After making a big splash in the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers are must-see TV. The NBA announced the schedule for the 2019-20 regular season today, and the Sixers will have 24 regular-season games that are slated to be on national TV across ABC, ESPN and TNT, including a season-opening matchup at home against Boston on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Philadelphia will also play 12 times on NBA TV.
The 76ers open the road schedule at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. against the Pistons, before concluding the team’s first trip on Monday, Oct. 28 against the Hawks at 7:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Philadelphia is set to host 2018-19 Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at The Center on Christmas Day. The game is set for Wednesday, Dec. 25 and will be televised on ABC, starting at 2:30 p.m. The 76ers’ last Christmas Day home game was played on Dec. 25, 1988, when Philadelphia topped Washington 125-110, as Hall of Famer Charles Barkley tallied 25 points and 12 rebounds. Having played the last two Christmases (Boston, 2018; New York, 2017), this marks the 76ers’ third straight appearance on Christmas Day. The last time Philadelphia played on three consecutive Christmas Days was from 1986-88.
The Bucks, who reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and 76ers are set to face off three more times in 2019-20, with each game being played on national television. The two teams will meet twice in the month of February at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020 at 8 p.m. on TNT and Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. Philadelphia and Milwaukee will close out the four-game season series at The Center on Tuesday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. on TNT.
Other notable highlights include:
- To tip off an early season four-game Western Conference road trip, the 76ers will visit All-Star Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Nov. 2 (10 p.m.).
- On Nov. 6 (9 p.m.), Philadelphia will take on 2018-19 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley and the new-look Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
- The 76ers will visit the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors on Monday, Nov. 25 (7:30 p.m.) in the first of four matchups between the division rivals. Last postseason, the two teams played a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series.
- 2019 No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans will make their lone appearance at The Center on Friday, Dec. 13 (7 p.m.).
- In the two teams’ second matchup of the 2019-20 season, Philadelphia will visit Boston and All-Star Kemba Walker on Thursday, Dec. 12 (8 p.m.) on TNT.
- Philadelphia will take on Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Dec. 15 (6 p.m.) at Barclays Center in the first of four matchups between the two teams. Also included in the four-game series, the Nets and 76ers will face off in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee on Monday, Jan. 20 (3 p.m.) at Barclays Center.
- The Dallas Mavericks, led by 2018-19 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Luka Dončić and All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, will travel to Philadelphia for a Friday, Dec. 20 (8 p.m.) matchup on ESPN.
- On Saturday, Jan. 25 (8:30 p.m.) on ABC, The Center will play host to All-Stars Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers.
- Three days later, on Tuesday, Jan. 28 (7:30 p.m.), the Golden State Warriors, led by All-Stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell will make their lone visit to Philadelphia.
- The 76ers will play host to 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, All-Star running mate Paul George and the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday, Feb. 11 (7 p.m.) on TNT.
- Philadelphia’s March 1-7 road trip will feature games at the L.A. Clippers (Sunday, March 1, 3:30 p.m., ABC), the L.A. Lakers (Tuesday, March 3, 10 p.m., TNT), Sacramento (Thursday, March 5, 10 p.m.) and Golden State (Saturday, March 7, 8:30 p.m., ABC). Three of the four games will be nationally televised.
- On Tuesday, March 31 (7:30 p.m.) on TNT, the 76ers will take on Houston Rockets’ All-Stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook in the only game between the two teams in Philadelphia.
- The 76ers will have 18 weekend games (six Fridays, seven Saturdays, five Sundays) at The Center.
- Philadelphia will play six games on ABC this season, tied for the most in the NBA (L.A. Lakers).
Philadelphia’s final regular season game is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15 at The Center against the Hornets.
BREAKDOWN BY MONTH:
OCTOBER: 4 games (2 home, 2 road)
NOVEMBER: 16 games (7 home, 9 road)
DECEMBER: 16 games (9 home, 7 road)
JANUARY: 13 games (6 home, 7 road)
FEBRUARY: 11 games (6 home, 5 road)
MARCH: 15 games (8 home, 7 road)
APRIL: 7 games (3 home, 4 road)