It is rare for the NBA to have no games scheduled on any given day during the regular season, but that is the case for Tuesday, November 3.
Every NBA team will have the night off on Tuesday, giving them each a respite after playing on Monday night. As Tuesday is usually a big night in the NBA, with NBC broadcasting multiple big games at night, the league has to have a reason not to schedule any games for that day in the week.
That is exactly the case, as the NBA is treating Tuesday as a holiday even though there is no national holiday in the United States on November 3. Here’s why every team is off today.
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Why are there no NBA games today?
There are no NBA games on Tuesday, November 3, because it is Election Day in the United States.
The NBA has made it a point in recent years to avoid scheduling games on Election Day in order to encourage everyone, from players to fans, to vote in their local elections.
“No games have been scheduled for Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) as the league will encourage fans and the broader NBA community to make a plan to vote and to participate in the civic process,” the league said before the season. “All 30 teams will be in action on the day before Election Day (Monday, Nov. 2).”
The league is not only promoting voting by keeping its schedule free, but it also has a section on its website dedicated to educating people about how to vote.
You don’t have to wait until Election Day: be ahead of the game! Today is Vote Early Day. 🗓️🗳️ Know your options. Make a plan. Find your polling place. It will make the process easier! Get the info you need and make your game plan at https://t.co/gnNVWn6ufC. https://t.co/QjJEOasIW5
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2026
As a result, every team played on Monday night, and 28 of the 30 teams will be in action again on Wednesday night. Not only does every team have the day off in order to vote, but it will also give them a lighter week of action than usual.
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