High rookies will sq. off, with No. 1 choose Cooper Flagg dealing with No. 2 choose Dylan Harper and All-Star Victor Wembanyama in an opening-week contest between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.
Former Rutgers teammates Ace Bailey and Harper will face off in December when the Utah Jazz play the Spurs. In the meantime, James will embark on his record-breaking twenty third season within the league.
These are simply a few of the storylines we won’t wait to observe. ESPN’s NBA insiders break down essentially the most anticipated video games of the upcoming season, together with opening evening, each large revenge matchup, the five-game Christmas Day slate and key famous person showdowns.
Leap to:
NBA schedule FAQs
Opening night matchups
Must-see reunions
Rivalry rematches
Christmas showdowns
Superstar, rookie showdowns
Schedule for all 30 teams
NBA schedule FAQs
When does the preseason start?
The Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns start coaching camp Sept. 24 forward of preseason video games in Abu Dhabi, UAE; Melbourne, Australia; and China. The remainder of the groups will begin camp Sept. 29.
When is opening evening?
The NBA common season begins Oct. 21 with the Oklahoma City Thunder internet hosting the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers welcoming the Golden State Warriors.
When is the Emirates NBA Cup, also referred to as the in-season event?
The third version of the event begins Oct. 31 when group play suggestions off. Group play ends on Nov. 28, with the knockout rounds operating by Dec. 9-10. The semifinals might be on Dec. 13 and the championship might be held on Dec. 16.
What’s the Christmas schedule?
There might be 5 video games Dec. 25:
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks (12 p.m. ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder (2:30 p.m. ET)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (8 p.m. ET)
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (5 p.m. ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET)
When and the place is the All-Star Sport?
The NBA All-Star Sport will happen Feb. 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome, house of the LA Clippers.
Opening-night matchups
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
Will Thunder followers’ angst over Kevin Durant’s determination to go away Oklahoma Metropolis in free company in 2016 lastly dissipate now that the NBA’s subsequent dynasty could possibly be blossoming in Bricktown? His presence on the Paycom Middle because the franchise’s first championship banner is raised to the rafters will present an excellent litmus take a look at. Houston’s commerce for Durant — a deal fittingly agreed to on the morning of the Thunder’s title-clinching Sport 7 win — would possibly make the Rockets the defending champions’ hardest challenger within the Western Convention. Combine within the historical past between the Rockets’ new centerpiece and the Thunder, and it is a marquee matchup worthy of tipping off a season. — Tim MacMahon
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Oct. 21, 10 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
One of many easiest methods to make sure an older star is rested and revved up for a specific matchup is to make it the primary of 82 video games. Barring a preseason harm, each LeBron James, 40, and Stephen Curry, 37, must be on the market for his or her 56th profession head-to-head matchup. James has the slight regular-season higher hand: a 14-13 file. Curry has the playoff crown: 17-11 file, 3 collection to 2. There isn’t any telling what number of extra matchups the basketball world will see between them. This one will generate loads of highlight and must be aggressive, contemplating each groups are projected to complete equally within the convention. — Anthony Slater
Dangerous blood? Should-see reunions
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
Nov. 24, 9:30 p.m. ET | Peacock
Reunions are likely to work out favorably for Kevin Durant however not a lot for the opposing group. The 2-time NBA Finals MVP has received every time he has returned for the primary time to play on the street in opposition to a former group. Durant dropped 34 in his return to OKC as a Warrior, 20 in a 134-117 rout of Golden State in his first sport again within the Bay and 33 when Phoenix blasted the Nets in Brooklyn. Now, he is main a contender in opposition to a retooled roster in Phoenix. — Michael C. Wright
Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers
Nov. 3, 7:00 p.m. ET
