Lakers-Hornets Game to Air on NBC Primetime
The Lakers' Nov. 17 home game against Charlotte moves to NBC at 8 p.m. PT, replacing a Jazz-Clippers matchup.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Basketball
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NBC Sports will broadcast the Los Angeles Lakers' home game against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. PT, replacing the previously scheduled Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Clippers matchup. The Jazz-Clippers game will now be broadcast only locally.
Why it matters
The schedule change moves a Lakers game into a national primetime slot while the Clippers, off to a 1-7 start, are removed from that window. Lakers games carry a larger national audience, which affects how the season's national broadcast slate is distributed across teams.
The Lakers hold an 8-2 record and have nine NBC games and 10 Peacock appearances on the preliminary national schedule of 34 games. The Clippers are 1-7 to start the season, and the stub does not specify how the revised schedule affects either team's viewership.
The players
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are a Los Angeles-based NBA franchise with a long championship history and one of the league's most widely followed teams.
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports broadcasting division of NBC, which holds national television rights to a portion of NBA regular-season games.
The details
The Lakers-Hornets game on Nov. 17 will be part of a doubleheader beginning with Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs at 5 p.m. PT and will stream on Peacock. The Lakers-Clippers game on Jan. 11, 2027 will now begin at 7:30 p.m. PT and air only on Spectrum SportsNet, after originally being slated for Peacock.
Timeline
Nov. 17, 2026: Lakers vs. Hornets airs on NBC at 8 p.m. PT.
Jan. 11, 2027: Lakers at Clippers moves to 7:30 p.m. PT, televised only by Spectrum SportsNet.
Season Trajectory
The change operates within the NBA's national media rights arrangements with NBC, ESPN/ABC, and Amazon Prime Video, which distribute marquee games across networks. Reassigning a Lakers game to primetime NBC reflects how those deals allocate high-profile matchups throughout the season.
Fans who want to watch the Nov. 17 Lakers-Hornets game in primetime should tune to NBC at 8 p.m. PT. Viewers who usually stream Lakers-Clippers on Peacock will need Spectrum SportsNet for the Jan. 11 matchup.
The takeaway
Broadcast schedules can shift on short notice, so fans planning to watch a specific game should confirm the network and tipoff time close to game day.
What happens next
The Lakers' Jan. 11, 2027 game against the Clippers is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PT on Spectrum SportsNet.
Further reading
For more on the league's broadcast arrangements, see Basketball coverage across the U.S.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Lakers Nation.
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