How to watch Nuggets vs. Clippers Game 3 in Denver after controversial NBA TV broadcast decision

Even TNT’s on-air talent was baffled by the NBA’s television slate of playoff games Thursday, which included Game 3 between the Nuggets and Clippers being relegated to NBA TV.

The Nuggets tip off at 8 p.m. MT. TNT will broadcast Game 3 between the Thunder and Grizzlies in an overlapping window that begins 30 minutes earlier.

Nuggets games that air on NBA TV are blacked out locally, meaning the only way to watch Game 3 from the Denver area is via Altitude Sports. The team-owned regional sports network is offering a free three-day trial to its streaming service, Altitude Plus, with a promo code of “alt3free.”

“We understand Nuggets fans frustrations that tonight’s game is not being televised on TNT,” Kevin Demoff, the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment executive who oversees Altitude, posted to social media on Thursday. “We have no control over that and were not involved in the decision. What we do control is making the game free on Altitude+ so all fans can watch.”

When TNT’s “Inside the NBA” aired a graphic on Wednesday night showing Thursday’s schedule, analyst Charles Barkley reacted in shock.

“Are y’all serious right now?” he said. “Y’all got the Clippers, the best series going, on NBA TV instead of here? Come on, Kenny.”

“Yeah, that’s different,” his co-panelist Kenny Smith replied. “That is different.”

Shaquille O’Neal could be heard in the background advocating for TNT and NBA TV to trade games in the background. The Nuggets and Clippers are tied 1-1 after tense finishes in each of the first two contests of their series, whereas Oklahoma City has beaten Memphis by a combined 70 points through two games.

“Who made that decision?” Barkley said on the air. “They’ve had the two best games by far, and we ain’t gonna be there. Come on, man. … Hey, think about it. We’re gonna show the game where (Memphis) lost by 75 points in two games instead of teams that went overtime and a barn-burner.

“Whoever made that decision is just stupid.”

TNT’s Ernie Johnson pointed out that Game 3 between the Nuggets and Clippers had already been assigned to NBA TV before the series started.

“But we knew that was gonna be a great series,” Barkley retorted.

Games 4 and 5 of the first-round series are set for national broadcasts on TNT, in addition to Altitude’s local coverage.

Altitude and the cable giant Comcast reached a new carriage agreement in February, ending a bitter contract dispute that caused local blackouts of Nuggets and Avalanche games dating back to September 2019. Altitude+ was introduced late in the standoff to provide another way to access games. The monthly subscription cost is $19.95.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.