Special On-Site Edition of NBA Showtime Begins Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock from TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
NBC Sports’ First NBA Game 7 Since 2002 Western Conference Finals Between Lakers and Kings on June 2, 2002
Possible Sunday Game 7s on NBC and Peacock Depending on First Round Outcomes
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 1, 2026 – The two best words in sports: Game 7! 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, and the Eastern Conference No. 2 seed Boston Celtics host two-time NBA All-Star Tyrese Maxey, 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, and the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers in a winner-take-all contest as NBC Sports’ live coverage of the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs continues tomorrow, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Live on-site coverage begins with NBA Showtime at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
76ers-Celtics will immediately follow NBC Sports’ live coverage of the 152nd Kentucky Derby, one of the most-watched sporting events of the spring. This is the first NBA Playoff game to follow the Derby since May 4, 2002, when the Dallas Mavericks visited the Sacramento Kings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on NBC. Marv Albert, Steve Jones, Bill Walton, and Jim Gray called the game.
This will be NBC Sports’ first NBA Game 7 since June 2, 2002, when Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated Chris Webber and the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference Finals en route to winning the 2002 NBA Finals.
NBC SPORTS’ UPCOMING NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 2:
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Platforms | Broadcasters |
| 7:30 p.m. | Game 7: 76ers at Celtics | NBC, Peacock | Noah Eagle, Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford, Zora Stephenson |
SATURDAY, MAY 2
Brown, Tatum, and the Boston Celtics host Maxey, Embiid, and the 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round from TD Garden in Boston, Mass., at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The 76ers, who had been trailing 3-1 in the series, won back-to-back games on Tuesday and Thursday to stave off elimination and force the winner-take-all affair tomorrow night.
Boston and Philadelphia have met in the postseason a record 22 times, with the Celtics winning 15 of them. The last time the 76ers defeated the Celtics in the playoffs was during the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, where Philadelphia ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
In Game 6 on Thursday, Maxey scored a game-high 30 points while Embiid nearly posted a triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists) to lead the 76ers to a crucial victory at home. Nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George added 23 points, while VJ Edgecombe, who finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, had 14 points and eight rebounds.
NBC Sports’ Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller and three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford (analysts), and Zora Stephenson (courtside reporter) will call 76ers-Celtics.
Live on-site coverage from TD Garden on Saturday begins with NBA Showtime at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock, hosted by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.
SUNDAY, MAY 3
Depending on the outcomes of the three Game 6s being contested tonight (May 1), NBC Sports could have up to two First Round Game 7s on Sunday or one Conference Semifinals Game 1. NBC Sports will provide more programming information this weekend.
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NBC Sports’ coverage of the NBA is led by coordinating producer Frank DiGraci and director Pierre Moossa. Sam Flood is Executive Producer & President, NBC Sports Production.
NBA Showtime precedes every NBA playoff game on NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN. The coordinating producer of NBA Showtime is Adam Littlefield. NBA Showtime is directed by Jared Sumner.
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ABOUT NBC SPORTS
NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports presents events from many of the world’s most prestigious properties, including the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, Notre Dame, Big Ten Conference, Big East Conference, Big 12 Conference, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 show for 14 consecutive years.
--NBA ON NBC AND PEACOCK--
