The Key Change the NBA Must Make Ahead of Nuggets-Clippers Game 3…
Has the NBA dropped the ball with its playoff scheduling?
The first-round clash between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers has been the highlight of the 2025 NBA Playoffs so far. Both teams, with a storied playoff rivalry, have delivered two nail-biting games in Denver, each decided in the final moments.
Denver narrowly took Game 1 in overtime, led by Nikola Jokic’s near triple-double. In Game 2, Kawhi Leonard answered with a dominant 39-point performance, including 12 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Clippers even the series before heading back to LA.
Now, with the next two games set at the brand-new Intuit Dome, built by Steve Ballmer to give the Clippers a home-court edge, the stakes couldn’t be higher. LA could steal the momentum entirely with a Game 3 win, while Denver has the chance to reassert dominance and regain control.
But there’s a surprising twist: Game 3, despite its significance, won’t air on a major national network. Instead, the NBA scheduled it on NBA TV, a channel many fans don’t have access to — a major downgrade from the national broadcasts of Games 1 and 2.
Fans and media alike are questioning the NBA’s decision, especially since the series has been thrilling and packed with star power, including Jokic, Murray, Leonard, and Harden. Meanwhile, the Thunder-Grizzlies Game 3 — a likely blowout based on OKC’s 51-point Game 1 win — will air on TNT.
The frustration stems from the league not adapting its TV schedule, especially when there’s a clear demand to showcase competitive, high-stakes matchups. The NFL, for instance, is known for “flexing” games into prime-time slots — a model the NBA could learn from.
While it’s understandable that the NBA faces challenges juggling multiple games across eight first-round matchups, sidelining such a compelling series to a limited-access channel feels like a disservice — especially with the Clippers debuting their new arena on the postseason stage.
Fans want excitement, tension, and drama — and that’s exactly what Nuggets vs. Clippers brings. Yet, many won’t be able to watch unless the league rethinks its approach to scheduling and prioritizes games that genuinely capture playoff intensity.
