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Cleveland Cavs 2025-26 schedule, national TV games include NBA Christmas Day showdown
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- Cleveland Cavs 2025-26 schedule, national TV games include NBA Christmas Day showdown
The NBA released its 2025-26 schedule Aug. 14, and the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to take center stage on the national level.
Not counting NBA TV, primarily because it doesn't have the reach, the Cavs last season were announced to appear in eight nationally televised games when the schedule dropped. That number eventually grew during the course of the season after two extended winning streaks of 15 games and a franchise record of 16 games.
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Eventually the NBA flexed two games — both against the Oklahoma City Thunder — to ESPN and TNT, respectively, in December after the team's success. In January, games against the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics found new homes on TNT.
The Cavs didn't hit the premier game of the week, national coverage on ABC (WEWS Channel 5 locally), until a March 16 matchup against the Orlando Magi c that was flexed onto the schedule. That happens for the upcoming season on Christmas Day.
It would seem the team's 64-18 record is of benefit, despite a loss to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of last season's NBA playoffs.
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How many nationally televised games did the Cavaliers get this year?
The NBA and team have already announced holiday games on for Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Day, which definitively put them in the spotlight. In all, the Cavs will receive 24 nationally televised games across four platforms.
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Seven games on ESPN/ESPN App: Oct. 22 at New York; Oct. 29 at Boston; Jan. 14 at Philadelphia ; Jan. 21 at Charlotte; Jan. 28 vs. Lakers ; Feb. 27 at Pistons ; and March 11 at Orlando .
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Five games on NBC/Peacock: Dec. 29 at San Antonio ; Jan. 19 vs. Oklahoma City ; Feb. 24 vs. New York; March 17 at Milwaukee ; and March 24 vs. Orlando.
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Four games on Amazon Prime Video: Nov. 21 vs. Indianapolis; Jan. 10 vs. Minnesota ; April 2 at Golden State ; and April 10 at ATL.
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Three games on ABC/ESPN App: Dec. 25 at New York (Christmas Day); Feb. 22 at Oklahoma City; and March 8 vs. Boston.
This is akin to the LeBron James 2.0 era when ESPN/ABC and TNT could not get enough of him and the Cavaliers. During that span, it seemed as if the entire NBA had eyes on the team and, by extension, all of Northeast Ohio given James' Akron roots.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland reacts during Game 3 of a second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on May 9, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
How does the Peacock and Amazon factor play into the scheduling calculous for the Cavaliers?
One nationally televised game was previously announced for Peacock as the Cavs and Pistons launch "Peacock NBA Monday" Oct. 27, and they and Amazon have changed the media landscape for the league.
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NBC and Peacock will air up to five games per week. In total, they will air 100 regular-season games.
Amazon will air games on Friday nights. When "Thursday Night Football" ends they will have NBA doubleheaders. Overall, they will air 66 regular-season games.
What will that do for the Cavaliers?
Nine of their national games are either Peacock or Amazon exclusives. They are in the right place — dominant in the regular season — at the right time.
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George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs 2025-26 schedule will include NBA Christmas game at NY Knicks
