NBA Basketball Games on TV Today, Tonight - Thursday, February 20, 2025
Whether you're tuning in via traditional TV or streaming your favorite basketball teams online, NBAonTV keeps you informed with the latest broadcast details, making it the ultimate destination for sports enthusiasts.
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | Time ET | TV |
| Memphis Grizzlies vs Indiana Pacers | 7:00pm | FanDuel Sports IND FanDuel Sports MEM |
| Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers | 7:00pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks | 7:30pm | CHSN MSG |
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets | 7:30pm | YES FanDuel Sports OH |
| Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks | 7:30pm | FanDuel Sports FL FanDuel Sports ATL |
| Los Angeles Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks | 8:00pm | FanDuel Sports SoCal FanDuel Sports WIS |
| Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets | 9:00pm | ALT FanDuel Sports CHA |
| Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs | 9:30pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers | 10:00pm | Spectrum Rip City |
Memphis Grizzlies vs Indiana Pacers Preview, What to Watch
When the Indiana Pacers play the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night in Indianapolis, they won't be taking it easy following the All-Star break.
Coach Rick Carlisle of Indiana is aware that his team will have to be tuned on from the first tip against one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
The Pacers haven't played since defeating the Washington Wizards, who have the lowest record in the NBA (9-45), 134-130 in overtime on February 12 after rallying from a 19-point deficit.
For an Indiana squad that has struggled in its last five games, Obi Toppin scored a season-high 31 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 28. Both players were effective off the bench.
Tyrese Haliburton, a guard for Indiana, acknowledged that the Pacers needed to rest a few weary players over the break, but they have now gotten back to business.
After being unintentionally struck in the head by Mathurin during the Pacers' game against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 6, center Myles Turner is anticipated to recover from a cervical (neck) injury.
Three Grizzlies players—Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, and Jaren Jackson Jr.—participated in Sunday's All-Star Game tournament, while Pascal Siakam was the only Pacer to do so. Edey and Wells only made the Rising Stars squad, but Siakam and Jackson were chosen as All-Stars.
Ja Morant, a guard for Memphis, was not chosen for the midseason celebration because injuries had derailed his career. This season, he has only appeared in 32 games. Due to right knee pain, the two-time All-Star was unable to play in Memphis' 128-114 loss to the Clippers on February 12.
The Grizzlies, who will play the top seven seeds in the Eastern Conference on the road for their first three games following the break, desperately need Morant to stay healthy.
This season, Jackson, who is scoring a career-high 23.0 points per game, enjoyed being named an All-Star for the second time. But as soon as it was over, things resumed as usual.
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Preview, What to Watch
The Philadelphia 76ers stumbled to the first-half finish line, while the Boston Celtics dominated their way into the All-Star break.
Going into Thursday's game in Philadelphia, the Celtics have won seven of their last eight games while the Sixers have lost seven of their last eight.
The defending NBA champions overcame a 26-point deficit late in the third quarter to defeat the Sixers 118-110 on February 2, which was part of Boston's impressive first-half finish.
The Celtics, who suffered a Christmas Day home loss to Philadelphia, used that game as a form of retaliation. The rivals from the Atlantic Division will meet again in Boston on March 6 for the third of four encounters.
Joel Embiid, who has only played in 17 games this season, was a full participant in practice on Tuesday despite missing that game due to a knee injury.
On Tuesday, Tyrese Maxey (knee) also worked out. To compete with Boston's lineup, Philadelphia will undoubtedly need to use every bit of firepower at its disposal.
In a 116-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on February 12, Jayson Tatum finished the first half of the season with 32 points and 14 rebounds. For the Celtics, who are in first place, he is scoring 27.0 points per game on average, while Jaylen Brown contributes 22.9 points.
Kristaps Porzingis is also coming off one of his best performances of the season, scoring 29 points on 10 of 16 shots in the victory over San Antonio.
Chicago Bulls vs New York Knicks Preview, What to Watch
In the only manner a blue-collar squad could, the New York Knicks played their longest game of the season to get ready for their difficult schedule after the All-Star Break.
As both teams return from the All-Star Break, the Knicks will meet the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night to start their playoff run.
It will be the first meeting between the Knicks and Bulls since February 12, when the Bulls lost to the visiting Detroit Pistons 128-110 and the host New York defeated the Atlanta Hawks 149-148 in overtime.
The victory raised the Knicks' record to 36-18, their highest winning percentage (.667) since 1996-97 at the All-Star break. Although New York jumped out to an 18-point lead in the second quarter and led by six points with 10 seconds remaining in regulation when the Hawks forced overtime, it was a shockingly hard-earned triumph.
