2026–27 NBA Schedule: Opening Week, Christmas Day and Rivalry Games

The 2026–27 NBA regular season starts Tuesday, October 20, with three games, then runs through Sunday, April 11. The best ticket dates to compare first are opening week, the five-game Christmas Day slate, and repeat rivalry matchups that give fans more than one chance to see the same teams.

The NBA released its official team-by-team schedule on August 13, 2026. Every matchup, date, and time below was checked on August 14 against the NBA’s accessible 2026–27 regular-season schedule; the league labels the schedule as subject to change.

Use the sections below to compare opening week, Christmas Day, and rivalry games, and note that dates are subject to change.

Which teams play on NBA opening night in 2026?

Opening night on October 20 features the Boston Celtics at the Detroit Pistons, the Philadelphia 76ers at the New York Knicks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA schedule lists all three games on NBC.

Opening week continues with a full slate on October 21 and two ESPN games on October 22: the Cleveland Cavaliers at the 76ers at 7 p.m. ET and the Denver Nuggets at the Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET. Fans deciding among the first few nights should compare the full week, not only the opener.

What are the 2026 NBA Christmas Day games?

The NBA scheduled five Christmas Day games for Friday, December 25, beginning at noon ET and ending with a 10:30 p.m. ET tip. All five are listed on ABC in the league’s August 13 schedule.

Christmas is a one-day slate. If the holiday itself is not essential, compare each team’s surrounding home dates before committing to travel.

Which rivalry games give fans more than one date to choose from?

Celtics–Knicks, Lakers–Warriors and Thunder–Spurs each offer multiple dates across the season, so fans can compare location, day of the week and tipoff time. A rivalry label does not automatically make a date better; the useful difference is how each game fits a fan’s schedule.

When do the Celtics play the Knicks?

Boston and New York meet four times: October 23 and January 13 in Boston, then March 14 and April 4 in New York. The October 23 game is at 7 p.m. ET on Prime; January 13 is at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN; March 14 is at noon ET on ABC; and April 4 is at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

The two New York dates land three weeks apart late in the season. The March 14 Sunday matinee is the early-tip option; April 4 is a Sunday night game one week before the regular-season finale.

When do the Lakers play the Warriors?

Los Angeles and Golden State play on October 21 and March 14 in Los Angeles, plus October 30 and January 21 in San Francisco. All four games tip at 10 p.m. ET. The October 21 opener is on ESPN, the two games in San Francisco are on Prime, and the March 14 game is on NBC.

That series spans the entire schedule. Fans who care more about the matchup than a particular city can compare two markets across four dates rather than locking in on opening week.

When do the Thunder play the Spurs?

Oklahoma City and San Antonio meet three times: October 20 in San Antonio, then February 11 and March 14 in Oklahoma City. Opening night is at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC, February 11 is at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime, and March 14 is a 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday game on ABC.

The March date is the only daytime option in this three-game set. It also gives fans a late-season alternative to the opening-night matchup.

Which NBA schedule dates could still change?

The entire schedule is subject to change, and the NBA Cup creates the clearest set of matchup placeholders in December. The NBA’s 2026–27 key dates list Cup knockout rounds for December 4, 5, 8, 9 and 11, while the regular-season schedule places games on December 6, 7 and 10.

Those matchups depend on which teams advance. Do not treat a blank December slot on a team schedule as a cancellation or an off day; check the official schedule again after Cup group play.

The regular season ends April 11, 2027. Late-season games can matter in the standings, but that cannot be known in August, so buy for the teams and date you want rather than an assumed playoff scenario.

How should fans choose a 2026–27 NBA game?

Start with two or three acceptable dates, then compare the full ticket total and seat location for each one. TickPick uses all-in pricing, so the displayed price is the final price with no service fees added at checkout.

If you are still deciding when to shop, read our guide to when NBA tickets go on sale and browse NBA tickets by team and date. Before booking travel, confirm the matchup and tipoff time on the NBA’s current schedule.