Are There NBA Games on Thanksgiving?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes! There are definitely NBA games on Thanksgiving. In fact, the Thanksgiving Day games are some of the most highly anticipated games of the season. So if you’re looking for a little basketball action to go along with your turkey dinner, you’re in luck.

Introduction

The answer to this question is a bit complicated. In general, there are no NBA Games scheduled on Thanksgiving Day However, there have been a few exceptions over the years.

The most recent exception was in 2012, when the NBA schedule included two games on Thanksgiving Day These were the first Thanksgiving Day Games since 1947, and they featured the Boston Celtics vs. the Brooklyn Nets and the Houston Rockets vs. the Chicago Bulls

It’s worth noting that these 2012 games were not well-received by fans or players. Many players spoke out against having to play on a holiday, and fans were less than thrilled with the quality of basketball on display. As a result, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any more Thanksgiving Day games in the near future.

The History of the NBA on Thanksgiving

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has a long history of holding games on Thanksgiving Day. The tradition began in the 1950s, when the NBA was in its infancy, and continues to this day.

The first NBA game on Thanksgiving took place in 1951, when the New York Knicks defeated the Ft. Wayne Pistons in a Home game The tradition continued sporadically throughout the 1950s and 1960s, with games taking place on Thanksgiving Day sporadically throughout those two decades.

In 1971, the NBA made Thanksgiving Day games a regular occurrence, scheduling at least two games every year on the holiday. Since then, there have been several notable NBA games on Thanksgiving Day, including several “Turkey Day Classics” between traditional rivals such as the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons

The NBA has continued to schedule games on Thanksgiving Day every year since 1971, making it one of the most enduring traditions in the league.

The First NBA game on Thanksgiving

In 1947, the first ever NBA Game was played on Thanksgiving. The game was between the New York Knicks and the Indianapolis Olympians. The game was not held on Thanksgiving again until 1949. Since then, there have been several games played on Thanksgiving, but not every year.

The most recent Thanksgiving NBA game was in 2013, when the Oklahoma City Thunder played the Miami Heat

The First NBA game on Television

On November 1, 1951, the first NBA game was televised. It was a game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia Warriors and it was broadcast on the Dumont Television Network. The Knicks won, 79-75.

The First NBA game on National Television

On Thanksgiving Day in 1951, the first NBA game was broadcasted on national television. The game between the New York Knicks and the Fort Wayne Pistons was shown on NBC, which was then a new network. The game was not played on Thanksgiving Day in Turkey, but it was the first time that an NBA game had been shown on television in the United States

The Pistons won the game, defeating the Knicks 89-75. This event signified the beginning of a new era for the NBA where games would be shown on national television and audiences would be able to watch from anywhere in the country. Since then, there have been numerous Games Played on Thanksgiving Day, including someclassic matchups between rival teams.

The First NBA game on ESPN

The first NBA Game on ESPN was between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers on November 26, 1979. The game was televised live from Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Knicks defeated the Pacers 105-95.

Since that first game, ESPN has televised multiple NBA Games on Thanksgiving Day each year. In recent years games have featured teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls

The First NBA game on TNT

The first Nba Game on TNT was played on Thanksgiving Day in 1988, between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks The game was not televised live, but was instead aired on tape delay at 11 PM EST. In subsequent years, TNT has aired live NBA games on Thanksgiving Day, most recently in 2016.

The First NBA Game on ABC

On Thanksgiving Day in 2002, the first NBA game was aired on ABC. The game featured the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons The Pistons won the game, 92-91.

The First NBA Game on NBA TV

The first NBA game on NBA TV took place on Thanksgiving Day in 2008, when the Miami Heat faced off against the New York Knicks Since then, there have been a number of other games played on Thanksgiving, including several marquee match-ups.

The First NBA game on Christmas Day

The first NBA Game on Christmas Day was in 1947, when the New York Knicks played the Providence Steamrollers. The NBA has played games on Christmas Day every year since then, with the exception of 1998, when a lockout prevented any games from being played. The most recent Christmas Day game was between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors in 2016.