Basketball fans, get ready for an unforgettable season! The complete 2025-26 NBA schedule has just been announced, promising a lineup packed with thrilling games, iconic rivalries, and global showcases. This year’s release highlights the return of NBA on NBC for the first time in over two decades, the highly anticipated fourth annual Rivals Week, and three exciting Global Games across Mexico City, Berlin, and London. While 80 of each team’s 82 games are now public, two matchups will be determined later based on the Emirates NBA Cup Group Play results, adding an extra layer of excitement.
🗓️ Kicking Off with a Bang: Opening Week Highlights
The 80th NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 21, on NBC, returning to Oklahoma City where the last season concluded. Reigning Kia MVP and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will celebrate their 2024-25 championship by raising a banner and receiving their rings, then host Kevin Durant and the new-look Rockets. The opening night doubleheader concludes with a historic matchup: LeBron James and Stephen Curry face off for the 57th time, with James making history as the first player to play a 23rd NBA season.
ESPN’s coverage begins on Wednesday, October 22, featuring a clash between Donovan Mitchell’s Cavaliers and Jalen Brunson’s Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This day also marks the professional debuts of the top two 2025 NBA Draft picks, Cooper Flagg (No. 1, Mavericks) and Dylan Harper (No. 2, Spurs), who will play against each other in a game also featuring Victor Wembanyama’s return from injury. Thursday, October 23, sees an NBA Finals rematch between the Thunder and Pacers, followed by Stephen Curry’s Warriors hosting Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets. Prime Video makes its NBA debut on Friday, October 24, with Jaylen Brown’s Celtics visiting the Knicks, and a 2025 First Round rematch between Anthony Edwards’ Timberwolves and Luka Dončić’s and LeBron James’ Lakers. The opening week also includes exclusive Peacock doubleheaders on Monday, October 27, with the Pistons hosting the Cavaliers, and a renewed rivalry between the Timberwolves and Nuggets.
🏆 The Emirates NBA Cup & Christmas Day Thrills
The third annual Emirates NBA Cup takes center stage in November, with Prime Video exclusively broadcasting 10 Group Play games, all quarterfinals, semifinals, and the Championship game. The Cup kicks off with a Halloween doubleheader featuring the Sixers hosting the Celtics, followed by the Lakers facing Ja Morant’s and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Grizzlies. Other Group Play games will be shown on ESPN, NBC, and NBA League Pass. Thanksgiving Eve, November 26, brings an ESPN tripleheader, including Cade Cunningham’s Pistons vs. Jaylen Brown’s Celtics, a 2025 Western Conference Finals rematch between the Thunder and Timberwolves, and a First Round rematch as the Rockets visit the Warriors.
The traditional NBA on Christmas Day features five marquee matchups on Thursday, December 25, broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The New York Knicks, who hold records for most Christmas Day appearances and wins, will host the Cavaliers. The defending champion Thunder will host Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, marking Oklahoma City’s first Christmas Day game since 2018. The Warriors host Klay Thompson and the Mavericks, while LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the top two active scorers in NBA history, meet for their 44th head-to-head and fifth Christmas Day clash. The holiday marathon concludes with another chapter in the growing rivalry between the Timberwolves and Nuggets.
🌍 Global Games & MLK Day Tributes
The NBA’s global reach continues with three regular-season Global Games planned outside the United States and Canada, bringing the excitement of the league to Mexico City, Berlin, and London. These international matchups are a testament to the league’s worldwide appeal.
Monday, January 19, 2026, marks the 40th edition of NBA on MLK Day, featuring four impactful matchups on NBC and Peacock. The day begins with a clash between the Milwaukee Bucks, who added Myles Turner, and the Atlanta Hawks, who welcomed Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker after significant offseason roster changes. Later, the Cavaliers and Thunder, last season’s top seeds in their respective conferences, face off in a highly anticipated rematch. Cooper Flagg will make his Madison Square Garden debut as the Mavericks visit the Knicks. The day concludes with Cade Cunningham’s Pistons, a team on the rise, hosting Jaylen Brown’s Celtics.
🔥 Rivals Week & All-Star Celebration
The fourth annual NBA Rivals Week, running from Tuesday, January 20, to Saturday, January 24, promises five days of intense competition focused on classic and emerging rivalries. With 11 national games across various networks, fans can look forward to matchups like the Texas clash between the Spurs and Rockets, an NBA Cup Championship rematch between the Bucks and Thunder, and an NBA Finals rematch featuring the Pacers and Thunder. Other highlights include the latest Battle of Los Angeles between the Clippers and Lakers, a unique “twins faceoff” between Amen and Ausar Thompson, and Luka Dončić’s return game when the Lakers visit the Mavericks.
Following Rivals Week, the NBA All-Star 2026 festivities head to Los Angeles from February 13-15 at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers. NBC and Peacock will serve as the new home for the Castrol Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, and the 75th annual NBA All-Star Game, while ESPN will broadcast the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. All these exciting events pave the way for a thrilling postseason, with games broadcast across Prime, ABC, ESPN, and NBC/Peacock, leading to the ultimate championship showdown.
