If you're staring at your remote wondering exactly what time is the basketball games on tonight, you’ve probably realized that the 2025-26 season has made things a little more... complicated. We aren't just checking TNT and ESPN anymore. Between the new NBC/Peacock deal and the massive Tuesday night college slate, there is a lot of hardwood to cover this Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Honestly, it's a massive night. We have seven NBA games on the docket and a College Basketball schedule that looks like a March Madness preview. Whether you're looking for the Lakers in late-night action or a top-tier Big 12 showdown, here is the breakdown of when and where to find the games.
NBA Schedule Tonight: Pro Hoops Tip-Off Times
The NBA has a solid seven-game rhythm tonight. The big story for 2026 is the shift in broadcasting. You’ll notice that NBC and Peacock are now major players on Tuesday nights, taking over slots that used to belong to other networks.
7:30 PM ET – Phoenix Suns at Miami Heat
This one starts the night in South Beach. It’s a cross-conference clash that usually delivers some high-scoring drama. You can catch this locally or via NBA League Pass.
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8:00 PM ET – Four Games at Once
This is the "danger zone" for your data plan if you're trying to multi-stream.
- Chicago Bulls at Houston Rockets: Catch this on Chicago Sports Network if you're in the Windy City, or follow the rising stars like Matas Buzelis and Amen Thompson.
- San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder: This is the game of the night for many. It’s Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren. This is actually a national broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks: A heavy-hitter matchup in the East.
- Denver Nuggets at New Orleans Pelicans: Jokic is likely doing Jokic things in the Big Easy.
10:30 PM ET – Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers
The late-night crew gets treated to LeBron and the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. This is usually the "bedtime" game for East Coasters, but it's essential viewing for the standings.
11:00 PM ET – Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors
The final tip of the night happens in San Francisco. This game is also being carried by NBC and Peacock as part of their Tuesday doubleheader.
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College Basketball Tonight: Key Matchups and Times
If you think the NBA schedule is packed, the NCAA side is basically a firehose of basketball. We’ve got ranked teams facing massive road tests tonight. Here’s what the "watch list" looks like for the major games.
The Big Power 5 Slates
7:00 PM ET: This is the "Main Event" window for college hoops.
- Indiana at No. 12 Michigan State: A classic Big Ten war. This is streaming on Peacock.
- No. 16 Virginia at No. 20 Louisville: Huge ACC implications here, airing on ESPN2.
- Texas A&M at No. 24 Tennessee: SEC physicality at its finest, catch it on SEC Network.
- Wisconsin at Minnesota: The battle for the border on Big Ten Network.
8:00 PM ET:
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- No. 3 UConn at No. 25 Seton Hall: The Big East is always a gauntlet. This is a "must-watch" on truTV.
9:00 PM ET:
- No. 2 Iowa State at Kansas: Phog Allen Fieldhouse is going to be rocking. This is the ESPN flagship game for the night.
- Baylor at Oklahoma State: More Big 12 chaos on CBSSN.
- Florida State at Syracuse: A late ACC tip on ACCN.
10:30 PM ET:
- Maryland at USC: The Terps travel all the way to LA for this Big Ten (still feels weird to say) matchup.
Where to Stream the Games: The 2026 Landscape
Basically, if you don't have a streaming strategy in 2026, you're going to miss half the season. Gone are the days of just "flipping to the sports channel."
- Peacock is Non-Negotiable: Because of the new rights deal, Peacock has exclusive Tuesday night NBA games (like the Warriors/Blazers tonight) and top-tier Big Ten college games (Indiana/MSU).
- ESPN Unlimited: Don't confuse this with the old ESPN+. To see the Iowa State/Kansas game, you need the full access tier if you aren't using a traditional cable log-in.
- League Pass on Prime: If you're out-of-market for the NBA, Amazon Prime is now the primary hub for managing your League Pass subscription. It's actually a lot smoother than the old standalone app.
Actionable Next Steps for Tonight
To make sure you don't miss tip-off while searching for the right app, do this right now:
- Check your Peacock login: If you want to see the Spurs/Thunder or the Warriors game, make sure your subscription is active. Those are the "big" national broadcasts tonight.
- Sync your local listings: If you're a Bulls or Heat fan, check your local RSN (Regional Sports Network) because those games are usually blacked out on national streaming if you live in the home market.
- Prioritize the 9:00 PM window: If you only watch one game, make it Iowa State at Kansas. It’s arguably the highest-level basketball being played anywhere on Earth tonight.
Set your DVR for the Lakers game at 10:30 PM if you can't stay up, but otherwise, grab your snacks early—the first wave of games starts right at 6:30 PM ET with Villanova vs. Providence.