ESPN continues its annual tradition with the Thanksgiving Eve Special presented by PlayStation 5 on Wednesday, Nov. 26, featuring a blockbuster tripleheader presented by State Farm. The night delivers eight hours of NBA action, beginning at 5 p.m. ET as the Detroit Pistons and Cade Cunningham look to extend their winning streak to a franchise-record 14 games against the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown.
At 7:30 p.m., the defending NBA champions and league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, host the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards in a Western Conference Finals rematch.
The 10 p.m. nightcap features the Houston Rockets and Alperen Şengün visiting the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.
Coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. with NBA Countdown presented by Popeyes setting the stage for one of the marquee nights of the NBA season.
Johanna Goldblatt, Manager, ESPN Programming & Acquisitions, shared what goes into making Thanksgiving Eve a pillar event.
Why is Thanksgiving Eve so important for ESPN?
Sports around the holidays are a staple — we’ve seen that with NBA Christmas Day — and the day before Thanksgiving is a perfectly placed Wednesday when families and friends are gathering, making it an ideal moment for premier NBA matchups.
How did past doubleheaders influence this year’s tripleheader?
We’ve historically had strong matchups on this date and seen viewers leaning into basketball as the Maui Invitational championship game rolls into the NBA. This year, we wanted to build on that momentum with three games for the first time ever, anticipating more fans home earlier for nonstop NBA action.
How does Thanksgiving Eve fit ESPN’s broader strategy?
We’re proud of a schedule that welcomes new partners and keeps ESPN as the premier NBA destination. Thanksgiving Eve delivers three great matchups, Detroit on a 13-game win streak, the reigning champs and MVP in a Conference Finals rematch, and the seasoned veterans Golden State hosting a budding Western conference contender in Houston. Every game also carries added stakes as teams fight for NBA Cup positioning.
We’re grateful for our talented partners across ESPN who make airing these games possible, even during the holiday week.
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