Probably the most surprising transfer of the summer season got here when the Bucks, with no cap area, signed heart Myles Turner out of nowhere by waiving Damian Lillard and stretching the remaining $113 million owed within the last two years of his contract over the remainder of this decade. With Turner now on the group that was knocked out of the playoffs by the Pacers the previous two seasons, extra gas has been added to what has quietly turn into one of many NBA’s extra intense rivalries. — Tim Bontemps
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
In 24 hours in June, the Celtics moved on from two key cogs of their championship-winning group from a yr in the past, sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks. The Porzingis transfer was certainly one of a number of Atlanta made this summer season that would push the Hawks again into rivalry for a top-four seed within the East, and it ought to add spice to the Latvian’s return to Boston, the place he turned a fan favourite in his two seasons in Celtic inexperienced. — Bontemps
Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
This is not only a matchup between the 2 defending No. 1 seeds but additionally a conflict of kinds, because the Cavaliers led the league in offensive score final season and the Thunder had been tops in defensive score. The clichéd unstoppable drive versus immovable object produced the most effective video games of the 2024-25 common season, a 129-122 Cavaliers win at house, earlier than Oklahoma Metropolis bought revenge with a 20-point victory per week later. This matchup must be simply as compelling a yr later, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams battling Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland for perimeter scoring, plus two elite double-big pairings going head-to-head within the frontcourt. — Zach Kram
Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies
Jan. 21, 8:00 p.m. ET
The Grizzlies and Hawks had the NBA’s quickest offenses final season, every taking a mean of 10.6 seconds per possession to shoot, per Inpredictable monitoring. The groups’ second assembly final season confirmed simply how enjoyable a matchup between fast-paced groups might be: Atlanta received 132-130 in March when Dyson Daniels stripped Desmond Bane within the last seconds and threw the ball forward to Caris LeVert for a buzzer-beating layup. — Kram
Run it again: Massive rematches to observe
0:54
Perk labels Houston Rockets as ‘must-see TV’
Houston Rockets Poised to Be Should-See TV – Chapter by Kendrick Perkins, 08/14/2025
NBA Finals rematch
Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers
Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
The Finals rematch loses quite a lot of luster as a result of torn Achilles tendon Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered early in Sport 7, an harm that can sideline him all season. However the pleasant, fierce competitors between MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his childhood buddy Andrew Nembhard, who would be the Pacers’ main ballhandler in Haliburton’s absence, is at all times well worth the value of admission. — MacMahon
Western Convention finals rematch
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
Nov 26, 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Is that this actually a rivalry after a gents’s sweep within the convention finals? The Timberwolves, who misplaced a key contributor with Nickeil Alexander-Walker‘s free company departure, should show that they are a critical challenger to a younger Oklahoma Metropolis squad that returns its complete rotation. After advancing to the convention finals the previous two years, Minnesota’s finest guess to interrupt by is for 24-year-old All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards to make one other leap. There isn’t any more durable take a look at than the Thunder’s stifling protection headed by stopper Luguentz Dort. — MacMahon
Jap Convention semifinals rematch
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET
Just some months in the past, these groups squared off in a playoff collection that started with nobody giving New York a lot of an opportunity after the Knicks had been swept within the season collection by the defending NBA champions. However then, after the Knicks mounted back-to-back beautiful comebacks to start the collection, Jayson Tatum tore an Achilles on the Madison Sq. Backyard flooring in Sport 5, altering the route of not solely the Celtics however the complete league. Now, it is New York that’s seen as one of many favorites to make the NBA Finals, whereas Boston finds itself in a rebuilding yr. — Bontemps
Trae Younger vs. the Backyard
Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks
Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
