Photo Credit: Andreas Mayr/OpenCourt-Basketball
While the NBA Finals are not directly around the corner, with multiple first round series still going on, the NBA has officially released the schedule of the 2023 Finals.
Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday, June 1st, Game 2 will take place on the 4th of June, Game 3 on June 7, Game 4 on June 9, and if needed Games 5, 6 and 7 will be played on June 12, 15 and 18 respectively if necessary.
Aside from the schedule the NBA and ESPN also announced one major change to the NBA Finals, one that mostly people living on the East Coast are going to appreciate.
This year will feature earlier tip-off times, with NBA Finals games on weekdays beginning at 8:30 pm ET instead of 9:00 pm in prior years. Games airing on Sundays will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET.
“Our fans told us that earlier starts for Finals games are simply better for them,” said Gregg Winik, NBA President, Content and Executive Producer. “We’re excited to work with ABC to present the 2023 NBA Finals at a more optimal viewing time.”
“We’re proud to work closely with our NBA partners to deliver the NBA Finals on ABC for the 21st consecutive season,’ said Julie Sobieski, ESPN Senior Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions. “Our best-in-class coverage team is ready to showcase all of the action and excitement, now at earlier start times for fans.”
