Apr 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox (4) shoots during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Credit: © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
By Sam Neumann on

The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, April 18, and for the first time in more than two decades, the postseason will air without TNT.

The NBA released the Game 1 schedule for the first round on Sunday, with eight matchups spread across two days and three broadcast partners. Under the league’s new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal with ESPN/ABC, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC/Peacock — which kicked off this season after TNT’s nearly 40-year run with the league came to an end — all three partners are carrying first-round games for the first time.

Saturday’s slate opens with Raptors-Cavaliers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Timberwolves-Nuggets at 3:30 p.m., Hawks-Knicks at 6 p.m. — all on Prime Video — and Rockets-Lakers at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Sunday’s slate has the Celtics hosting the East 7th seed at 1 p.m. ET on ABC, the Thunder hosting the West 8th seed at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, the East 8th seed visiting the Pistons at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock, and the Spurs hosting the West 7th seed at 9 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.

Here are possible — but unconfirmed — announcing assignments for the first round:

The East and West 7th and 8th seeds will be determined by the Play-In Tournament, which tips off exclusively on Prime Video, marking its first postseason appearance in the league’s history under the new deal. The Play-In schedule opens Tuesday with Heat-Hornets at 7:30 p.m. ET and Trail Blazers-Suns at 10 p.m. ET, continues Wednesday with Magic-76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET and Warriors-Clippers at 10 p.m. ET, and concludes Friday with the winner of Game 1 against the loser of Game 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the winner of Game 4 against the loser of Game 2 at 10 p.m. ET.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann