There are a handful of days on the NBA calendar that mean a little bit more than normal. NBA games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day fit that description. The NBA has had a tradition of playing games on the holiday since it was first observed in 1986. In fact, the NBA has had games on MLK Day every year except for 1999, when the season started after the holiday passed because the season was shortened due to a lockout.
Unlike Christmas Day games, the holiday is not exclusive to the most elite teams in the league. A good chunk of the league usually plays on MLK Day, but the league still schedules intriguing matchups. The Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies have a tradition of hosting games on MLK Day, as both cities are closely tied to Martin Luther King Jr. The prominent leader from the civil rights movement was born in Atlanta, and the National Civil Rights Museum is in Memphis. The NBA honors Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by playing games on the holiday in his name.
In total, 367 games have been played on MLK Day, and 11 more are scheduled for this year. In this article, we will explain how you can watch those 11 games that will occur on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
NBA MLK Day schedule
Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers – 1 p.m. ET – NBA TV
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks – 2:30 p.m. ET
Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks – 3 p.m. ET
Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards – 3 p.m. ET
San Antonio Spurs vs. Atlanta Hawks – 3:30 p.m. ET – TNT
Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies – 6 p.m. ET – TNT
Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – 7 p.m. ET
Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 p.m. ET
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors – 7:30 p.m. ET
Indiana Pacers vs. Utah Jazz – 9 p.m. ET
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers – 10:30 p.m. ET – NBA TV
In total, 11 games will be played on MLK Day in 2024. Two of those games will be on NBA TV. That is the case for the first game of the day, the Rockets vs. 76ers game at 1 p.m. ET, as well as the last game of the night, the Thunder vs. Lakers game at 10:30 p.m. ET. In between those games, there will be plenty of action, including two games on TNT. Both the Spurs vs. Hawks game at 3:30 p.m. ET and the Warriors vs. Grizzlies game at 6 p.m. ET will be on TNT.
The other games will be broadcast locally, but you can watch the NBA TV games on fuboTV. The locally broadcast games can be caught on NBA League Pass.
*Watch NBA games live on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
NBA MLK Day early games storylines
The NBA MLK Day schedule looks even better now than it did when it was originally released, because a lot of teams that had been rebuilding for years have finally gotten better this year. That description fits the bill for the Rockets, who have improved drastically after the offseason acquisitions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. The two veterans have been key in helping young players like Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in improving. It has been Alperen Sengun who has improved the most, though. The big man has become one of the best centers in the league because of his impressive playmaking and scoring abilities. His defense has even improved as well, but he will be tested against the 76ers.
Joel Embiid also plays the center position, and he is making a case for another MVP award. Embiid can't miss many more games if he wants to win the MVP, but he is averaging 34.6 points per game when he has been on the floor. The center matchup will be one of the most intriguing positional matchups on MLK Day, that is if Embiid actually suits up. The star center has been dealing with a knee injury and is questionable.
The Pelicans have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last few weeks. They have won seven of their last nine games, and health has been a big reason why. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum are all finally playing together. McCollum, in particular, has been scorching hot shooting the ball as of late. The Pelicans will take on a Mavericks team with a scary offense, but it's looking like Luka Doncic won't play again because of a recently suffered injury. That game happened to come against the Pelicans, and New Orleans walked away with a win, so Dallas will be looking for redemption on MLK Day.
The Knicks made the biggest trade of the season since James Harden was traded when they moved on from RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickly in order to acquire OG Anunoby. The trade has seemingly worked out for New York, as the team has only lost one game with their new wing defender. The Knicks will take on an Orlando Magic team that has exceeded expectations this year. Another team that is working their way out of a rebuild, Orlando is led by former No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero. The Magic have one of the best defensive units in basketball, though they have been scuffling of late as they deal with injuries.
The Pistons and Wizards will also play each other on MLK Day. While this game may not excite everybody, it will be intriguing in the sense that someone has to come away with a win. The two teams are the two worst teams in the NBA in terms of record. The Pistons are 3-36 and have only won one game since Oct. 28. The Wizards aren't that much better with a record of 7-31. The two teams did recently make a trade together. Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers are now members of the Wizards, while Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala were moved to the Pistons.
