The NBA and its primary broadcast partners unveiled key matchups for the opening week and holiday games on Tuesday morning, coinciding with the release of the 2025-26 NBA schedule. Fans received early glimpses of significant games during appearances on Good Morning America (ABC) and the Today Show (NBC). The full regular season schedule, detailing 80 out of 82 games per team including dates and opponents, will be officially released on Thursday.
The 2025-26 NBA season is set to tip off on October 21, 2025. The opening night will feature notable games such as Kevin Durant’s return to Oklahoma City with his new team, witnessing his former team’s championship banner ceremony. Other highlights include a star-studded matchup between Stephen Curry and LeBron James in the Western Conference.
ESPN will broadcast a variety of marquee players like Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Victor Wembanyama, and number one draft pick Cooper Flag during the opening week’s games. On October 23rd, ESPN will also air a rematch of the NBA Finals featuring the Indiana Pacers versus the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30 pm, followed by the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets at 10 pm.
Peacock will exclusively air games starting October 27, showcasing a doubleheader with Cade Cunningham’s Detroit Pistons facing the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 pm, and the Minnesota Timberwolves battling the Denver Nuggets at 9:30 pm.
The NBA Christmas Day schedule is spread across ABC and ESPN, featuring a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Finals with the Timberwolves hosting the Nuggets. Cooper Flag’s revamped Dallas Mavericks will take on Stephen Curry’s Warriors in San Francisco, and the Cleveland Cavaliers will play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Additional matchups include the Spurs vs. Thunder, Lakers vs. Rockets, and Nuggets vs. Timberwolves.
January 19, 2026, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will showcase four games on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will exclusively air the first game, with the remaining three available on both platforms. The matchups include Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons.
Looking back, the NBA has consistently released its schedule around mid-August in previous years, with the earliest releases dating back to early August and the latest during the pandemic in December 2020.
Notably, three international games are already scheduled: the Dallas Mavericks play on November 1, 2025, in Mexico City; the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic will face off January 15 and 18, 2026, in Berlin and London respectively.
Key dates for the 2025-26 NBA season include the preseason start on October 2 in Abu Dhabi, the regular season launch on October 21, the Emirates NBA Cup beginning October 31 with the championship set for December 16, and the NBA All-Star Game scheduled for February 13-15, 2026, in Los Angeles.
Fan Take: The NBA’s early release of its 2025-26 schedule highlights the league’s growing emphasis on global outreach and marquee matchups, which keeps fans excited year-round. This transparency and focus on star-studded games promise to enhance fan engagement and elevate the sport’s international appeal.
