After the NBA announced the official and detailed schedule last weekend, fans quickly pointed out which team received the most television favor among the 30 participating clubs.
Across the four national television networks (THQG) in the US including ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV, the Los Angeles Lakers will be shown 39 of the total 82 Regular Season games on the THQG network mentioned above.
Following the Lakers is the Golden State Warriors with 36 games. The reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics have 34 games and the New York Kicks will also have 34 games on national television next season.
Since LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2019, the purple and gold team has been in the top two teams with the most nationally televised games in the NBA.
However, the upcoming 2024-25 season will be the first time the Lakers climb to the No. 1 position. On the other hand, three teams including the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors are at the bottom with 4 games each.
For NBA fans in the US, national TV games are the easiest way to watch the NBA instead of having to pay for monthly streaming services.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors lead the way, featuring the two biggest stars in the NBA right now, LeBron James and Stephen Curry. They are also the two clubs with the largest fan bases.
However, the unimpressive performance of these two teams makes fans upset, especially with less famous teams but with better quality squads.
Favored by the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to have a successful season according to many experts.
Contrary to the “arms race” of the entire NBA, the Lakers almost did not make any notable signings in the summer, meaning the quality of their squad remained stagnant.
“Because their core is largely unchanged, the Lakers will have some continuity. But that’s a downside because their holes from last season have yet to be addressed.”
The LA team even went backwards when they lost some important pillars, notably Taurean Prince, a 3-point shooter with good defense.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ season officially begins on the morning of October 23 with a trip to the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will then face the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings in back-to-back games on October 26 and 27.
