The 2025-26 NBA schedule continues its slow rollout ahead of the full official release at 3:15 p.m. ET on Thursday. Fans got some more important dates to circle Wednesday when it comes to the basketball calendar. The two opening night games are already known, as the Thunder start their title defense against the Rockets, and the Lakers tip their season off Oct. 21 against the Warriors. The Christmas Day games are also already unveiled with a full slate of five games featuring the league’s top stars, headlined by a Lakers vs. Rockets showdown that will pit Kevin Durant against LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Ranking 2025 NBA Christmas Day matchups: LeBron James-Kevin Durant battle, Wembanyama vs. OKC highlight slate
Colin Ward-Henninger
Every team’s schedule hits on Thursday, but on Wednesday, Amazon unveiled Prime Video streaming games, headlined by the NBA Cup. NBC and Disney announced multiple marquee games on Tuesday, too. NBC returns as a broadcast partner for the first time since 2002, and gets the first games of the season with an opening night doubleheader where the Thunder will raise their first championship banner and receive their 2025 title rings. NBC will also be home to the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Saturday night and will air one of the conference finals in six of the 11 years of the new television deal. Amazon joins as a new partner and will have exclusive rights over the NBA Cup games as well as Play-In Tournament games. Amazon will also carry one conference finals in six of the 11 years of the league’s deal, similar to NBC.
We’ll know all of the details about that on Thursday. Until then, here’s everything we know so far about the 2025-26 NBA schedule release. All games streaming on ABC, ESPN and NBC are available on Fubo (Start watching and save $20 now!).
Opening night
Oct. 21, 2025
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC/Fubo
- Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors | 10 p.m. ET | NBC/Fubo
Opening week
Oct. 22, 2025
Oct. 23, 2025
October 24, 2025
- New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics | 7:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video
Oct 27, 2025
- Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | 7 p.m. ET | Peacock
- Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets | 9:30 p.m. ET | Peacock
NBA Cup
Oct. 31, 2025 (Group stage begins)
- Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics | 7 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 9:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
November 7, 2025
- San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets | 7:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors | 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video
November 14, 2025
- New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets | 7 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors | 9:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
November 21, 2025
- Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers | 7 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- Denver Nuggets vs. Houston Rockets | 9:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
November 28, 2025 (Group stage concludes)
- Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks | 7:30 p.m. ET | Prime Video
- Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video
December 9-10: NBA Cup quarterfinals | TBD | Prime Video
December 13: NBA Cup semifinals | TBD | Prime Video
December 16: NBA Cup championship | TBD | Prime Video
Christmas Day
Dec. 25, 2025
- New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | 12 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN/Fubo
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs | 2:30 pm. ET | ABC/ESPN/Fubo
- Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks | 5 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN/Fubo
- Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets | 8 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN/Fubo
- Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | 10:30 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN/Fubo
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 19, 2026
