The Los Angeles Lakers are slated for a significant presence in the national television spotlight during the upcoming 2026-2027 NBA season, with 34 of their games scheduled for national broadcast. This total ties them for the most nationally televised games in the league, alongside the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Philadelphia 76ers.
The schedule, released on Thursday afternoon, indicates the Lakers will have 10 games on NBC, 10 on Prime Video, nine on ESPN, and five on ABC.
The Lakers' season will commence on October 21, with an ESPN broadcast against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. They are scheduled for two more nationally televised contests the following week: an away game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Peacock on October 27, followed by another matchup with the Warriors on October 30, airing on Prime Video.
LeBron James is set to face his former team on Christmas Day, as the Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers. This game, scheduled for the 2:00 p.m. slot, will also mark the first time James competes against his son, Bronny.
The Lakers and 76ers will meet again on March 4, when Los Angeles travels to Philadelphia for a 4:00 p.m. game.
Matchups against the NBA Champion New York Knicks are also scheduled for national broadcasts. The Lakers will visit Madison Square Garden on January 30, with the game airing on ABC. Their second encounter with the Knicks will take place on March 11, broadcast on Prime Video, occurring shortly after the NBA trade deadline.
Two of the three games against the Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs will be on the road. The first is on November 27, airing on Prime Video at 6:30 p.m., followed by a February 6 game at 5:30 p.m. on ABC. Their sole home game against the Spurs is scheduled for Sunday, April 4, at 7 p.m., and will be broadcast on Telemundo, NBC, and Peacock.
The rivalry game against the Boston Celtics will begin on January 7 with the Lakers traveling to Boston for a 7:00 p.m. contest on Prime Video. The Celtics will visit Los Angeles on February 2, at 5:00 p.m., airing on NBC and Peacock.
This schedule marks the Lakers' first season without LeBron James since the 2017-2018 season, as the team prepares to feature Luka Doncic prominently. The significant number of national TV games suggests the NBA continues to see substantial interest in the Los Angeles franchise.