NBA Finals start June 3 on ABC

The NBA has set June 3, 2026, as the start date for this season’s Finals, with ABC scheduled to carry the championship series, according to the league’s official postseason schedule. NBA.com said the series will tip off on a Wednesday and listed ABC as the exclusive broadcaster. The league’s bracket page also showed the remaining conference finals matchups as New York Knicks versus Cleveland Cavaliers in the East and Oklahoma City Thunder versus San Antonio Spurs in the West. ESPN’s playoff schedule page matched the June 3 start date and ABC listing. ### Which teams are still alive with the Finals less than two weeks away? The conference finals field is down to four teams: the Knicks and Cavaliers in the East, and the Thunder and Spurs in the West, according to NBA.com’s playoff schedule page and bracket. The league said those series were still in progress as of Saturday, May 23. Oklahoma City moved ahead 2-1 in the Western Conference finals after a 123-108 Game 3 win over San Antonio on Friday, NBA.com reported on its playoffs page. The same page showed New York holding a 2-0 lead over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. ### What exactly has the NBA scheduled for the Finals? NBA.com listed Game 1 for Wednesday, June 3, and Game 2 for Friday, June 5. The league scheduled Game 3 for Monday, June 8, and Game 4 for Wednesday, June 10, all at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Games 5 through 7 are on the calendar only if necessary, according to the league’s Finals schedule page. NBA.com listed Game 5 for Saturday, June 13, Game 6 for Tuesday, June 16, and Game 7 for Friday, June 19. ### Is ABC carrying the whole series or just the opener? ABC is set to air the entire Finals, not just Game 1, according to NBA.com’s 2026 Finals schedule page. The league described ABC as the exclusive broadcaster for the series. ESPN’s playoffs hub separately said the NBA Finals “begin June 3” and “will be broadcast by ABC.” ESPN did not list a different domestic television partner for any Finals game. ### Why is the June 3 date already fixed before the matchup is set? The NBA publishes its postseason calendar before the conference champions are decided, and the 2026 playoffs schedule page says it will be updated as official game scheduling is announced. That gives television partners, teams and arenas a fixed championship window even while the bracket is still being played out. May 23 sits in the middle of the conference finals round, and the league’s key-dates page still places the Finals on the June calendar. The setup leaves roughly 10 days between Saturday’s conference-finals slate and the scheduled championship opener. ### What should fans watch between now and June 3? New York and Cleveland remain in the Eastern Conference finals, while Oklahoma City and San Antonio continue in the West, according to the league bracket. Those results will determine home court, travel and the two participants in the Finals. June 3 is the next fixed milestone on the NBA calendar, with Game 1 scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC, according to NBA.com. If the series runs the distance, the league has reserved June 19 for Game 7.