By ESPN | ESPN, 2025-08-15 04:41:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
NBA 2025-26赛季赛程正式公布！常规赛将于10月21日拉开帷幕，卫冕NBA总冠军俄克拉荷马城雷霆队将主场迎战由凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 率领的新东家休斯顿火箭队；与此同时，勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)、卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 和洛杉矶湖人队将在主场对阵斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 领衔的金州勇士队。
随着新赛季的临近，哪些新秀首秀、巨星对决、旧将重逢和季后赛重演最让我们翘首以盼？
众多球星将披上新战袍——其中最引人注目的包括杜兰特、重返洛杉矶快船队的克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul)、加盟密尔沃基雄鹿队的迈尔斯·特纳 (Myles Turner) 以及转投亚特兰大老鹰队的克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯 (Kristaps Porzingis)——这些都将上演不容错过的重逢之战。
顶级新秀们将展开正面对决，状元秀库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 将在揭幕周达拉斯独行侠队与圣安东尼奥马刺队的比赛中，挑战榜眼秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 和全明星球员维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)。
前罗格斯大学队友埃斯·贝利 (Ace Bailey) 和哈珀将在12月犹他爵士队对阵马刺队的比赛中首次作为对手交锋。与此同时，詹姆斯将开启他创纪录的联盟第23个赛季。
这些仅仅是我们迫不及待想要见证的部分故事情节。ESPN的NBA内部专家们将为您深度解析新赛季最受期待的比赛，包括揭幕战、每一场重要的复仇之战、圣诞大战的五场对决以及关键的超级巨星对决。
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NBA赛程常见问题解答
揭幕战对阵
不容错过的重逢之战
宿敌重逢
圣诞大战
超级巨星与新秀对决
全部30支球队赛程
NBA赛程常见问题解答
季前赛何时开始？
布鲁克林篮网队、纽约尼克斯队、费城76人队、新奥尔良鹈鹕队和菲尼克斯太阳队将于9月24日开启训练营，备战在阿联酋阿布扎比、澳大利亚墨尔本和中国举行的季前赛。其余球队将于9月29日开启训练营。
揭幕战是哪天？
NBA常规赛将于10月21日打响，届时俄克拉荷马城雷霆队将主场迎战休斯顿火箭队，洛杉矶湖人队则坐镇主场迎接金州勇士队的挑战。
阿联酋航空NBA杯（即季中锦标赛）何时举行？
第三届季中锦标赛将于10月31日打响小组赛。小组赛阶段于11月28日结束，淘汰赛阶段则在12月9日至10日进行。半决赛将于12月13日举行，冠军赛定于12月16日。
圣诞大战的赛程是怎样的？
12月25日将有五场比赛：
克利夫兰骑士 vs. 纽约尼克斯 (美国东部时间中午12点)
圣安东尼奥马刺 vs. 俄克拉荷马城雷霆 (美国东部时间下午2:30)
休斯顿火箭 vs. 洛杉矶湖人 (美国东部时间晚上8点)
达拉斯独行侠 vs. 金州勇士 (美国东部时间下午5点)
明尼苏达森林狼 vs. 丹佛掘金 (美国东部时间晚上10:30)
全明星赛的时间和地点是？
NBA全明星赛将于2026年2月15日在洛杉矶快船队的主场——Intuit圆顶体育馆举行。
揭幕战对阵
休斯顿火箭 vs. 俄克拉荷马城雷霆
10月21日，美国东部时间晚上7:30 | NBC, Peacock
雷霆球迷们对于凯文·杜兰特在2016年以自由球员身份离队的怨念，是否会因为NBA下一个王朝可能正在“砖城”（Bricktown，俄克拉荷马城市中心区昵称）崛起而最终烟消云散？当球队历史首面总冠军旗帜在Paycom中心升起时，他的到场将是一块很好的试金石。休斯顿交易得到杜兰特——这笔交易恰好在雷霆队锁定总冠军的G7胜利当天上午达成——或许让火箭队成为卫冕冠军在西部的最强挑战者。再加上火箭队新核心与雷霆队之间的历史渊源，这无疑是一场足以拉开新赛季大幕的焦点对决。 – 蒂姆·麦克马洪 (Tim MacMahon)
金州勇士 vs. 洛杉矶湖人
10月21日，美国东部时间晚上10点 | NBC, Peacock
