The 2025-26 NBA season officially gets underway on Tuesday, October 21, marking the beginning of the league’s 80th regular season.
The spotlight will be on the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who open the season at home against the Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The season opener will be part of a two-game primetime lineup, as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Golden State Warriors later that evening at 10 p.m. ET. Both games will air nationally on NBC and stream live via Peacock – signaling the start of a new broadcast era for the NBA.
This year, national broadcasts will be spread across several platforms: games will be shown Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC and Peacock, midweek on ESPN, and Thursdays through Saturdays on Prime Video. Sunday games will alternate between ABC and NBC, with every match accessible via streaming apps.
International events, mid-season tournament and key calendar dates
The season also includes a number of global showcases, including preseason games in Abu Dhabi, Melbourne, Vancouver, and Macao. January will feature the Magic and Grizzlies playing back-to-back international games in Berlin and London.
The Emirates NBA Cup returns as an early-season competition, with group play starting October 31 and ending November 28. Results will determine two additional regular season matchups per team. The knockout rounds begin December 9, and the final will be played on December 16 in Las Vegas.
Holiday action includes a five-game Christmas Day lineup, beginning with the Cavaliers facing the Knicks at noon. The All-Star break is set for February 13-15 in Los Angeles.
All 30 teams will close out the regular season on April 12. The Play-In Tournament will follow, streamed exclusively on Prime Video, with the NBA Playoffs beginning April 18. The 2026 Finals are set to start on June 4, airing on ABC.
With expanded access to games and a packed calendar, the 2025-26 season is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious in league history.
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