NBA on NBC 2025-26
NBA on NBC — the Saturday primetime return
NBA on NBC returns in 2025-26 after 23 years off-air. Slam Dunk Zone delivers NBC and Peacock Sports in HD for $39.95/mo. No cable.
TL;DR: NBA on NBC returns in 2025-26 after a 23-year break (last aired 2001-02 season). Under the new NBA media rights deal, NBC airs Saturday primetime games and shares Conference Finals duty with ABC and Amazon. Slam Dunk Zone delivers NBC in HD for $39.95/mo with 6 simultaneous device streams. Slam Dunk Now for the new Saturday tradition.
NBA on NBC: the 2025-26 return
NBC last aired NBA games in the 2001-02 season under the iconic Roundball Rock theme. The 23-year break ends in 2025-26: NBC and Peacock Sports become co-equal NBA partners alongside Disney (ABC/ESPN) and Amazon Prime Video.
NBC’s package: Saturday primetime games (the new appointment-viewing slot), select Sunday afternoons, plus shared Conference Finals coverage with ABC. Roughly 50 regular-season games + playoff appearances per season.
SDZ at $39.95/mo includes NBC in the standard HD lineup. The Saturday primetime tradition continues, just on a different broadcaster.
Saturday primetime NBA: appointment viewing returns
Saturday primetime NBA was a 1990s institution: Bulls-Knicks rivalry games, Jordan-vs-everyone, Roundball Rock. The 2025-26 NBC slate aims to recreate that with marquee Saturday matchups — typically 2-3 games per Saturday from December through April.
For viewers, this is the new Saturday-night ritual. SDZ delivers NBC in HD with 6 simultaneous device streams — living-room TV for the marquee, second TV for the alternate, tablets for cross-coverage.
The broadcast team: TBD as of late 2025, but expect a Mike Tirico-anchored production paired with a high-profile color commentator.
Peacock Sports: NBC’s streaming complement
Peacock Sports streams the same NBC NBA games via the Peacock app ($7.99-$13.99/mo standalone, free with some Comcast bundles). Peacock-exclusive games (without NBC simulcast) are part of the NBA-NBC deal.
For viewers stacking subscriptions: Peacock for Peacock-exclusive games + SDZ for NBC simulcast + everything else. Total: $47-54/mo, still under YouTube TV’s $82.99 with the same coverage.
SDZ alone covers the NBC simulcast games. Peacock-exclusive games require Peacock for now.
NBC Conference Finals: shared with ABC
Under the 2025-26 deal, the Conference Finals rotate between ABC, NBC, and possibly Amazon depending on year. NBC’s first NBA Conference Finals air in May-June 2026 — exact East/West designation TBD by the league.
Finals remain on ABC under Disney’s retained Finals rights. NBC’s playoff role is Conference Finals + select First/Second round games.
SDZ delivers all of these in HD as part of the standard $39.95/mo membership.
Setup: NBC NBA games in 60 seconds
Visit /checkout/?afmc=833312, pay $39.95 monthly via PayPal, get AccuViewTV credentials by email within 60 seconds. Drop into IPTV Smarters Pro on Firestick. Find NBC in the channel guide. Saturday tip-off.
For Peacock-exclusive games (without NBC simulcast), pair Peacock standalone ($7.99/mo). Combined SDZ + Peacock = ~$48/mo for full NBC NBA coverage.
The Slam Dunk Deal
Cable vs Slam Dunk Zone
| Cable | SDZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $150+ | $39.95 |
| Channels | ~200 | 5,000+ |
| Devices | 1–2 | 6 at once |
| Contract | Locked | Cancel anytime |
| Sports | Premium tier | Included |
Frequently asked
NBA on NBC — frequently asked
Is NBA on NBC really back in 2025-26?
Yes — NBC and Peacock Sports became NBA media rights partners under the 2025-26 deal alongside Disney and Amazon. Last NBA on NBC was 2001-02 season.
What time are NBC NBA games on Saturday?
Saturday primetime: typically 8:00 PM ET tip-off for the marquee, 8:30 PM ET for late-coast matchups. Pre-game coverage starts 30 minutes earlier.
Does SDZ have NBC for NBA games?
Yes — NBC is in the SDZ HD lineup as part of the $39.95/mo membership.
What's the difference between NBC and Peacock for NBA?
NBC airs broadcast TV (cable + over-the-air). Peacock streams the same games via the Peacock app. Some games are Peacock-exclusive without NBC simulcast.
Can I watch the NBC NBA broadcast on Firestick?
Yes — Firestick with IPTV Smarters Pro is the recommended SDZ setup. NBC appears in the channel guide.
Will Roundball Rock theme return?
NBC has hinted at bringing back the John Tesh Roundball Rock theme. As of late 2025, the production music is TBD — but the appointment-viewing slot is back.
Tip-off
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