Eleven games tonight, and 22 teams play their season opener. ESPN has two national games: Timberwolves at Heat at 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT) and Warriors at Lakers at 10pm ET (7pm PT).
The other nine are local games: on each team's own channel at home, and on League Pass for everyone outside both markets. For the live channel grid, see Tonight's games. Last night's finals are in NBA Scores & Results: October 20.
What NBA games are on TV tonight?
All times are Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
| Game | ET / PT | National TV | Local TV (away / home) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawks at Magic | 7pm / 4pm | None | WANF 46 / MagicTV 27 |
| Bucks at Wizards | 7pm / 4pm | None | My24 / MNMT |
| Timberwolves at Heat | 7:30pm / 4:30pm | ESPN | National only |
| Hornets at Nets | 7:30pm / 4:30pm | None | WSOC 9 / TV64 / YES |
| Bulls at Raptors | 7:30pm / 4:30pm | None | CHSN / League Pass (US) |
| Jazz at Grizzlies | 8pm / 5pm | None | KJZZ 14 / DAZN |
| Pacers at Pelicans | 8pm / 5pm | None | DAZN / GCSEN |
| Mavericks at Rockets | 8:30pm / 5:30pm | None | KFAA 29 / SCHN |
| Warriors at Lakers | 10pm / 7pm | ESPN | National only |
| Suns at Trail Blazers | 10pm / 7pm | None | 3TV / KUNP / KATU |
| Kings at Clippers | 10:30pm / 7:30pm | None | NBCS California / ClipperVision |
How can I stream tonight's games?
ESPN games: the ESPN app with ESPN Unlimited, $31.99 a month or $319.99 a year (checked October 17, 2026), or any cable or live TV service with ESPN.
Local games: each team's own stream works in its home market. Out of market, every local game tonight is on NBA League Pass.
Want the season total for your team? Try the cheapest way to watch your team calculator.
Will tonight's games be blacked out?
The two ESPN games are blacked out live on League Pass everywhere in the US, and the teams' local channels don't carry them.
For the other nine, League Pass blacks out the game only inside either team's home market, where it airs on the local channel instead. Check your ZIP code on the League Pass blackout checker.
Hawks at Magic: 7pm ET (4pm PT)
Where to watch: Hawks on WANF Atlanta News First (46), free over the air; their local streaming option is unconfirmed. Magic on MagicTV 27, free over the air, and Magic on DAZN. Kia Center, Orlando.
Why watch: two Southeast rivals who both finished above .500 last season (Hawks 46-36, Magic 45-37), and both teams' local games are free on antenna TV after leaving FanDuel Sports Network.
Injury report (10am ET): Orlando has Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Izaiyah Nelson and Noah Penda out. Atlanta has Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar out.
Bucks at Wizards: 7pm ET (4pm PT)
Where to watch: Bucks on My24, free over the air, and Bucks+. Wizards on Monumental Sports Network and Monumental+. Capital One Arena, Washington.
Why watch: both teams are trying to climb out of last season's lottery (Wizards 17-65, Bucks 32-50).
Injury report (10am ET): Washington has AJ Dybantsa (left ankle), Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins out. Milwaukee's Nate Ament is probable.
Timberwolves at Heat: 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT), ESPN
Where to watch: ESPN and the ESPN app. Kaseya Center, Miami.
Local homes when not national: the Timberwolves are on DAZN, with 15 games free on KARE 11. The Heat moved to WPLG Local 10, free over the air.
Why watch: two new star pairings meet for the first time. Minnesota added LaMelo Ball to go with Anthony Edwards, and Miami brought in Giannis Antetokounmpo to pair with Bam Adebayo (NBA.com).
Injury report (10am ET): Minnesota's Donte DiVincenzo is out. Miami's Vladislav Goldin is questionable.
Hornets at Nets: 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT)
Where to watch: Hornets on WSOC 9 and TV64, free over the air, and Hornets on DAZN. Nets on YES Network, with YES on DAZN in market. Barclays Center, Brooklyn.
Why watch: Charlotte went 44-38 last season and Brooklyn went 20-62, but the Hornets are short-handed to start.
Injury report (10am ET): Charlotte has Kylan Boswell, Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams out. Brooklyn's Tyler Bilodeau is out.
Bulls at Raptors: 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT)
Where to watch: Bulls on Chicago Sports Network and the CHSN app. The Raptors have no US home market, so US fans outside Chicago watch on League Pass. Scotiabank Arena, Toronto.
Why watch: Toronto went 46-36 last season and opens at home against a Bulls team that went 31-51.
Injury report (10am ET): Chicago has Nic Claxton out and Jordan Hawkins and Dailyn Swain doubtful (illness). Toronto's Nate Bittle is out.
Jazz at Grizzlies: 8pm ET (5pm PT)
Where to watch: Jazz on KJZZ 14, free over the air, and Jazz+. Grizzlies on DAZN; whether tonight is one of their 15 free ABC24 games is unconfirmed (7 of those dates are not announced yet). FedExForum, Memphis.