The denizens of MSG love themselves a villain. Reggie Miller assumed that function with aplomb for prior generations of followers, and now Trae Young has taken to it for this group, together with his identify arising even when the Hawks aren’t in attendance. However after Younger ribbed the Knicks and their followers by pretending to roll cube on the courtroom upon beating New York final season and with Atlanta wanting like an element within the East for the primary time since making the convention finals in 2021 — a playoff run that despatched the Knicks house in 5 video games — count on venom to go the star level guard’s means when he seems in Gotham. — Bontemps
Extremely anticipated vacation showdowns
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
Dec. 25, midday ET | ESPN, ABC
The 2 favorites to make the East finals will kick off the Christmas slate, a matchup that additionally highlights the shortage of star energy across the convention as the opposite eight groups in motion hail from West of the Mississippi. There’s loads of juice on this showdown, although, with Donovan Mitchell going up in opposition to Jalen Brunson and Evan Mobley squaring off with Karl-Anthony Towns. We’ll get an early take a look at which of those groups has the sting in what could possibly be a seasonlong staring contest. — Bontemps
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
San Antonio paid shut consideration to Oklahoma Metropolis’s meticulous rebuild because it embarked by itself, making this matchup one thing of a litmus take a look at for the place the Spurs are headed. San Antonio hadn’t performed on Christmas since 2016 earlier than final season, when Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 42 factors — essentially the most by a customer on Christmas at Madison Sq. Backyard — with 18 rebounds and 4 blocks in a 117-114 loss to the Knicks. Led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending champion Thunder return to the Christmas Day slate for the primary time since 2018. — Michael C. Wright
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
Dec. 25, 5 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
The world employees will not be lined up from the loading dock to the locker room to greet Klay Thompson. The gang will not be given sailor hats to tip towards him in lineup introductions. Nothing will match the pageantry and emotion of his first return to San Francisco. However Thompson in opposition to the Warriors will at all times have a wierd and amplified look to it, particularly in Chase Middle. So the league planted it on a showcase stage and can get a Cooper Flagg debut Christmas sport out of it as effectively. — Slater
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Dec. 25, 8 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
LeBron James’ first Christmas Day sport as a Laker got here in opposition to Kevin Durant in 2018, and now the 2 all-time greats will face off once more to anchor the festivities. Rather a lot has modified since that final matchup, with Durant going from the Warriors to the Nets to the Suns to the Rockets. James has stayed in L.A., however his coach has gone from Luke Walton to Frank Vogel to Darvin Ham to JJ Redick. And Durant’s previous coach in Brooklyn, Steve Nash, is James’ podcast co-host on “Thoughts the Sport.” What has remained the identical is each gamers’ elite manufacturing. Durant, 36, averaged 26.6 factors, 6 rebounds and 4.2 assists final season. James, 40, averaged 24.4 factors, 7.8 rebounds and eight.2 assists in his twenty second marketing campaign. — Dave McMenamin
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Dec. 25, 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
A go to from Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves is not a lot of a Christmas reward for Nikola Jokic‘s Nuggets. The Timberwolves have received the previous 5 video games between the rivals, a streak that dates to Minnesota’s historic street comeback in Sport 7 of the 2024 Western Convention semifinals. Jokic had a 61-point triple-double in Denver’s final assembly with Minnesota, however that wasn’t sufficient for the Nuggets to drag out a win in a double-overtime basic. — MacMahon
All-Star showdowns and rookie matchups
MVP matchup
Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets
Feb. 1, 9:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
The latest two MVPs — winners of 4 of the previous 5 awards mixed — have developed a rivalry of kinds regardless of enjoying completely different positions. Their groups met back-to-back in Oklahoma Metropolis in March, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivering 40 factors in a blowout win the primary evening and Nikola Jokic answering with a 35-point, 18-rebound efficiency the subsequent. Gilgeous-Alexander took not solely his first MVP but additionally the seven-game playoff collection between the 2 groups en path to the title. After Jokic’s Nuggets added reinforcements this summer season, it could possibly be a fairer battle this time round. — Kevin Pelton
