Originally announced back at E3, Microsoft today released NBA Game Time on Xbox Live. The app will deliver live games, highlights, and on-demand replays to basketball fans — all in HD. Watching games as they happen demands a significant premium, however: a subscription to one of NBA.com's League Pass Broadband plans is required. But Game Time offers more than just video content. A dedicated My Teams section rounds up the latest numbers from your favorite players and stat-hounds can dive even deeper with Stats & Standings. Game Time allows you to watch two games simultaneously, a nice luxury for anyone keeping tabs on a fantasy team. Kinect support has also been built in — navigating the app can be handled both via voice and through motion recognition.

NBA Game Time is available now for Xbox Live Gold members in the US and will arrive in other countries soon. Despite being unveiled alongside the basketball app, there's no word regarding the fate of NHL Game Center. Prospects for a resolution in the ongoing lockout are slim at best, so it (sadly) makes sense for Microsoft to postpone any such release indefinitely.