What Time Does The NBA Game Start?
If you’re wondering what time the NBA game starts tonight, you’re in luck. We’ve got all the info you need to make sure you don’t miss a second of the action.
Eastern Time
The game is set to start at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. What time will that be for people in different time zones across the U.S.? Here is a breakdown of the start time in various time zones.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight franchises, the team play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League (NHL)’s Boston Bruins. The Celtics are one of the most successful teams in NBA history; winning seventeen NBA championships, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for second-most championships behind the Chicago Bulls.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Barclays Center. They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other is the New York Knicks. The team was established in 1967 as a charter franchise of the NBA’s rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). They played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans during their first season, before relocating to Long Island, New York, in 1968 and changing their name to the New York Nets. During this time, the Nets won two ABA championships (in 1974 and 1976). The Nets were one of four ABA teams that joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger in 1976; their credit for any ABA achievements are now disallowed by the NBA due to that merger.[5]
The team then became part of the NBA along with three other ABA teams generation has given way to players such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. While earlier generations of Brooklyn Nets players featured stars such as Julius Erving and Jason Kidd,
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are a professional basketball team based in New York City. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden, an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City; the other is the Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks were established in 1946 as a charter member of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which was later renamed the NBA. In 1957, lead investor Danny Biasone purchased the franchise from Madison Square Garden owner Ned Irish, and moved the team to Syracuse, New York. After 68 seasons (1946–2014) in Syracuse and three seasons in Albany, New York, the Knicks moved back to New York City prior to the start of the 2014–15 season. The 70-year-old franchise has won two NBA championships (1970 and 1973), eight Eastern Conference titles and six division championships. As successful as they have been on the court, they have been equally unfortunate off it and have won only one playoff series since 2001. Historian Leonard Koppett once characterized their struggles as having more to do with bad timing than bad management, adding that “rebuilding drafts” and “changing coaches” rarely turn around losing teams quickly.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers play their home games at the Wells Fargo Center, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Eastern Conference of the NBA is made up of 15 teams, organized into 3 divisions. The 76ers are in the Atlantic Division, along with the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors.
In order to make the playoffs, a team must finish in one of the top 8 spots in their conference. The NBA regular season runs from October to April, and each team plays 82 games. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that is held after the regular season ends.
The Eastern Conference Finals is a best-of-seven series between the two teams from the Eastern Conference that have advanced to that round of the playoffs. The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will advance to the NBA Finals to play against the winner of the Western Conference Finals.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. The team was founded in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. When the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, the Raptors became the only Canadian-based team in the NBA.
The Raptors play their home games at Scotiabank Arena, which they share with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada. Following an ownership change which led to wild success on court and massive popularity off it, including multiple division championships and an appearance in the 2019 NBA Finals, In October 1993, Bacon sold control of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd., owner of both MLSE properties—Maple Leaf Gardens itself andAir Canada Centre—to Steve Stavro’s Knightsbridge Babyland Inc., for $475 million; at that point Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment had been valued at approximately $1 billion CAD by investment analysts. Although Stavro later claimed that he was unaware that his purchase included MLSE when he bought it for $475 million CAD fromInterbrew (now Labatt) in 1991 which had previously owned 80% of MLSE after acquiring it from Molson Brewery for $700 million CAD prior to 1990; Molson Breweries/Molson Companies had purchased Maple Leaf Gardens from Harold Ballard for $22 million CAD following his death several years earlier. At some point prior to acquiring ownership over MLSE from Interbrew/Labatt/Seagram/Philip Morris for $475m+mn CAD on October 25th 1993 Steve Stavro did appear to be well aware that his purchase included ownership over 80% of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment given that on November 2nd 1999 just six years after acquiring 80% control over MLSE Steve Stavro would state while appearing before Ontario Securities Commission to defend how he handled some controversial share purchases related to his company Tsubakimoto Chain Co. that: “I am not now, nor have I ever been an officer or director or shareholder of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.” As such Steve Stavro owned 100% (100%) of maple leaf gardens ltd and as such 80%(80%) control over maple leaf sports & entertainment prior to any formal public announcement being made about him selling any stake within either company on October 26th 1999
Central Time
The game will be starting at 7:00 PM Central Time.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are a professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bulls play their home games at the United Center, an arena on Chicago’s West Side shared with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team from Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team began play in 1970 as an expansion team and won their first Eastern Conference championship in 2007. They have reached the NBA Finals five times, winning the championship in 2016.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons play in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The Eastern Conference is made up of teams from the Eastern Time Zone, which is why most Pistons games start at 7:00 pm EST. However, some games may start at 8:00 pm EST or 8:30 pm EST, so it is important to check the schedule before attending a game.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers were first established in 1967 as members of the American Basketball Association (ABA). They joined the NBA in 1976 as part of the ABA–NBA merger.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are members of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and play their home games at the Fiserv Forum. The Bucks compete in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and played its first regular-season game against the Chicago Bulls on October 16, 1968.
