THE The complete 2024-25 NBA season schedule is releasedand the The Los Angeles Lakers have at least one claim to fame. They will once again lead the league in terms of appearances on national television.
Between ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV, the Lakers will have 39 of their 82 games (48%) broadcast nationally, via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Right after the Lakers are the Golden State Warriors with 36, then reigning champion Boston Celtics And The New York Knicks with 34 each.
THE The Dallas Mavericks And Phoenix Suns follow with 30 each. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers And Toronto Raptors are tied for last, with four nationally broadcast games each.
One last order: the same list but sorted by the number of nationally televised games, including NBA TV.
LAL: 39
Gross vehicle weight: 36
BOS: 34
NYK: 34
DAL: 30
PHX: 30
SIZE: 29
MIL: 27
PHI: 27
MIN: 25
OKC: 25
BAC: 21
SAS: 21
Memory: 17
KEYS: 16
IND: 14
Missing: 13
NOP: 13
BAG: 12
HOU: 11
ENT: 9
ATL: 8
CHA: 7… https://t.co/igejprP4Nf– Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) August 15, 2024
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Lakers have been ranking first or second in the NBA in nationally televised games for LeBron James The Warriors arrived in town for the 2019-20 season. However, this is the first time the team has finished first since 2021-22, with the Warriors having finished first the last two seasons.
Clearly, this does not reflect meritocracy. The Lakers have not won a title since 2020 and are coming off a first-round humiliation at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in last season’s playoffs. Television networks want good teams on their schedule, but they especially want big names. That’s why the Warriors’ ranking in second place after missing the playoffs last season makes a lot more sense when you replace their name with Stephen Curry.
The Lakers also have no shortage of intrigue for the upcoming season, thanks to the addition of James’ son. Bronny and hiring his podcast partner JJ Redick as his head coach. LeBron and Bronny are set to become the first on-court father-son duo in NBA history when Bronny takes the court, and you can bet TV networks will want to air the moment.
The team’s core hasn’t changed much this offseason, so the netminders could be looking to get the same results as last season – unless Redick proves to be much better than Darvin Ham.