It’s here! The NBA regular season schedule for 2025-26 has been released, and it promises thrills from the start. The season will kick off on October 21st with exciting matchups and anticipated returns.
The defending champion, Oklahoma City Thunder, will host Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets, while LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Los Angeles Lakers will face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The season is full of debuts, stellar matchups, reunions, and playoff rematches that will keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Many players will sport new jerseys, including Kevin Durant, Chris Paul returning to the LA Clippers, Myles Turner with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Kristaps Porzingis with the Atlanta Hawks, ensuring unmissable reunions. In addition, the most promising rookies will face off in exciting matchups.
The 2025-26 NBA schedule is full of stories you won’t want to miss.
Key Dates and Featured Matches
The NBA regular season will begin on October 21st. The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Houston Rockets, and the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Golden State Warriors.
The third edition of the Emirates NBA Cup tournament, also known as the in-season tournament, will begin on October 31st, with the group stage extending until November 28th. The knockout rounds will be played between December 9th and 10th, the semi-finals on December 13th, and the final on December 16th.
Unmissable Matches at Christmas
The excitement of Christmas in the NBA arrives with five games on December 25th:
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks
San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets
The All-Star Game will be held on February 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers.The opening game will pit the Lakers and the Warriors against each other, with LeBron James and Stephen Curry ready for the showdown.
Analysis of the Most Anticipated Matches
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets: A clash laden with history. Will the Thunder, now with championship aspirations, be able to overcome the Durant-led Rockets?Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James and Stephen Curry face off once more. Who will take the victory in this legends’ duel?Reunions:Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns: Kevin Durant returns to Phoenix. Will he achieve victory against his former team?Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner faces his former team, adding a new chapter to this rivalry.Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics: Kristaps Porzingis returns to Boston, promising a game full of emotions.Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: A clash of styles that promises to be a spectacular encounter.Atlanta Hawks vs. Memphis Grizzlies: Two teams with fast offenses face off in a high-speed duel.
Playoff Rematches
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers: The rematch of the NBA Finals. Will the Pacers, without their star, Tyrese Haliburton, be able to challenge the Thunder?Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Will this be the opportunity for the Timberwolves to prove their worth against the Thunder?Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks: The Knicks seek revenge in a match that promises to be intense.Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks: Trae Young returns to Madison Square Garden, which will surely provoke a great reaction from the public.Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson returns to San Francisco with the Warriors.Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James and Kevin Durant face off on Christmas.Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets: The Timberwolves aim to break the Nuggets’ streak.
Star Duels and Rookie Showdowns
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets: A clash between MVPs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg will face Luka Doncic.San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks: Flagg and Harper debut.Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs: Chet Holmgren versus Victor Wembanyama.Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs: Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper face off.Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James returns to Cleveland.San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets: Victor Wembanyama against Nikola Jokic.
