With the 2024-25 NBA season and 2025 NBA Draft behind us, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming NBA season. Stay up to date with everything you need to know about the 2025-26 NBA Schedule release below:

When is the 2025-26 NBA Schedule Release?

The NBA announced that the 2025-26 regular season schedule will be released this week. Fans can tune in to Good Morning America (ABC) and the TODAY Show (NBC) on Tuesday morning for the schedule. The regular-season schedule will include dates and opponents for 80 of each team’s 82 games. There will also be two games announced as part of the Emirates NBA Cup with dates TBD.

When does the 2025-26 NBA Season start?

While we don’t know everything about the 2025-26 NBA season yet, we do know that NBA Opening Night will be October 21, 2025. Below are the NBA Opening Night matchups on NBC:

• Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
• Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers

Opening night will see Kevin Durant head back to Oklahoma City with his new team, and watch his former team raise their NBA championship banner. The other game will see Stephen Curry and LeBron James play against one another in another star-studded Western Conference class.

2025 NBA Christmas Day Schedule

NBA Christmas Day Games will be spread across ABC and ESPN. Here’s the matchups:

• Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
• San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
• Houston Rockets at LA Lakers
• Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
• Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

On Christmas, there’s a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Finals with the Nuggets hosting the Timberwolves. Also, Cooper Flagg and the new-look Mavs head to San Francisco to take on Curry and the Warriors. The lone Eastern Conference matchup will see the Cavs head to Madison Square Garden for a date with the Knicks. 

Past NBA Schedule Release Dates

• 2024-25: Aug. 15, 2024
• 2023-24: Aug. 17, 2023
• 2022-23: Aug. 17, 2022
• 2021-22: Aug. 20, 2021
• 2020-21: Dec. 4, 2020
• 2019-20: Aug. 13, 2019
• 2018-19: Aug. 10, 2018
• 2017-18: Aug. 14, 2017
• 2016-17: Aug, 11, 2016
• 2015-16: Aug. 12, 2015
• 2014-15: Aug, 13, 2014
• 2013-14: Aug. 6, 2013
• 2012-13: July 26, 2012
• 2011-12: July 19, 2011
• 2010-11: Aug. 10, 2010
• 2009-10: Aug. 4, 2009
• 2008-09: Aug. 6, 2008

2025-26 Regular Season Games Already Announced

We do know the dates of three international games for the upcoming NBA season:

• November 1, 2025: Pistons vs. Mavs in Mexico City, Mexico
• January 15, 2026: Grizzlies vs. Magic in Berlin, Germany
• January 18: 2026: Magic vs. Grizzlies in London, UK

2025-26 NBA Schedule and Key Dates

• Oct. 2, 2025: NBA Preseason begins with NBA Abu Dhabi Games
• Oct. 21, 2025: Regular Season starts
• Oct. 31, 2025: Emirates NBA Cup starts
• Dec. 16, 2025: Emirates NBA Cup Championship
• Feb. 13-15, 2026: NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, CA

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