You've probably noticed it's getting a lot harder to just "turn on the game."
Gone are the days when you only had to worry about one or two channels. Now, if you're trying to find the Boston Celtics on TV schedule, you basically need a degree in media rights. Between the new NBA broadcasting deals that kicked in for the 2025-26 season and the usual local blackouts, tracking down Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has become a bit of a scavenger hunt.
Honestly, it’s a mess. But it’s a manageable mess once you know where the lines are drawn.
Whether you’re a die-hard in Southie or a fan watching from a different time zone, here is exactly how the TV situation looks for the C's right now.
The New Reality of the Boston Celtics on TV Schedule
The 2025-26 season changed everything. The NBA moved away from the old TNT/ESPN/ABC trifecta and brought in some heavy hitters like Amazon Prime Video and NBC/Peacock. If you're looking for the Boston Celtics on TV schedule, you’re no longer just flipping between cable channels.
For the first time in forever, TNT isn't the home for "Inside the NBA" or Tuesday night doubleheaders. Instead, we have a rotating door of streamers.
Where the National Games Land
The Celtics are, as usual, one of the most televised teams in the league. For 2025-26, they have nearly 30 national TV appearances. Here is the breakdown of who owns those games:
- NBC and Peacock: This is the big comeback. NBC is back in the NBA business. You'll find the Celtics on "Coast 2 Coast Tuesday" or Sunday nights. Several games are also exclusive to Peacock, meaning they won't even be on the NBC broadcast channel.
- Amazon Prime Video: If it’s a Thursday or Friday night, there’s a high chance the game is streaming here. Amazon has become the new home for the weekend-eve doubleheaders.
- ESPN and ABC: They are still around. ABC keeps the big Sunday afternoon "Showcase" games and the NBA Finals. ESPN still handles the Wednesday night slots.
- NBA TV: These are the games that are "nationally televised" but usually still get blacked out if you live in New England. It’s a weird middle ground.
Watching Locally: The NBC Sports Boston Factor
If you live in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or parts of Connecticut and Vermont, NBC Sports Boston is still your best friend. They carry the vast majority of the 82-game slate—specifically 67 games this season.
But there’s a catch.
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Even if a game is on NBC Sports Boston, it might also be on a national network. Usually, the local broadcast is the one to watch if you want the home-team energy of Mike Gorman’s successors and the Scalabrine banter. However, if the game is on ABC or is a Peacock exclusive, NBC Sports Boston won't have it.
One cool update for 2026? You can now add NBC Sports Boston directly to a Peacock subscription if you live in-market. It’s an extra $15 a month, but for cord-cutters who don't want a massive cable bill, it’s a lifesaver.
Upcoming Key Dates on the Schedule
We are currently in the thick of the mid-season grind. If you're looking at the Boston Celtics on TV schedule for the next few weeks, there are some massive matchups coming up that you won't want to miss.
Late January 2026 Highlights
- Monday, Jan 19 (MLK Day): Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons at 8:00 PM ET. This is a big one on NBC and Peacock. It's part of a holiday quadruple-header.
- Monday, Jan 26: vs. Portland Trail Blazers at 8:00 PM ET. This one is a Peacock exclusive. Don't go looking for it on your cable box unless you've got the app.
- Friday, Jan 30: vs. Sacramento Kings at 7:30 PM ET. This will be on NBC Sports Boston locally.
Looking Ahead to February 2026
- Sunday, Feb 1: vs. Milwaukee Bucks at 3:30 PM ET. A classic Eastern Conference showdown on ESPN.
- Tuesday, Feb 3: @ Dallas Mavericks at 8:00 PM ET. Catch this on NBC and Peacock.
- Sunday, Feb 8: vs. New York Knicks at 12:30 PM ET. This is a premier ABC game.
What Most People Get Wrong About League Pass
Every year, someone buys NBA League Pass thinking they can watch every Celtics game from their apartment in Back Bay.
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Don't do that.
If you live in the Celtics' home market, League Pass will black out every single live game. You’ll only be able to watch the replay hours after the final buzzer. League Pass is strictly for fans living outside of New England.
If you are out-of-market, League Pass is actually great this year because it integrates with Amazon Prime. You can just buy the "Celtics Team Pass" if you don't care about the rest of the league, which saves you a few bucks.
Actionable Tips for Celtics Fans
To make sure you never miss a tip-off, here’s a quick checklist for the rest of the season:
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- Check the "Exclusive" Tag: Before every game, verify if it's "Exclusive." If it's an Amazon or Peacock exclusive, your local cable channel won't have it.
- Sync Your Calendar: Most team sites offer a "Sync to Calendar" feature. Use it. It will automatically update the TV channel info in your phone's calendar as the season progresses.
- The Antenna Trick: If you live in Boston, you can still get the ABC and NBC games for free with a high-quality digital antenna. It’s a one-time $50 investment that pays for itself in two months.
- The Peacock Add-On: If you’re a cord-cutter in-market, look into the Peacock RSN add-on. It's the most stable way to stream NBC Sports Boston without a Fubo or YouTube TV subscription.
The hunt for Banner 19 is well underway. The roster is deep, even with the injury management we've seen lately, and the schedule is only getting tougher as we approach the All-Star break. Keep this guide handy, and you won't find yourself staring at a "This program is unavailable in your area" screen five minutes after the game starts.