NBA's New Season Tips Off on October 20: Here Are the Opening Games

The NBA has put together an ambitious schedule to kick off the new season. According to Shams Charania, the 2026-27 campaign will open on Tuesday, October 20, with a triple-header airing on NBC. Charania wrote: "NBA Opening Night on Oct. 20 on NBC: Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks, OKC Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs."

According to the report, the afternoon's opening matchup will see the Detroit Pistons face the Boston Celtics. The reigning champion New York Knicks will then host a Philadelphia 76ers side that made aggressive moves this offseason with the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, at Madison Square Garden — serving as a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference semifinals, where New York swept Philadelphia en route to the title. The night will close with a matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the champion San Antonio Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals, which went to a decisive Game 7.

It's recalled that San Antonio, who defeated New York 4-1 in the Finals last season, bolstered their roster this offseason by adding Tobias Harris to support Wembanyama. It's emphasised that this game will mark LeBron James' first official appearance for Philadelphia, seen as an early test for the star as he enters the twilight of his career with a new team. The NBA's full-season schedule is expected to be officially released Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Source: Shams Charania
Image: Al Jazeera