The end of the NBA regular season is rapidly approaching. Just three weeks remain for teams to lock in their postseason berths or to face a long off season, and that means the race is on for teams on the playoff bubble to make every win count.
This week on the NBA on NBC‘s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, we’ll see four of those teams in action, all of them with very solid playoff prospects, all of them hoping to hold the line against stiff competition that could dramatically shift their postseason fortunes. Let’s take a closer look at what’s ahead.
RELATED: All the NBA Games on NBC and Peacock This Week
Who’s playing on the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on March 24?
James Harden of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins of the Milwaukee Bucks.
This week, the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday action tips off at 8 p.m. ET, when the Orlando Magic head to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference battle. Three hours later, at 11 p.m. ET, we head West to watch the Denver Nuggets visit the Phoenix Suns in a showdown of Western Conference playoff contenders.
Both games will air live on NBC in their respective regions and stream simultaneously on Peacock, regardless of region. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock with NBA Showtime, hosted by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor alongside NBA legends Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady.
RELATED: The Full 2025-2026 Schedule of NBA Games on NBC and Peacock
NBA on NBC
The NBA is officially back on NBC and Peacock, with exclusive games every week across broadcast and streaming featuring some of the biggest stars in the game.
The action kicks off every week with Peacock NBA Monday, featuring exclusive games streaming only on Peacock. Then on Tuesday nights, check out NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, which features two marquee games in primetime. With Sunday Night Football wrapped up, the NBA has also taken over NBC’s weekends with Sunday Night Basketball, with a primetime showcase game every week to wrap up the weekend.
Check out the full schedule for every NBA game on NBC and Peacock this season right here.
From real-time stats and predictive fun to highlight clips and immersive angles, Peacock’s suite of NBA features puts you in control of how you watch the game:
Courtside Live: An interactive, mobile-first viewing experience with new camera feeds and immersive perspectives that bring you to center court. Available weekly for select games throughout the 2025-2026 season.
Peacock Performance View: Unlock a next-level broadcast with dynamic overlays showing playing insights, heat maps, scoring probabilities, and more.
Can’t Miss Highlights: Swipeable vertical highlights on the Peacock mobile app for quick recaps of clutch moments, momentum shifts, and standout plays, wherever you are.
Peacock ScoreCard: Turn every game into an interactive experience. Pick from a range of cards and watch as your predictions come true.
Catch Up With Key Plays: Instantly revisit the most pivotal game moments with a curated playlist you can access anytime below your player controls.
Sign up for Peacock now to make sure you’re not missing a second of the NBA action. You can also gift the experience!
What to expect from the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday games on March 24Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell of Cleveland Cavaliers dribbling a basketball on a basketball court
Out in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are in a good place. The addition of James Harden to the roster has worked in their favor, and now he, Donovan Mitchell, and the rest of the Cavs are sitting at fourth in the East, guaranteeing them an automatic playoff berth and home court advantage in Round 1 if they stay the course. They’ve got one of the league’s best offenses and the home court advantage, so this looks like a solid setup for a win, but don’t be surprised to see the Magic put up a heckuva fight.
Paolo Banchero and the rest of Orlando’s crew are tough, and just one game separates them from Play-In Tournament territory (where they currently are) and an automatic playoff berth. If they can keep winning, they’ll have an easier time with the postseason, and a victory in Cleveland would set them on the right path.
NBC Sports’ Noah Eagle, Reggie Miller, and Zora Stephenson will call Magic-Cavaliers.
Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets collects a loose ball at a basketball game against the Utah jazz
The Nuggets are also sitting pretty comfortably, and with the return of Peyton Watson to the lineup on Sunday, they’re finally fully healthy. While they haven’t secured their playoff spot yet, they do have solid footing in the top six standings that’ll grant them an automatic berth if they keep winning. They’ve also got the best offense in the league at the moment, on the strength of, who else, three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, who’s averaging triple double stats on the season. If they keep position, they can coast into the postseason with energy to spare. Granted, they’re in for a big-time fight against the Suns in Phoenix.
Phoenix is playing with a host of injuries lately, but they just might get some of their most effective players back in time for tipoff this Tuesday, giving leading scorer Devin Booker a much-needed hand. Right now, the Suns are a few games ahead of everyone else in Play-In contention, but just a few games back from an automatic playoff berth. That means that a final push for wins could elevate them into the top six, and a home win over Denver would be a great start.
NBC Sports’ Terry Gannon, Derek Fisher, and Grant Liffmann will call Nuggets-Suns.
Did You Know MLB Is Back on NBC and Peacock?
The MLB is back on NBC and Peacock this season with the addition of Sunday Night Baseball in primetime and plenty of Peacock-exclusive games on the slate this season. Find the full schedule right here.
The line-up features plenty of storied rivalries from across the league. Sunday Night Baseball will be home to division rivalry games including Diamondbacks-Dodgers (March 26); Braves-Phillies (April 19); Tigers-Royals (May 10); Rangers-Angels (May 24); Cubs-Cardinals (May 31); Mets-Phillies (June 21); Yankees-Red Sox (June 28); Padres-Dodgers (July 5); Mariners-Astros (August 16); and Padres-Giants (Sept. 13). Catch it all on Peacock right here.
MLB Activations for Opening Day: in NYC or California this week? Get ready for opening day with massive “baseballs” embedded outside MLB’s New York headquarters and at Universal CityWalk Hollywood, featuring tune-in for NBC’s games this week!
Fans can also find a “basepath” leading from the giant baseball outside MLB’s headquarters to NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Center headquarters. There, fans can take swings in batting cages; try out their fastball with speed clocks for measuring them; enjoy photo ops with the World Series trophy; and catch all the action with a viewing screen to watch the opening day games!