It is Tuesday, January 13, 2026. If you’re a sports fan, you know this specific stretch of the winter can feel a bit like a marathon. We are post-holiday, deep into the grind of the NBA and NHL seasons, and the college hoops landscape is starting to get seriously territorial with conference play.
Trying to find the right channel is half the battle. Seriously. One game is on a regional network you forgot you had, the next is exclusive to a streaming app that just updated its interface, and suddenly you've missed the first quarter. Honestly, it's a mess.
Here is the deal for the television sports schedule today. We have a heavy slate of pro basketball, some high-stakes hockey, and a surprisingly deep Tuesday for college basketball.
The NBA Tuesday Night Lineup
The NBA is leaning hard into the "League Pass" era, but there are still some massive matchups hitting the airwaves tonight.
One of the big ones is the Phoenix Suns at Miami Heat at 8:00 PM ET. This isn't just a cross-conference meeting; it's a clash of styles. You can catch this via NBA League Pass or through Sling TV if you're dodging the local blackout zones.
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If you are looking for late-night drama, the Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers tips off at 10:30 PM ET. This one is scheduled for FanDuel Sports Network Southeast for the local folks, but it’s widely expected to be the centerpiece of the late-night streaming rotation.
Other notable games on the hardwood:
- Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans: 8:00 PM ET on Altitude.
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Milwaukee Bucks: 8:00 PM ET on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
- Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors: 11:00 PM ET on NBCS Bay Area.
The Nuggets-Pelicans game is particularly interesting. Denver is currently sitting at 26-13, while New Orleans has struggled at 9-32. On paper? A blowout. But in the NBA, mid-January road games are where the weird stuff happens.
Hockey’s Frozen Tuesday
The NHL is taking over the cable networks tonight. If you have TNT, you’re in luck. They are running a double-header that starts with the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins at 7:30 PM ET. Boston in January is always a tough out, and the Original Six vibes are usually worth the watch.
Following that, the Dallas Stars face the Anaheim Ducks at 10:00 PM ET. This will be on TNT, HBO Max, and truTV. It’s basically the "we know you're still awake on the East Coast" special.
If you are an out-of-market fan, ESPN+ (ESPN Unlimited) is carrying a massive bulk of the other games:
- New York Islanders at Winnipeg Jets: 8:00 PM ET (Also on NHL Network).
- Edmonton Oilers at Nashville Predators: 8:00 PM ET.
- Toronto Maple Leafs at Utah Mammoth: 10:00 PM ET (Wait, Utah Mammoth? Yeah, the relocation is in full swing).
The Oilers and Predators game at Bridgestone Arena is probably the best pure hockey matchup of the night. Nashville’s crowd is famously loud on Tuesday nights for some reason. Maybe it’s the Nashville hot chicken.
College Basketball: Conference Wars
This is where the television sports schedule today gets really crowded. We are firmly into the part of the season where "Quality Wins" actually start to matter for the March tournament.
The ACC is busy. Virginia at Louisville and Boston College at Clemson both tip at 7:00 PM ET. You’ll find these on various regional networks and the ACC's digital platforms. Florida State at Syracuse follows them up at 9:00 PM ET.
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The Big Ten is also in action. Wisconsin at Minnesota is a 7:00 PM ET start on Big Ten Network. It's a classic border battle. Expect a lot of floor burns and very few fast-break points.
If you like the Mountain West—which, let's be real, is often the most entertaining basketball on TV—Boise State is at UNLV at 11:00 PM ET on CBS Sports Network. It’s the perfect "one last game" before you finally go to sleep.
Soccer: Midweek Domestic Cups
Don't sleep on the soccer schedule today. While the big weekend leagues are resting, the domestic cups are in full swing across Europe.
In the English League Cup, Newcastle United faces Manchester City at 3:00 PM ET. You can find that on Paramount+. It’s a massive quarter-final vibe.
Over in Spain’s Copa del Rey, Real Sociedad is playing Osasuna at 3:00 PM ET on ESPN+. The German Bundesliga is also squeezing in some midweek action, with Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen at 2:30 PM ET, also on ESPN+.
For the Liga MX fans, there’s a late-night quadruple header. The standout is FC Juarez vs. Chivas de Guadalajara at 10:10 PM ET on Universo and Peacock.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume everything is on "normal" TV. It isn't. The 2026 sports landscape is incredibly fragmented.
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For example, if you want to watch the Australian Open—which is just starting its qualifying rounds today—you won't find it on your standard cable grid during the day. Coverage is heavily weighted toward the ESPN App and ESPN+ right now because of the 16-hour time difference with Melbourne.
Also, keep an eye on Major League Volleyball. They just announced a massive partnership with LTN for the 2026 season. While they aren't the main event today, the league is expanding its broadcast slate significantly. It’s a sign of where sports media is going: niche, high-quality, and everywhere at once.
Actionable Tips for Navigating Today's Games
- Check the local blackouts. If you're trying to watch the Lakers in LA or the Bruins in Boston, your national streaming app might fail you. Have your local RSN (Regional Sports Network) credentials ready.
- Sync your apps. If you have the Disney Bundle, make sure your ESPN+ is actually linked to your Hulu or Disney account. There is nothing worse than missing the first period of the Oilers game because you had to reset a password.
- Use the "Multi-View" feature. If you’re watching the NBA on YouTube TV or the NHL on certain platforms, use the split-screen. Tuesday nights are built for flipping between a close game in the Big Ten and a blowout in the NBA.
- Set your DVR for Melbourne. The Australian Open qualifying matches are happening while you sleep. If you’re a tennis nerd, set the recordings for the early morning blocks on ESPN2.
The sports world doesn't stop just because it's a Tuesday in January. Whether it's the high-octane offense of the Suns or a grimy hockey game in Winnipeg, the options are there—you just have to know which remote to pick up.