Flagg vs. Luka
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
Nov. 28, 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video
Each Lakers-Mavs sport figures to pack loads of intrigue for years to return, however there are a few firsts to tune in for this season. All eyes might be on the matchup when Cooper Flagg, Dallas’ No. 1 choose, shares the courtroom with Luka Doncic, the franchise’s former star, for the primary time. It isn’t exhausting to think about the excitement that can permeate the sector when Doncic has Flagg defending him on a swap and begins dribbling the ball between his legs to arrange a step-back 3. And the Mavs’ sport in Los Angeles might be Anthony Davis‘ first time enjoying there since final season’s commerce, as he sat out Dallas’ sport at Crypto.com Area in February with an adductor pressure. — McMenamin
Flagg vs. Wemby and No. 2 choose Harper
San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Oct. 22, 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Circle Oct. 22 for some of the plot-heavy opening-week matchups. In fact, high picks Flagg and Dylan Harper will make their NBA debuts in opposition to one another in what the league absolutely hopes will mark the beginning of a reenergized Mavs-Spurs rivalry. This also needs to be Victor Wembanyama’s first regular-season sport as he returns from the blood-clot scare that ended his 2024-25 season. With Dallas and San Antonio hoping to mount playoff pushes, this sport ought to have lots going for it. — Jeremy Woo
Chet vs. Wemby Half III
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
Dec 23, 8:30 p.m. ET
The budding stars have confronted off 4 occasions of their careers, with Holmgren proudly owning three victories, together with final yr’s matchup when the Thunder large man performed a major function in limiting Wembanyama to profession lows in factors (6) and area objectives (1). Anticipate the play on the ground between these ultracompetitive slim towers to belie the trouble they’re going to expend in downplaying this matchup. Wembanyama bested Holmgren for Rookie of the 12 months in 2023-24, however the latter took house championship {hardware} first. Wembanyama’s final win in opposition to OKC (Feb. 29, 2024) snapped a five-game skid in opposition to the Thunder. — Wright
Rutgers teammates face off
Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
Dec. 27, 8:00 p.m. ET
Former school teammates Bailey and Harper will sq. off as opponents for the primary time on Dec. 27 after listening to their names known as within the high 5 on draft evening. Although it is exhausting to vow that this might be a fairly sport — the Jazz will possible be spinning the lottery wheel once more after this season — Bailey’s shotmaking prowess and Harper’s playmaking abilities give them star potential in the long term. For these inquisitive about the way forward for the league, this must be a must-watch (and to not point out, there’s Wemby). — Woo
Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan. 28, 7:00 p.m. ET
LeBron James has had his means as a visiting participant in Cleveland, going 9-3 with the Warmth and Lakers whereas posting averages of 31.2 factors, 8.9 rebounds and seven.1 assists. Final season was a kind of uncommon defeats, because the Cavs blew out L.A.,134-110 on the best way to a 64-win season — the one time the franchise topped the 60-win plateau with out James on the roster. He and the Lakers will come to Cleveland in late January in a sport that each groups hope options two contenders, however extra so, could possibly be one of many final occasions James performs a sport in his house in Northeast Ohio. — McMenamin
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
Nov 28, 9:30 p.m. ET
The NBA’s finest defensive participant hasn’t been capable of sluggish the very best offensive participant of their conferences to this point: Nikola Jokic has averaged a whopping 36.8 factors in six matchups in opposition to Victor Wembanyama, together with 41 and 46 on back-to-back nights of their most up-to-date video games in January (albeit on extra pictures than Jokic often makes an attempt). Can Wembanyama do a greater job containing Jokic in his third season? Or will Jokic stay effectively forward of the budding star 9 years his junior? — Kram
Each group’s full 2025-26 schedule
Atlantic: BOS | BKN | NYK | PHI | TOR
Central: CHI | CLE | DET | IND | MIL
Southeast: ATL | CHA | MIA | ORL | WAS
Pacific: GS | LAC | LAL | PHX | SAC
Southwest: DAL | HOU | MEM | NO | SA
Northwest: DEN | MIN | OKC | POR | UTAH
