NBA game times shifted as winter storm forces travel and schedule changes
An East Coast winter storm pushed the NBA to move several game tipoffs earlier, including 76ers–Hornets and Pacers–Hawks, as teams and fans adjusted plans. The changes aimed to reduce travel risk and disruptions tied to snow and ice.
The NBA reshuffled parts of its schedule as a winter storm spread snow and ice across the eastern United States, prompting earlier start times to avoid travel complications. A report from Liberty Ballers said Philadelphia’s road game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, January 26, was moved from an evening start to a 3 p.m. ET tipoff.
Multiple games affected by the same storm system
The same report noted the league also moved up the Indiana Pacers’ visit to the Atlanta Hawks to a 1:30 p.m. ET start. These kinds of adjustments can cascade across staffing, arena logistics, and broadcast plans, while also creating last-minute issues for ticket holders who planned around evening schedules.
Storm-related disruptions also touched travel plans. Liberty Ballers reported the 76ers altered their normal routine by traveling earlier than usual, and that the team had already arrived in Charlotte ahead of the rescheduled tipoff—an approach designed to minimize the risk of flight delays and hazardous road conditions.
What it means for fans and teams
Severe weather often forces leagues to choose between postponements, cancellations, or time changes. Moving games earlier can reduce exposure to the worst conditions and keep teams from being stranded, but it can also compress preparation windows and disrupt fan plans built around work and school schedules.
With the storm affecting broad regions, the schedule shifts underscored how quickly winter conditions can reach beyond public safety concerns and reshape the logistics of major sports events, from team travel and arena operations to media coverage and attendance.