The full 2026-27 NBA schedule has been released, setting up another season packed with blockbuster reunions, Finals rematches and some of the league's biggest names in new colours.
The regular season begins on October 20, with the defending champion New York Knicks raising their first championship banner since 1973 before facing the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Philadelphia arrive with a completely different look after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Opening night also brings another major rematch, with Oklahoma City travelling to San Antonio. The Thunder and Spurs met 12 times across the regular season, NBA Cup and playoffs last year, including San Antonio's seven-game Western Conference Finals victory.
Key dates for the 2026-27 NBA season
Date | Event |
|---|---|
September 29th 2026 | NBA training camps open |
October 3rd 2026 | Preseason begins |
October 20th 2026 | NBA regular season begins: Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs |
October 30th 2026 | NBA Cup Group Play begins |
November 27th 2026 | NBA Cup Group Play ends |
December 4th-5th 2026 | NBA Cup quarter-finals |
December 8th-9th 2026 | NBA Cup semi-finals |
December 11th 2026 | NBA Cup Championship |
December 25th 2026 | NBA Christmas Day: Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets |
January 18th 2027 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day games |
January 26-30th 2026 | NBA Rivals Week |
February 11th 2026 | NBA trade deadline |
February 19th-21st 2027 | NBA All-Star Weekend |
Aopril 11th 2026 | Regular season ends |
Christmas Day brings the Finals rematch
Christmas once again delivers one of the strongest five-game cards of the season.
The headline fixture sees Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs return to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks, a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals.
LeBron's return to Los Angeles will also draw plenty of attention, with Philadelphia facing the Lakers. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami Heat take on Boston, while Oklahoma City visit Anthony Edwards and Minnesota. Nikola Jokic and Denver then close the day against Stephen Curry's Warriors.
There are major storylines elsewhere too. Giannis makes his Miami debut against Minnesota on October 21, while LeBron's first home game as a Sixer comes against former team Cleveland a day later.
Rivals Week in January includes Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets against Wembanyama's Spurs, Thunder against Luka Doncic and the Lakers, plus Knicks-Lakers at Madison Square Garden.
Each team currently has 80 of its 82 regular-season games confirmed, with the final two determined by NBA Cup results.
From the champions opening at MSG to LeBron's latest chapter, Giannis in Miami and Wembanyama looking to take San Antonio one step further, the schedule has given NBA fans plenty of dates to circle.
