NBA 2020-21 reveals first half schedule: How to live stream, venues and all you need to know about marquee clash
The NBA released the schedule for the first half of the NBA season on Friday. The 2020-21 season starting December 22 tips off with a doubleheader as Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors face-off against Kevin Durant's Brooklyn Nets. Adding to the marquee clash is the battle of the Los Angeles heavyweights— Clippers vs Lakers to close out the opening night. This will be followed by a string of games on Wednesday night as the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Boston Celtics.
The league released a schedule that runs through March 4, 2021, that sees each time play just over 36 games of the 72 they're slated to play. While the NBA 2020 restart used a bubble environment on Orlando, the new edition sees the games being played in each team's home market. Some sides have allowed fans to trickle in to watch games.
Here's a quick look at the schedule for December
December 22, 2020
Golden State Warriors v Brooklyn Nets | 7 pm ET
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Los Angeles Clippers v Los Angeles Lakers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center Los Angeles, CA
December 23, 2020
Charlotte Hornets v Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
New York Knicks v Indiana Pacers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Miami Heat v Orlando Magic | 7 pm ET
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Washington Wizards v Philadelphia 76ers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Milwaukee Bucks v Boston Celtics | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
New Orleans Pelicans v Toronto Raptors | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
Atlanta Hawks v Chicago Bulls | 8 pm ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Oklahoma City Thunder v Houston Rockets | 8 pm ET
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
San Antonio Spurs v Memphis Grizzlies | 8 pm ET
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Detroit Pistons v Minnesota Timberwolves | 8 pm ET
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets | 9 pm ET
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Utah Jazz v Portland Trail Blazers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Dallas Mavericks v Phoenix Suns | 10:30 pm ET
Venue: PHX Arena, Phoenix, AZ
December 25, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans v Miami Heat | 12 pm ET
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Golden State Warriors v Milwaukee Bucks | 2:30 pm ET
Venue: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Brooklyn Nets v Boston Celtics | 5 pm ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Dallas Mavericks v Los Angeles Lakers | 8 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
LA Clippers vs Denver Nuggets | 10:30 pm ET
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
December 26, 2020
Atlanta Hawks v Memphis Grizzlies | 5 pm ET
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Oklahoma City Thunder v Charlotte Hornets | 7 pm ET
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Cleveland Cavaliers v Detroit Pistons | 7 pm ET
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Orlando Magic v Washington Wizards | 7 pm ET
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Philadelphia 76ers v New York Knicks | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Indiana Pacers v Chicago Bulls | 8 pm ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Toronto Raptors v San Antonio Spurs | 8:30 pm ET
Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
Minnesota Timberwolves v Utah Jazz | 9 pm ET
Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Houston Rockets v Portland Trail Blazers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Phoenix Suns v Sacramento Kings | 10 pm ET
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
December 27, 2020
Dallas Mavericks v LA Clippers | 3:30 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Brooklyn Nets v Charlotte Hornets | 7 pm ET
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Orlando Magic v Washington Wizards | 7 pm ET
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
San Antonio Spurs v New Orleans Pelicans | 7 pm ET
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Philadelphia 76ers v Cleveland Cavaliers | 7.30 pm ET
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Milwaukee Bucks v New York Knicks | 7.30 pm ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Boston Celtics v Indiana Pacers | 8 pm ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Golden State Warriors v Chicago Bulls | 8 pm ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Phoenix Suns v Sacramento Kings | 9 pm ET
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
December 28, 2020
Detroit Pistons v Atlanta Hawks | 7.30 pm ET
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Memphis Grizzlies v Brooklyn Nets | 7.30 pm ET
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Utah Jazz v Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 pm ET
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Houston Rockets v Denver Nuggets | 9 pm ET
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Portland Trail Blazers v Los Angeles Lakers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
December 29, 2020
New York Knicks v Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Golden State Warriors v Detroit Pistons | 7 pm ET
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Boston Celtics v Indiana Pacers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Toronto Raptors v Philadelphia 76ers | 7 pm ET
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Chicago Bulls v Washington Wizards | 7 pm ET
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Milwaukee Bucks v Miami Heat | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Orlando Magic v Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 pm ET
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
New Orleans Pelicans v Phoenix Suns | 10 pm ET
Venue: PHX Arena, Phoenix, AZ
Minnesota Timberwolves v LA Clippers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Denver Nuggets v Sacramento Kings | 10 pm ET
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
December 30, 2020
Memphis Grizzlies v Boston Celtics | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Atlanta Hawks v Brooklyn Nets | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Milwaukee Bucks v Miami Heat | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Charlotte Hornets v Dallas Mavericks | 8:30 pm ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Los Angeles Lakers v San Antonio Spurs | 8: 30 pm ET
Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
Portland Trail Blazers v LA Clippers | 10 pm ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
December 31, 2020
Cleveland Cavaliers v Indiana Pacers | 3 pm ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Chicago Bulls v Washington Wizards | 5 pm ET
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Philadelphia 76ers v Orlando Magic | 6:30 pm ET
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Sacramento Kings v Houston Rockets | 7 pm ET
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
New York Knicks v Toronto Raptors | 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
New Orleans Pelicans v Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 pm ET
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Phoenix Suns v Utah Jazz | 9 pm ET
You can view the January to March calendar here.
Where to watch?
The games can be watched live on TNT, ABC, ESPN and NBA TV.
How to live stream?
NBA TV is the easiest and most preferred option. YouTube TV is the second most looked at as it provides access to ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV, as well as a good amount of regional sports networks, including those linked to Fox and NBC. Priced at $64.99, it comes across as a complete package. Other options include Sling TV and fuboTV that can be availed of at reasonable prices.