'ESPN got no regard for the working class dawg': NBA fans lament 15-20 minute delayed tipoffs on national TV

In recent years, NBA fans have continued to crack jokes about how games on national TV often start 15 minutes later than they're scheduled to begin. The situation has continued to be a major talking point among fans year after year, and from the sounds of things, things are only getting worse.

One fan took aim at ESPN for starting games 15-20 minutes late amid the opening week of games across the NBA. On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers game aired on ESPN, followed by a Western Conference matchup between the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers.

On Friday, ESPN broadcast a double-header starting with an Eastern Conference meeting between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks followed by a clash between the Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers, which was scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).

Given that the second game was not only starting late on the East Coast, it was also expected to begin 15 minutes late, some fans weren't happy. One fan called out the network in a post on X (formerly Twitter):

"ESPN got no regards for the working class dawg they be starting their games 15-20 mins late every time"

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"It’s actually a underrated crisis across the league. No game has started on time in 5 years," - another fan wrote .

"Them 10pm est games for the lakers be whoopin my ass be damn near sleep at half," another wrote.

"Nah fr a game starting at 9pm is crazy," one fan added.

Others agreed on the late start:

"I think they be waiting till that 730 slot game is done to for sure start. They def be talking coast to coast to know when to tip," one wrote.

"That extra time delay adds up, especially when you’re balancing work and need to sleep," another added.

Josh Hart expresses frustration surrounding NBA's late start times following season opener vs Boston

As it turns out, fans aren't the only ones frustrated by the late start time of games. New York Knicks standout Josh Hart wasn't happy with the late start time of the Knicks' season opener against the Celtics, which had a 15-minute delayed start on national TV.

The way he sees things, the problem isn't an ESPN problem it's an NBA problem. On the latest episode of "The Roommates Show," he explained how a 15-minute delay is frustrating for players.

In the case of opening night, tip-off was delayed because of the Celtics' ring ceremony:

"It sucks... Playing on ring night sucks. First off, nothing in the NBA starts on time. It says 7:30, tip-off is going to be like 7:43... It's just like an extra 15 minutes. For them, obviously it's dope because they get their rings, the atmosphere, the environment is going to be crazy.

"But for the opposing team, it just sucks, you're just sitting there adding another 15-20 minutes to the warmup."

You can see his comments beginning 45 seconds into the video.

While it's unlikely that fans complaining will impact ESPN's NBA start times, if players like Josh Hart complain to the league and the NBPA, we may wind up seeing things change.