Jalen Brunson's fallaway from the foul line gave the Knicks a 149-148 lead with 11 seconds remaining after the Hawks, who never led in regulation, had a five-point lead in the extra period. Then, in the final seconds of a two-hour and fifty-four-minute game, Atlanta missed two shots that could have been the game-winning or decisive, including a wide-open 3-pointer by Georges Niang right in front of the New York bench.
The Knicks' toughness will probably be useful in the closing stages, as New York, the Eastern Conference's third-place team, will face teams that advanced to the All-Star break in the top 10 in their conference in 19 of its next 28 games.
The teams that finish seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the play-in tournament, which determines the remaining two slots, while the top six teams in each conference are assured a postseason berth.
The Knicks start a two-game road trip against the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, the two teams ahead of them in the East, on Friday, marking the start of the difficult stretch.
The Bulls, who advanced to the All-Star break in 10th place in the East and 1 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, will face new obstacles. In the past two seasons, Chicago has won a game in the play-in round.
In a three-way blockbuster with the San Antonio Spurs on February 3, the Bulls traded top scorer Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings, giving them the Spurs' first-round pick this summer along with reserves Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and Zach Collins. However, it might be challenging for the Bulls to contend for another spot in the play-in tournament.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets Preview, What to Watch
Following the All-Star break, the Cleveland Cavaliers return to the NBA with a trip against the Brooklyn Nets. They lead their 12th-place hosts by 24 games going into this game and have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Read on for our prediction of this match.
The Nets were playing well heading into the All-Star break. The team led by Jordi Fernandez had their best run of results of the season, winning six of seven games.
They held their opponents to less than 100 points in each of their six victories. With a 20-34 record, the Nets are currently won three straight games. Their most recent game was a 100-96 victory over the Sixers.
In both of their matchups this season, the Cavaliers prevailed. In their most recent game, which was their final visit to Brooklyn, they prevailed 130-101.
The NBA's joint-best record was held by Kenny Atkinson's team going into the break. They have won 44 out of 54 games, including 29 against other East opponents in 36 encounters.
The visitors entered the break with four straight wins and one defeat in nine games. In their last game, they defeated the Raptors 131-108.
Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley were all All-Stars for Cleveland.
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks Preview, What to Watch
Over the last eight weeks of the season, there's a decent probability that the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks will be battling for a postseason spot.
Head-to-head games, such as the one in Atlanta on Thursday, are therefore much more crucial.
In the race for the Eastern Conference, the teams are tied. Orlando (27-29) is in seventh place and holds a half-game lead over Atlanta (26-29). Both are trying to get to No. 6 and escape the play-in tournament by chasing Detroit (29–26).
In their first of four meetings, Atlanta defeated Orlando 112-106 on the road on February 10. Two more games, including the season finale in Atlanta, are scheduled for April during the last week of the season.
Banchero averaged 22.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 22 games. He went for 31 points against the Hawks in their first encounter, and he has scored 30 points or more in six games.
In 36 games, Franz Wagner averages 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals. He has also led or shared the team scoring lead 27 times. On February 10, he scored 37 points against Atlanta.
Quin Snyder, the coach of the Hawks, urged his team to take the break and relax at home. While first-round draft pick Zaccharie Risacher (11.4 points) participated in the Rising Stars Game and Trae Young (23.7 points, league-leading 11.5 assists) played in the All-Star Game, the rest of the players enjoyed a few days off.
After winning three of four games since the trade deadline, Snyder expressed optimism about the team. Since joining the team, newcomers Terance Mann, Caris LeVert, and Georges Niang have all contributed. LeVert is averaging 15.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, Niang is averaging 15.0 points and Mann is averaging 5.7 points in three games with the club.
Clint Capela, a veteran who has missed the last eight games due to a lower back injury, is expected to be ready for the Hawks. Larry Nance Jr. (knee) and Vit Krejci (back), two important reserves for Atlanta, were hurt minutes apart in the team's most recent game against Orlando.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Milwaukee Bucks Preview, What to Watch
When the NBA season resumes following the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Bucks will host the Los Angeles Clippers. While the Clippers are ranked sixth in the Western Conference, they come into this game as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Continue reading to see our prediction for this game.
The Bucks had a disappointing run of results at the end of the first half of the season. Doc Rivers’ players headed into the All-Star break having lost seven times in 11 games.
They did, however, score a hard-fought 103-101 victory away against the Timberwolves in their penultimate game before the break. Due to a calf issue, Giannis Antentokunmpo has missed the previous six games.