要确保一位年长的球星为某场特定比赛得到充分休息并蓄势待发，最简单的方法之一就是将它安排为82场常规赛的第一场。除非遭遇季前赛伤病，40岁的勒布朗·詹姆斯和37岁的斯蒂芬·库里都应该会出战他们职业生涯的第56次正面对决。詹姆斯在常规赛交锋中以14胜13负稍占上风。而库里则在季后赛中称雄：战绩为17胜11负，系列赛3胜2负。篮球世界还能见证多少次他们之间的对决，我们不得而知。考虑到两队在西部的实力预测相近，这场比赛必将吸引万众瞩目，且竞争会相当激烈。 – 安东尼·斯莱特 (Anthony Slater)
宿怨恩仇？不容错过的重逢之战
休斯顿火箭 vs. 菲尼克斯太阳
11月24日，美国东部时间晚上9:30 | Peacock
重逢之战似乎总是对凯文·杜兰特更为有利，而对他的对手则不然。这位两届NBA总决赛MVP在他每一次首次重返前东家主场比赛时都取得了胜利。作为勇士球员重返俄城时，杜兰特砍下34分；首次重返湾区对阵金州勇士时，他贡献20分并率队以134-117大胜；当菲尼克斯太阳在布鲁克林大胜篮网时，他又得到33分。如今，他将带领一支争冠球队，对阵菲尼克斯一支重组后的阵容。 – 迈克尔·C·莱特 (Michael C. Wright)
密尔沃基雄鹿 vs. 印第安纳步行者
11月3日，美国东部时间晚上7:00
今年夏天最令人震惊的运作莫过于雄鹿队在没有薪金空间的情况下，通过裁掉达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard)，并将其合同最后两年剩余的1.13亿美元薪水用延伸条款支付到本十年末，从而出人意料地签下了中锋迈尔斯·特纳。如今特纳加盟了这支在过去两个赛季季后赛中均被步行者队淘汰的球队，这无疑为这段已悄然成为联盟中最激烈对决之一的宿怨关系火上浇油。 – 蒂姆·邦坦普斯 (Tim Bontemps)
亚特兰大老鹰 vs. 波士顿凯尔特人
1月17日，美国东部时间晚上7:30
在六月的24小时内，凯尔特人队送走了他们一年前夺冠阵容中的两位关键功臣，将朱·霍勒迪 (Jrue Holiday) 送往波特兰开拓者队，并将克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯送往老鹰队。波尔津吉斯的交易是亚特兰大今年夏天多笔运作之一，这些运作有望推动老鹰队重返东部前四的竞争行列，同时也为这位拉脱维亚球星重返波士顿的比赛增添更多看点——他在身披凯尔特人绿军战袍的两个赛季里，已然成为球迷的宠儿。– 邦坦普斯
俄克拉荷马城雷霆 vs. 克利夫兰骑士
1月19日，美国东部时间下午2:30 | NBC, Peacock
这不仅是两支卫冕分区头号种子之间的对决，更是一场风格的碰撞——骑士队上赛季进攻效率联盟第一，而雷霆队则在防守效率上独占鳌头。矛与盾的经典对决在2024-25赛季常规赛中就上演了一场巅峰之战，骑士队在主场以129-122取胜，但一周后俄克拉荷马城雷霆以20分的优势成功复仇。一年之后，这场对决的看点丝毫未减：谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 和杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 将与多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell) 和达里厄斯·加兰 (Darius Garland) 展开外线得分大战，而两队精英级别的双塔组合也将在前场一较高下。 – 扎克·克拉姆 (Zach Kram)
亚特兰大老鹰 vs. 孟菲斯灰熊
1月21日，美国东部时间晚上8:00
根据Inpredictable的数据追踪，灰熊队和老鹰队是上赛季联盟中进攻节奏最快的球队，平均每次进攻出手耗时仅为10.6秒。两队上赛季的第二次交锋充分展现了快节奏对决的观赏性：亚特兰大在三月份以132-130险胜，当时戴森·丹尼尔斯 (Dyson Daniels) 在最后几秒从德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane) 手中完成抢断，并将球传给前场的卡里斯·勒韦尔 (Caris LeVert)，后者命中压哨上篮。 – 克拉姆
战火重燃：值得关注的重要重赛
NBA总决赛重演
俄克拉荷马城雷霆 vs. 印第安纳步行者
10月23日，美国东部时间下午5:30 | ESPN
由于步行者队球星泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 在G7开场不久便遭遇跟腱撕裂，并将因此缺席整个赛季，这场总决赛重演的精彩程度大打折扣。但是，MVP谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大与他儿时好友安德鲁·内姆哈德 (Andrew Nembhard) 之间友谊与激烈并存的竞争总是值回票价。在哈利伯顿缺阵期间，内姆哈德将成为步行者队的主要持球人。– 麦克马洪
西部决赛重演
明尼苏达森林狼 vs. 俄克ла荷马城雷霆
11月26日，美国东部时间晚上7:30 | ESPN
