ESPN doubles its NBA coverage in NZ

Oklahoma City Thunder's Steven Adams (12) argues with Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green (23) during the second half in Game 5. Photo / Getty Images.

ESPN and the NBA have announced an expansion of their existing broadcast partnership in Australia and New Zealand that will deliver a record number of live NBA games and programming to fans.

Under the expanded agreement, ESPN will televise more than 200 regular-season and playoff games each year, including a minimum of five, live regular-season games each week, NBA All-Star, the NBA Playoffs and The Finals. ESPN will also televise the NBA Summer League, and NBA studio shows including NBA Countdown, NBA Tonight, and The Jump.

"The NBA is one of the world's most popular leagues, so we are thrilled to announce that ESPN's coverage of the 2016-17 season will be bigger and better than ever," Haydn Arndt, General Manager ESPN Australia/New Zealand, said.

"NBA fans have asked for more games, and we are excited to be able to deliver our biggest package in ESPN ANZ history.

Under the expanded agreement, ESPN will televise:

• Up to 188 regular-season games (up from 88 in 2015-16) including five Boxing Day games back-to-back

• Up to 53 playoff games (up from 45 games in 2015-16) including the entirety of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals and every game of the NBA Finals

• NBA All-Star, including the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game

• 20 NBA Summer League games

There were a record-tying eight Australians on 2015-16 opening night NBA rosters including Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Cameron Bairstow, Aron Baynes, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles and Patty Mills. New Zealand features one NBA player in Steven Adams.

ESPN's coverage of the NBA continues on Tuesday afternoon with the series-deciding Game 7 from the Western Conference Finals between Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The winner of that contest will then face Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which will be televised live on Friday, June 3 at 1pm.