NBA Finals start June 3 on ABC

The NBA has set June 3 for the start of the 2026 Finals, with ABC scheduled to carry the championship series exclusively, according to the league’s official schedule. The league’s Finals page lists Game 1 for Wednesday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Games 2 through 7 are also on the calendar, with the final three marked “if necessary.” Four teams remain alive entering the weekend. Basketball-Reference’s playoff hub lists the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals. The NBA’s playoff schedule page said it was updated on May 23 and would continue to be revised as postseason dates are officially announced. (nba.com) ### Which dates are locked in for the Finals? The NBA’s posted Finals schedule shows Game 1 on June 3, Game 2 on June 5, Game 3 on June 8 and Game 4 on June 10. If the series extends, Game 5 is set for June 13, Game 6 for June 16 and Game 7 for June 19, all on ABC and all scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern. The league’s Finals page and schedule page match on the June 3 start date. (basketball-reference.com) ESPN’s playoff schedule page also says the Finals begin June 3 and will be broadcast by ABC. ### Which teams are still playing for those two spots? Basketball-Reference lists New York against Cleveland in the East finals and San Antonio against Oklahoma City in the West finals. (nba.com) That leaves two series to determine the June 3 matchup. The Eastern Conference finals had already played two games as of May 23. (nba.com) Basketball-Reference’s series page shows New York leading Cleveland 2-0, with the Knicks winning Game 1 on May 19 and Game 2 on May 21. The Western Conference finals also shifted on May 23. (basketball-reference.com) The upstream briefing cited ESPN’s report that Oklahoma City beat San Antonio in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead, after the teams split the first two games in Oklahoma City. ESPN said the Thunder got 76 bench points in that win, the most by any team in a conference finals or Finals game since starters were first tracked in 1971. (basketball-reference.com) ### Why is the schedule already public before the finalists are known? The NBA publishes the Finals calendar before the conference finals end so arenas, broadcasters and teams can work from fixed dates. The league’s playoff schedule page says it updates the bracket and series scheduling as postseason rounds are officially announced, while the Finals page already carries the full June template. (espn.com) ABC’s exclusive role is also settled in advance. The NBA’s Finals schedule page says ABC will broadcast the entire series. ### What games come before June 3? May 23-25 is the next important window in the bracket. The context provided for this story cited ESPN’s playoff schedule showing conference finals Game 3s continuing this weekend in both the West and East. (nba.com) The NBA’s playoff schedule page says the conference finals remain in progress and that official game listings are updated as they are confirmed. June 3 is the next fixed date after those rounds. The finalists will come from Knicks-Cavaliers in the East and Thunder-Spurs in the West, with ABC’s 8:30 p.m. Eastern window already reserved for Game 1. (nba.com) (espn.com)