The 2026/27 NBA season is fast approaching, and anticipation is already through the roof. To build the hype, the league has officially released the scheduleincluding the dates and games to mark in red on your calendar.
It all starts Tuesday, October 20, with a blockbuster Opening Night: the Boston Celtics will face the Detroit Pistons in a matchup between the two best teams in the Eastern Conference during the 2025/26 Regular Season, while all eyes will then turn to Madison Square Garden, where the defending NBA champion New York Knicks will begin their title defense by hosting the new-look Philadelphia 76ers featuring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. The Regular Season will conclude on April 11, 2027, followed by the SoFi Play-In Tournament and the Playoffs.
The new season will feature a clear distribution among the league’s media partners:
- Peacock will take over Monday nights and part of Tuesday.
- ESPN/ABC will retain the traditional Wednesday primetime window, part of Friday and special weekend matchups.
- Prime Video will handle Thursdays and part of Friday and Saturday, as well as international events and the Emirates NBA Cup.
Every nationally televised game will also be available via streaming, making it accessible to a global audience.
The fourth edition of the NBA In-Season Tournament – the Emirates NBA Cup – will tip off on October 30, with the Group Stage running through November 27 to determine which teams will advance to the knockout stage, scheduled from December 4-9. The final will be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on December 11.
2026/27 NBA Season Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 29 | Start of Training Camps |
| October 3-11 | NBA Canada Games (October 3-10)
Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors Los Angeles Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors NBA China Games (October 9-11) Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets |
| October 20 | Start of 2025/26 Regular Season
Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs |
| October 30 | Start of Emirates NBA Cup |
| November 7 | NBA Mexico City Games
Denver Nuggets vs. Indiana Pacers |
| November 27 | End of Emirates NBA Cup Group Stage |
| December 4-5 | Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals |
| December 8 | Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal |
| December 11 | Emirates NBA Cup Final (Indianapolis) |
| December 25 | NBA Christmas Day
San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors |
| January 14 | NBA Paris Game
New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs |
| January 17 | NBA Manchester Game
San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans |
| January 18 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Philadelphia 76ers vs. Atlanta Hawks Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
| January 26-30 | Start of Rivals Week
January 26 Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers January 27 Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves January 22 Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers January 28 Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks January 29 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors Charlotte Hornets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves January 30 Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks |
| February 11 | NBA Trade Deadline |
| February 19-21 | NBA All-Star Game (Phoenix) |
| April 11 | End of 2025/26 Regular Season |
| TBD | NBA Play-In Tournament |
| TBD | Start of Playoffs |
| TBD | Start of NBA Finals |
The NBA’s Big Returns in 2026/27
The 2026/27 NBA schedule will be packed with special returns, reunions and highly anticipated matchups. From LeBron’s return to Los Angeles to Giannis’ return to Milwaukee, along with a rematch of the latest NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs, these are some of the dates to mark on your calendar.
- October 21 – Tyrese Haliburton returns to action on the road against New Orleans
- October 21 – Damian Lillard returns with Portland against Phoenix
- November 6 – Trae Young returns to Atlanta
- December 25 – First NBA Finals rematch between the Knicks and Spurs
- December 25 – LeBron James returns to Los Angeles
- January 21 – Jaylen Brown returns to Boston
- January 28 – Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to Milwaukee
- February 6 – Ja Morant returns to Memphis
- February 15 – LaMelo Ball returns to Charlotte
Where to Watch NBA Games?
If you’re wondering how to make sure you don’t miss any of these matchups, we’ve prepared an article showing you all the available options – check it out!
Where to Watch the NBA
There is also a digital update: a new feature will automatically guide NBA App and NBA.com users directly to live game coverage, integrating team and media partner platforms.
With rivalries, marquee matchups and new ways to watch, the 2026/27 season promises to be one of the most-watched NBA seasons ever.