NBA regular season to tip off with tripleheader

The 2026-27 NBA regular season will begin Oct. 20 with a tripleheader highlighted by LeBron James’ Philadelphia 76ers debut against the defending champion New York Knicks, the league announced Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons will contest the first game at 1900GMT before the 76ers visit the Knicks at 2300GMT. The Oklahoma City Thunder will then face the San Antonio Spurs at 0130GMT on Oct. 21.

The Knicks will receive their championship rings and raise their first title banner since 1973 before facing the 76ers at Madison Square Garden.

The game will mark the 76ers' debuts of James and Jaylen Brown.

James will begin his record-extending 24th NBA season after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, while 2024 NBA champion Brown joined the 76ers after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Celtics.

The opening-night finale will be a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals, which the Spurs won 4-3 against the Thunder.

The complete regular-season schedule will be released Thursday.

Wednesday, Oct. 21

The Thunder will visit the Spurs at 0130GMT in a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will visit the Miami Heat at 2330GMT as Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his Heat debut against a Timberwolves team featuring new point guard LaMelo Ball.

Thursday, Oct. 22

The Golden State Warriors will visit the Lakers at 0200GMT in an all-California matchup featuring Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic, the NBA’s only players to average at least four made 3-pointers per game last season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will face the 76ers at 2300GMT as James and Brown make their home debuts against the team with which James spent 11 seasons and won the 2016 championship.

Friday, Oct. 23

The Denver Nuggets will visit the Thunder at 0130GMT in a matchup between reigning two-time Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time winner Nikola Jokic.

The Knicks will visit the Celtics at 2300GMT as two of the NBA’s oldest rivals meet for the first time since the Knicks won the championship.

Saturday, Oct. 24

The Houston Rockets will face the Spurs at 0130GMT in Austin in a Texas rivalry matchup featuring Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama.

Friday, Dec. 25

The Spurs will visit the Knicks at 1700GMT in a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals, which the Knicks won.

The Heat will visit the Celtics at 1930GMT in a rivalry that has featured four playoff series since 2020.

The 76ers will visit the Lakers at 2200GMT as James returns to Los Angeles for the first time since leaving the Lakers and could face his son Bronny James.

Saturday, Dec. 26

The Thunder will visit the Timberwolves at 0100GMT after the teams split their four regular-season meetings last season.

The Nuggets will visit the Warriors at 0330GMT in a meeting between Jokic and Curry, two of the most influential players of their generation.