Another team in the bad conversation with the Wizards and Pistons has been the Spurs, although they seem to be turning things around. The team has struggled with playmaking all season, and it has led to a 7-31 record. Two of their last three games have been wins, though, and the team scored 130 and 135 points in those two games. Tre Jones -0 a true point guard — has been starting for the team, and it has gotten the squad back on track after the ill-advised Jeremy Sochan experiment.
The Hawks are a team going in the wrong direction, and Atlanta is San Antonio's MLK Day matchup. The Hawks' struggles have led to rumors that they will be trading some of their best players. Dejounte Murray is one name who has come up in trade rumors, and the Spurs are actually one team rumored to be interested in Murray. The guard started his career in San Antonio. The Lakers are another team heavily linked to Murray.
NBA MLK Day night games storylines
After the Hawks and Spurs game, there is a break in the action. The Warriors vs. Grizzlies game will get the action back underway at 6 p.m. ET. The Warriors have been a dynasty over the last decade, but the team has been filled with drama this season. Playing time and rotations have been an issue under Steve Kerr this season, but Draymond Green's antics have been the biggest problem. The forward will be returning from suspension against the Grizzlies, though. The Warriors are currently the 12th seed in the Western Conference, so the team hopes that Green has fixed his issues and will be able to return the team to their winning ways.
The Grizzlies' season also hasn't gone as planned. The team struggled when Ja Morant was suspended, and he suffered a season-ending injury after returning to the team for only nine games. Morant isn't the only one who has struggled with injuries this season, as about half of the team has been out as of late and will be out for a while. The lack of available bodies will make things harder against a Warriors team that will be getting a boost of their own.
The Cavaliers have also been struck by the injury bug. Both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland will miss the contest against the Bulls, which will put the burden heavily on the shoulders of Donovan Mitchell. The Bulls have depth at the guard position, so they will have plenty of fresh legs to defend Mitchell to the best of their ability. Ayo Dosunmo, Alex Caruso, and Jevon Carter are capable defenders to deploy against Mitchell, Coby White has taken his game to new levels this season, and Zach LaVine is back from injury.
The Heat will take on the Nets at 7:30 p.m. ET. Jimmy Butler has a toe injury, but luckily for Heat fans, Heat Culture is a real thing. Miami has once again found a diamond in the rough. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was only drafted 18th overall, but he has been one of the best rookies this season. Meanwhile, the Nets have been struggling. Brooklyn has only won one of their last eight games and three of their last 15 games.
The Raptors acquired RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickly in the aforementioned trade with the Knicks, but New York isn't the only team that has thrived since the trade. It was seemingly a win-win deal, as the Raptors offense has improved drastically with their two new players. Despite the increase in team scoring, the Raptors have lost their last three games. They will have a massive test on MLK Day, too, as the Celtics are the best team in the NBA right now. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown form one of the best duos in the NBA, and newcomers like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have fit well on the team. Brown is questionable, but don't be surprised if he plays.
With trade season upon us, many fans had been wondering if the Jazz would move on from Lauri Markkanen. However, Utah is on a tear, going 14-4 after starting the season 7-16 to get over .500 and quieting down any trade rumors. Markkanen will definitely be playing on MLK Day, and the Jazz will be taking on the Pacers. The Pacers have arguably the best offense in the NBA, but that is largely due to the play of Tyrese Haliburton, a guard who is currently hurt. Indiana has stayed afloat without Haliburton, but this will be a tough back-to-back after playing in Denver on Sunday.
The final game of the night will be perhaps the biggest of the night. The Lakers will always be popular as long as LeBron James is in town, but the Lakers are only 19-21 despite the fact that James and Anthony Davis have been healthy for most of the season. That fact means they will likely be active in the trade market, but they will be desperate for a win against the Thunder regardless. The Thunder are young, but they have improved so much that they are now the second seed in the Western Conference. Chet Holmgren is a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year Award, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making a case for the MVP.
Follow Us
Subscribe