Are You Ready For Some Basketball?



ABS-CBN Sports and NBA Asia have already released the initial schedule of televised games for the NBA's new season which opens in a few weeks' time.

Only the Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics duel on Opening Night will be shown on ABS-CBN S+A on October 17 starting at 8 am. This game will feature Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back in action for the Celtics after injuries kept them out of the playoffs last April.

The Sixers will have an intact roster led by Joel Embiid, Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons and JJ Redick as they try to take the next step after making the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, falling to Boston in five games.

If you want to watch the other Opening Night game between the defending champion Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 17 at 10:30 am, it will be shown only on Basketball TV and NBA Premium. And as you know by now, the ABS-CBN Sports vs Solar Entertainment controversy over carriage fees is still pending in court so Skycable subscribers will have to pray that the courts make their decision soon regarding a resolution of the case.

For those who want to see LeBron James make his Los Angeles Lakers debut against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 19, that game will be on S+A at 10:30 am.

It's no secret that both LeBron and Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant all have a lot of followers in the Philippines so it's not surprising that ABS-CBN will air a lot of their games. In fact, ABS-CBN Sports heavily promoted the recent Manila visits of Curry and Durant. The former even had the honor of reciting the oath of sportsmanship during the opening of the UAAP games early this month.

ABS-CBN Channel 2's first game this new NBA season will be the Celtics facing Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors on October 20, Saturday, at 8:30 am. The game will be on ESPN in the US but since it's on Channel 2, expect Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc to do the voice-over commentary in their usual pang-masa style.

Channel 2 will also air the Warriors' game against Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks on October 27 also at 8:30 am with probably Boom Gonzalez and Magsanoc as panelists.

ABS-CBN Sports is expected to tap its other UAAP and NCAA commentators for its NBA studio coverage like Mico Halili, Andrei Felix, Anton Roxas, Marco Benitez and Migs Bustos to help Gonzalez, Magsanoc and Paras since TJ Manotoc has been reassigned to ABS-CBN News' North American Bureau.

The Christmas Day schedule (December 26, Manila time) has yet to be announced by ABS-CBN but it is likely that the Kapamilya Network will air the Warriors vs Lakers game at Oracle Arena. The game has been scheduled for 5 pm California Daylight Saving Time which is 9 am Manila time, perfect for those waking up after their Christmas dinner to watch.

The ABS-CBN schedule for the NBA this season will still be the same. S+A will air the Friday, Sunday and Monday games while Channel 2 will air the Saturday games to give way to the network's dubbed kiddie movies on Sunday mornings, as well as specials like beauty pageants and G Diaries hosted by former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez -- who happens to be the sister of ABS-CBN Chairman Emeritus Gabby Lopez.

As I have posted before, this is going to be the last year of ABS-CBN and Solar's contract to air the NBA games so NBA fans hope that both parties settle their court case and the games return to Skycable. And expect ESPN5 to make a bid for the NBA TV rights next summer.

Let's enjoy the new NBA season and expect a lot of unpredictable events as the season unfolds.
Location: El Sobrante, CA, USA

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