ESPN platforms will exclusively televise the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals – the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James vs. the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokić – starting with Game 1 on Tuesday, May 16, at 8:30 p.m. ET. The longstanding NBA Finals broadcast team of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame play-by-play voice Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson will provide commentary with Lisa Salters reporting. ESPN officiating expert Steve Javie will contribute to coverage from the NBA Replay Center. The full game schedule is below.

Prior to the NBA Western Conference Finals, ABC will exclusively broadcast Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 7 – the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum host the Philadelphia 76ers and NBA M.V.P. Joel Embiid – on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14, at 3:30 p.m. ET. The commentary team will be Breen and Jackson with Salters reporting and Javie contributing. There will be a one-hour NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC beginning at 2:30 p.m.

NBA Draft Lottery

ESPN will exclusively televise the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery prior to Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, at 8 p.m., on May 16. ESPN NBA reporter and host Malika Andrews will lead the coverage, which will also include reports from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski and analysis from Richard Jefferson and Monica McNutt. The NBA Draft Lottery emanates from the McCormick Convention Center, in Chicago, Ill. It is widely projected that French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama will be the first overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft.

NBA Countdown will precede each NBA Western Conference Finals game. The ESPN NBA Countdown shows will begin at 7:30 p.m., while the ABC NBA Countdown show on May 20 will begin at 8 p.m. Mike Greenberg hosts NBA Countdown with analysts Stephen A. Smith, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Wilbon, Jalen Rose and ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski. All ESPN NBA programming is available to stream on the ESPN App.

NBA Western Conference Finals game schedule:

*If necessary

Conference Finals on ESPN Radio

The NBA Western Conference Finals will also be nationally available on ESPN Radio. Marc Kestecher will describe the action with analyst P.J. Carlesimo and reporter Jorge Sedano. Additionally, ESPN Radio will nationally broadcast the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Dave Pasch will call the games alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame analyst Doris Burke with Rosalyn Gold-Onwude reporting.

NBA in Stephen A’s World

The NBA in Stephen A’s World alternate presentation returns for Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 16, at 8:30 p.m. The broadcast, featuring Stephen A. Smith, will air on ESPN2 and ESPN+. It will feature high-profile special guests. The guest list will be announced prior to the broadcast.

Hoop Streams, ESPN’s digital NBA pregame show, will precede every NBA Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals game with a 30-minute show, generally beginning at 8 p.m. ESPN NBA host and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth will lead Hoop Streams coverage alongside Christine Williamson. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst will make regular appearances as well. Hoop Streams is available on ESPN’s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook platforms, as well as the ESPN App.

Conference Finals Postgame Press Conferences

ESPN will carry all postgame press conferences from both the Western Finals and Eastern Finals live on the ESPN App.

ESPN media contacts:
[email protected];
[email protected].