Why watch: two rebuilding West teams (Grizzlies 25-57, Jazz 22-60 last season) get a fresh start against each other.
Injury report (10am ET): Utah has Trey Alexander, Tony Bradley, Blake Hinson and Jusuf Nurkic out. Memphis lists Isaiah Stewart as doubtful.
Pacers at Pelicans: 8pm ET (5pm PT)
Where to watch: Pacers on Pacers on DAZN. Pelicans on the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, free over the air, and Pelicans+. Smoothie King Center, New Orleans.
Why watch: both teams finished near the bottom last season (Pacers 19-63, Pelicans 26-56), so this is an early read on who bounced back.
Injury report (10am ET): Indiana has Johnny Furphy, T.J. McConnell and Aaron Nesmith out. New Orleans has no one listed.
Mavericks at Rockets: 8:30pm ET (5:30pm PT)
Where to watch: Mavericks on KFAA 29, free over the air, and MavsTV. Rockets on Space City Home Network and SCHN+. Toyota Center, Houston.
Why watch: a Texas rivalry to open the year. Houston went 52-30 last season; Dallas went 26-56.
Injury report (10am ET): Dallas has Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin out, with Jett Howard questionable. Houston lists Steven Adams and Julian Phillips as questionable.
Warriors at Lakers: 10pm ET (7pm PT), ESPN
Where to watch: ESPN and the ESPN app. Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles.
Local homes when not national: the Warriors are on NBC Sports Bay Area. The Lakers are on Spectrum SportsNet.
Why watch: it's the Lakers' first game since LeBron James left. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and newcomer Walker Kessler face Stephen Curry's Warriors (NBA.com, USA Today).
Injury report (10am ET): Golden State has Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Kristaps Porzingis (not with team) out; Curry is probable with right ankle soreness. The Lakers have Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero out and Collin Sexton questionable.
Suns at Trail Blazers: 10pm ET (7pm PT)
Where to watch: Suns on Arizona's Family 3TV, free over the air, and Suns+. Trail Blazers on KUNP and the Rip City Television Network, free over the air, and BlazerVision. Moda Center, Portland.
Why watch: two West teams that both made it above .500 last season (Suns 45-37, Blazers 42-40).
Injury report (10am ET): Portland has Shaedon Sharpe, Branden Carlson and Chris Youngblood out, with Deni Avdija questionable. Phoenix has Mark Williams out and Luke Kennard questionable.
Kings at Clippers: 10:30pm ET (7:30pm PT)
Where to watch: Kings on NBC Sports California, with its Peacock regional add-on. Clippers on ClipperVision, in the NBA app. Intuit Dome, Inglewood.
Why watch: the late game on the board, and both teams are missing key players to start. The Clippers went 42-40 last season and the Kings 22-60.
Injury report (10am ET): the Clippers have Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Max Strus out. Sacramento has Ben Simmons, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud out, with Malik Monk questionable.
What's next after tonight?
ESPN has Cavaliers at 76ers and Nuggets at Thunder Thursday, then Prime Video takes Friday. Our week-ahead guide has every national game through October 25, and Where every team moved covers the new local homes after FanDuel Sports Network.
Injury statuses change through the day, so check the NBA's latest report before tip-off.
Frequently asked questions
What channel are the NBA games on tonight, October 21?
ESPN has Timberwolves at Heat at 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT) and Warriors at Lakers at 10pm ET (7pm PT). The other nine games are on the teams' local channels and on NBA League Pass outside both markets.
How many NBA games are on tonight?
Eleven. The first tips at 7pm ET (4pm PT) with Hawks at Magic and Bucks at Wizards, and the last is Kings at Clippers at 10:30pm ET (7:30pm PT).
How do I stream the ESPN games tonight?
On the ESPN app with ESPN Unlimited ($31.99 a month, checked October 17, 2026), or with a cable or live TV streaming service that carries ESPN. Both ESPN games are blacked out live on League Pass.
Which games tonight are free over the air?
Hawks (WANF 46), Magic (MagicTV 27), Bucks (My24), Hornets (WSOC 9 / TV64), Jazz (KJZZ 14), Pelicans (GCSEN), Mavericks (KFAA 29), Suns (3TV) and Trail Blazers (KUNP / KATU) fans in market can watch with an antenna.
Can I watch tonight's local games on League Pass?
Yes, if you live outside both teams' markets. In either team's home market the game is blacked out on League Pass and airs on the local channel instead.
Sources
- ESPN NBA schedule for Oct 21, 2026 (tip times and TV)
- NBA official injury report, Oct 21, 2026, 10:00 AM ET (tip times and statuses)
- NBA.com Starting 5: American Express Tip-Off guide (Oct 13, 2026)
- USA Today: Lakers storylines entering the 2026-27 opener (Oct 21, 2026)
- AP game previews via ESPN (2025-26 records), Oct 21, 2026
- ESPN: Select and Unlimited plans and prices (checked Oct 17, 2026)
- NBA League Pass blackout guide
Scores, stats and tip times checked against at least two sources. Local channels hand-checked October 17, 2026. Spot an error? Email hello@howtowatchnba.com.
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