Both players are labeled as questionable for this game, while Damian Lillard has also been in and out of the squad. Andre Jackson is likewise skeptical.
A month ago, the Clippers defeated the Bucks 127-117 at home in their season opener. Now, their goal is to finish the season double.
Ty Lue's team had a three-match winning streak going into the All-Star break. In the three games, they averaged 126 points, which is 15 points higher than their season average. LA defeated the Jazz 120-116 in overtime before the break.
The Clippers' most recent injury report lists Drew Eubanks and Kawhi Leonard as day-to-day.
Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets Preview, What to Watch
The Denver Nuggets, who are riding an eight-game winning streak, are refreshed and prepared for the last 27 regular season games. For their game in Denver on Thursday night, the Charlotte Hornets are not as healthy.
Charlotte will meet a Nuggets squad that hasn't played in a week in the first NBA game after All-Star weekend on Wednesday. However, having defeated the Lakers 100-97 in Los Angeles, the Hornets enter the game with momentum.
Due to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, Wednesday's game was postponed from its original January 9 date. Additionally, it meant that after failing a physical, Mark Williams' contract with the team he was moved to at the trade deadline was revoked.
He played his first game since the transaction was canceled on Wednesday. In 29 minutes, he scored 10 points and pulled down 9 rebounds.
The Hornets had a rough month leading up to Wednesday night, dropping 11 of 13 games and losing their postseason hopes. The lack of a player who has played in all 53 of Charlotte's games this season hinders continuity.
LaMelo Ball, who averaged 27.3 points and 7.2 assists heading into the All-Star break, is the Hornets' star player. Miles Bridges (19.5), Williams (15.6), and Brandon Miller (21.0) are next in line for scoring.
The teams' second and last clash is scheduled for Thursday evening. Nikola Jokic's triple-double helped visiting Denver win the first game 107-104 on February 1.
The Nuggets' recent winning run, which has propelled them to third place in the Western Conference, included the second victory.
Despite injuries, the Nuggets have performed well after an inconsistent season debut, with Denver going 11-10.
Aaron Gordon has missed 23 games overall, primarily because of a right calf injury, Michael Porter Jr. has missed the previous three games because of hamstring stiffness, and Russell Westbrook has missed the last seven games because of a hamstring strain.
Coach Michael Malone has been forced to switch up his starting lines as a result, and he will have to make choices because Westbrook, Porter, and Gordon are all expected to play on Thursday night.
Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs Preview, What to Watch
Following the All-Star break, the San Antonio Spurs will host the Phoenix Suns when the NBA season resumes. In the Western Conference, the Suns and Spurs are tied for 11th and 12th place, respectively. Our prediction for this match is below.
The Spurs lost to the Celtics 116-103 on the road before the All-Star break. They only managed two victories throughout a tumultuous six-match road journey, which ended with that.
With a 23-29 record, Gregg Popovich's team has the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference. They have a shaky 13–12 home record and have lost 18 of their games against other West teams.
Because to his illness, Victor Wembanyama is uncertain for this encounter.
With a disappointing run that included their setbacks, the Suns ended a challenging first half of the season.
Having lost seven of nine games, Mike Budenholzer's team entered the holiday two games below.500. They started a five-game road trip with a 119-111 loss against the Rockets.
The Suns have now lost three straight games. However, there is some good news as they start the season because Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are no longer listed as injured.
Beal is returning from a four-game hiatus, and Booker missed the Rockets game due to a back injury. There is also Grayson Allen accessible.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers Preview, What to Watch
When the NBA season resumes following the All-Star break, the Portland Trail Blazers will host the Los Angeles Lakers. They are 10 games behind the Lakers in fifth place and have the third-worst record in the Western Conference going into this matchup. Our prediction for this match is below.
The Blazers suffered three straight losses to close off the first half of the season. The team led by Chauncey Billups is coming off a back-to-back in Denver versus the Nuggets.
In the two games, they let the Nuggets score an average of 139 points. However, the fact that all three losses have occurred away from home is a plus for this run.
The Blazers, who have won six in a row at Moda Centre, have performed best when they are hosting.
Following the All-Star break, the Lakers' season has already restarted. On the first night of a back-to-back, the humble Hornets upset J.J. Redick's team 100-97 at home.
After losing to the Jazz 131-119 just before the break ended a six-game winning streak, they have now dropped two straight games. They are now 2.5 games away from losing their automatic playoff spots after their 21st loss of the season.
Having LeBron James available is a huge help, as he led the club with 26 points. Due to a foot problem that has bothered him this season, the forward did not participate in the All-Star weekend activities.