throughout the day, including the NBA Holiday Special: Dunk The Halls on ESPN2.
Five NBA games back-to-back begins at 4am AEDT as the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs do battle on ESPN.
The Knicks sit at #3 in the East and the Mavericks are #4 ranked in the West, ensuring a crunch game between key NBA playoff contenders.
The couch is the perfect place to consume the best of Boxing Day basketball on ESPN, as Your Home for Hoops delivers blockbuster after blockbuster on December 26.
Defending NBA champion Boston Celtics face the Philadelphia 76ers at 9am AEDT before arguably the biggest game of the day at 12pm AEDT between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
Two global superstars LeBron James and Steph Curry contest a crucial NBA Western Conference clash between the heavyweight franchises.
It’s followed at 2.30pm AEDT with the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, another high profile pair in the playoff mix.
NBA Holiday Special: Dunk The Halls
Also on Boxing Day on ESPN2 and Disney+, viewers can enjoy the NBA Holiday Special: Dunk The Halls alt cast of the Knicks-Spurs game live from Main Street USA in Disneyland.
Disney, ESPN and the NBA are teaming up to present Dunk the Halls – the first real-time animated NBA game using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology –when the New York Knicks – led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns – host the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.
The virtual, live re-creation of the Spurs vs. Knicks game will be set on iconic “Main Street, USA” in Magic Kingdom® Park as the teams play while Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy, and Chip and Dale cheer them on.
Each Spurs and Knicks player will appear as a motion-enabled, animated player for the special Christmas matchup. Through state-of-the-art real-time visualization technology enabled by Sony’s Beyond Sports, combined with Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking, fans watching will see every three-pointer, dunk, layup, pass and more from the real-life Spurs vs. Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in New York as it happens.
Plus, at halftime of the Spurs vs. Knicks game, the Disney characters, led by Mickey Mouse, will compete in a special slam dunk contest.
The Dunk The Halls: NBA Holiday Special will be broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+ , and will be available both live and on-demand.
24 games across eight days this Christmas on ESPN
Friday December 27 continues the star-studded action where two of Australia’s biggest NBA stars – Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels collide at 11.30am AEDT when the Chicago Bulls meet the Atlanta Hawks.
Locally, the National Basketball continues to fire as its 12 days of Christmas delivers daily hits and heart stopping action all December long.
The Illawarra Hawks are locked with Melbourne United at the top of the National Basketball League standings. The resurgent Sydney Kings, Bryce Cotton led Perth Wildcats and defending NBL champion Tasmania JackJumpers lead the chasing pack, for what is set to be a fascinating period of the season.
‘Your Home for Hoops’ ESPN is the only place to see the best of the NBA and NBL this Christmas.
Tuesday December 24
11.30am AEDT, Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets, ESPN
2pm AEDT, Golden State Warriors vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
Wednesday December 25
6pm AEDT, Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers, ESPN
8.30pm AEDT, Sydney Kings vs Illawarra Hawks, ESPN
Thursday December 26
4am AEDT, New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs, ESPN
4am AEDT, NBA Holiday Game: Dunk The Halls, ESPN2
4am AEDT, NBA Holiday Game: Dunk The Halls, Disney+
6.30am AEDT, Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves, ESPN
9am AEDT, Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN
12pm AEDT, Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN
2.30pm AEDT, Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets, ESPN
7.30pm AEDT, Cairns Taipans vs Melbourne United, ESPN
Friday December 27
11.30am AEDT, Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls, ESPN
2pm AEDT, Portland Trailblazers vs Utah Jazz, ESPN
7.30pm AEDT, Brisbane Bullets vs Illawarra Hawks, ESPN
Saturday December 28
11.30am AEDT, Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
2pm AEDT, LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors, ESPN
8pm AEDT, Adelaide 36ers vs Perth Wildcats, ESPN
Sunday December 29
10am AEDT, Charlotte Hornets vs Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN
2.30pm AEDT, Tasmania JackJumpers vs Brisbane Bullets, ESPN
Monday December 30
10am AEDT, Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers, ESPN
7.30pm AEDT, Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers, ESPN
Tuesday December 31
11am AEDT, Charlotte Hornets vs Chicago Bulls, ESPN
2pm AEDT, Sacramento Kings vs Dallas Mavericks, ESPN
5.30pm AEDT, Illawarra Hawks vs South East Melbourne Phoenix, ESPN
ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and Sky NZ.
Media Release – ESPN
Link to ESPN HERE
TV Central ESPN content HERE
NBA on ESPN has wall to wall coverage this Christmas
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