Mountain Time
The game starts at 6:00 PM EST.
Denver Nuggets
7:00 PM Mountain Time
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded on January 13, 1989, but playing their first game in November 1989. The Timberwolves play their home games at Target Center, which they share with four other professional sports franchises: the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Iowa Wild, and Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Minnesota United FC.
The team was founded by Inner Circle Sports executive Bob Stein, who served as the team’s first president. It was originally awarded to an ownership group headed by Choueifat businessman George Tsai; however, NBA Commissioner David Stern intervened and awarded the franchise to a group headed by Stein in order to keep the franchise in Minneapolis. On April 22, 2014, Flip Saunders was announced as the new head coach and president of basketball operations; he took over for interim head coach Sam Mitchell, who took over for Rick Adelman after he retired on September 23, 2013. That same day, Glen Taylor owners of the majority stake in Target Corporation and owner of the Timberwolves since 1994—announced that he would not sell the team despite having entered into an agreement to sell 20 percent of his stake in July 2013 to Steve Kaplan, co-founder and managing partner of Crescent Capital Group and owner/operator of Guggenheim Soccer Management LLC., which manages English Premier League side Swansea City; this therefore gave Kaplan a 6 percent stake in both teams.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays its home games at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. The team played its home games in the Memorial Coliseum before moving to Moda Center in 1995 (called the Rose Garden until 2013). The franchise entered the league as an expansion team in 1970, and has enjoyed a strong following: from 1977 through 1995, they sold out 814 consecutive home games, the longest such streak in American major professional sports at the time, and only since surpassed by baseball’s Cleveland Indians and basketball’s San Antonio Spurs. The Trail Blazers have been the only NBA team based in Portland continuously since 1971.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz play their home games at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The team is currently in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Jazz play their home games at the Vivint Smart Home Arena, which is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The arena has a capacity of 18,306 and is the home court of the Utah Jazz NBA basketball team.
The arena is located in downtown Salt Lake City and is also home to the Utah Warriors rugby team and the Salt Lake City Stars basketball team.
Pacific Time
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As of 2019, the Warriors have won five NBA Championships, including three in the last four years (2015, 2017 and 2018).
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers play in the Pacific Time Zone, which means that their games start at either 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM Pacific Time (PT).
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference in the Pacific Division. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, an arena shared with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team, the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). The new team began playing in Minneapolis, calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers. Initially a member of the NBL, the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joiningthe rival Basketball Association of America, where they would win five of their next six championships after getting swept bythe Indianapolis Olympians in its first NBA Finals appearance in 1950. Led by center George Mikan, who is described bythe NBAs official website as “the league’s first superstar”, they won their next five championships between 1950 and 1954 while capturing 16 division titles between 1949 and 1957. After Mikans retirement following their 1954 title win, they acquired center Wilt Chamberlain to lead a new generationof superstars to one more title between 1968 and 1972; becoming characterized alongside teams such as 1860s Boston Red Stockings and 1980s Boston Celtics as one of sports history’s renowned dynasties.
The team struggled after Chamberlain’s retirement but managed to rebuilt with players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during 1974-1975 season as division champions; Abdul-Jabbar was named Finals MVP for his performances that season.[5] In 1980s, with Abdul-Jabbar nearing retirement and head coach Pat Riley Promised “showtime” basketball featuring “Fast breaks [and] extravagant showmanship mixed with dazzling passes and alley oop dunks”;[6][7] Earvin “Magic” Johnson would begin his Hall-of-Fame career,[8] leading them to five more titles[9][10][11][12] between 1980 and 1991 while being advertised alongsidethe likes of Isiah Thomas,[13] Larry Bird,[14][15] Clyde Drexler;[16][17][18] becoming one of sports all time greatest rivalries.[19] After winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 followed by another championship run led by Kobe Bryant during 2012 NBA Playoffs where they defeatedBoston Celtics for fifteenth NBA Finals appearance which also ties them for second place behind Boston Celtics for most appearances; this gave them seventeen championships which tiesPhoenix Suns for fifth place for most all time behind only four other teams which are more than double their amount.[20].
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division, and are the only team in their division not to be based in California. The Suns began play as an expansion team in 1968.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings are in the Pacific time zone, so games start at either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. local time.