在分区决赛被“绅士横扫”之后，这还能算是一段宿敌关系吗？森林狼队在休赛期因尼基尔·亚历山大-沃克 (Nickeil Alexander-Walker) 以自由球员身份离队而失去了一名关键轮换球员，他们必须证明自己有能力对这支保留了全部轮换阵容的年轻雷霆队构成严峻挑战。连续两年闯入分区决赛后，明尼苏达要想实现突破，最大的希望寄托于24岁的全明星后卫安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 实现又一次飞跃。而他将面临的最严峻考验，莫过于由防守尖兵吕冈茨·多尔特 (Luguentz Dort) 领衔的雷霆队窒息式防守。– 麦克马洪
东部半决赛重演
波士顿凯尔特人 vs. 纽约尼克斯
10月24日，美国东部时间晚上7:30
就在几个月前，这两支球队在季后赛中相遇，当时几乎没人看好纽约，因为尼克斯队在常规赛中被卫冕NBA总冠军凯尔特人队横扫。但随后，尼克斯队连续上演惊天逆转，取得系列赛开局的连胜，而杰森·塔特姆 (Jayson Tatum) 在G4的麦迪逊广场花园球场地板上遭遇跟腱撕裂，这不仅改变了凯尔特人队的命运，也改变了整个联盟的格局。如今，被视为NBA总决赛热门之一的是纽约，而波士顿则进入了重建之年。 – 邦坦普斯
特雷·杨 vs. 麦迪逊花园
亚特兰大老鹰 vs. 纽约尼克斯
10月25日，美国东部时间晚上7:30 | ESPN
麦迪逊广场花园的观众们钟爱反派角色。雷吉·米勒 (Reggie Miller) 在老一辈球迷心中出色地扮演了这一角色，而现在，特雷·杨 (Trae Young) 接过了这个衣钵，即便老鹰队不在场，他的名字也时常被提及。上赛季击败纽约后，杨在场上做出掷骰子的动作来调侃尼克斯队及其球迷。而如今，亚特兰大自2021年闯入东部决赛（那轮季后赛他们五场淘汰了尼克斯）以来首次展现出东部强队的姿态，预计当这位明星控卫现身“哥谭”（纽约市别称）时，他将迎来铺天盖地的嘘声。 – 邦坦普斯
备受期待的假日对决
克利夫兰骑士 vs. 纽约尼克斯
12月25日，美国东部时间中午12点 | ESPN, ABC
两支东部决赛的热门球队将为圣诞大战拉开序幕，这场对决也凸显了东部星光的相对匮乏——当天出战的其他八支球队均来自密西西比河以西。不过，这场对决看点十足，多诺万·米切尔将对阵杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson)，埃文·莫布里 (Evan Mobley) 将与卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 正面交锋。我们将提前一睹，在这场可能贯穿整个赛季的对峙中，哪支球队能占得先机。– 邦坦普斯
圣安东尼奥马刺 vs. 俄克拉荷马城雷霆
12月25日，美国东部时间下午2:30 | ESPN, ABC
圣安东尼奥在开启自己的重建之路时，密切关注着俄克拉荷马城精心的重建过程，这使得这场对决在某种程度上，是对马刺队发展方向的一次检验。自2016年以来，马刺队一直无缘圣诞大战，直到上赛季，维克托·文班亚马在麦迪逊广场花园砍下全场最高的42分（客队球员在圣诞大战的最高分）、18个篮板和4次盖帽，但球队最终以114-117不敌尼克斯。而由卫冕MVP谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大率领的卫冕冠军雷霆队，则是自2018年以来首次重返圣诞大战的舞台。 – 迈克尔·C·莱特
达拉斯独行侠 vs. 金州勇士
12月25日，美国东部时间下午5点 | ESPN, ABC
球馆工作人员不会再从装卸区列队到更衣室迎接克莱·汤普森 (Klay Thompson)。赛前介绍球员时，观众也不会被分发水手帽向他致意。这一切都无法与他首次重返旧金山时的盛况和情感相提并论。但汤普森对阵勇士的比赛，尤其是在大通中心，总会显得有些特别且备受瞩目。因此，联盟将这场比赛安排在了焦点舞台上，同时这也将是库珀·弗拉格的圣诞大战首秀。 – 斯莱特
休斯顿火箭 vs. 洛杉矶湖人
12月25日，美国东部时间晚上8点 | ESPN, ABC
勒布朗·詹姆斯作为湖人球员的首场圣诞大战是在2018年对阵凯文·杜兰特，如今这两位历史级巨星将再次交锋，为这场年终盛宴压轴。自上次对决以来，物是人非：杜兰特辗转勇士、篮网、太阳，最终来到火箭。詹姆斯则一直留在洛杉矶，但他的教练从卢克·沃顿 (Luke Walton) 换成了弗兰克·沃格尔 (Frank Vogel)，再到达尔文·哈姆 (Darvin Ham)，如今是JJ·雷迪克 (JJ Redick)。而杜兰特在布鲁克林时的教练史蒂夫·纳什 (Steve Nash)，现在是詹姆斯播客节目《Mind the Game》的联合主持人。唯一不变的是两位球员的顶级表现。36岁的杜兰特上赛季场均贡献26.6分、6个篮板和4.2次助攻。而40岁的詹姆斯在他第22个赛季里场均得到24.4分、7.8个篮板和8.2次助攻。– 戴夫·麦克梅纳明 (Dave McMenamin)
明尼苏达森林狼 vs. 丹佛掘金
12月25日，美国东部时间晚上10:30 | ESPN, ABC
对于尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 的掘金队来说，迎来安东尼·爱德华兹和森林狼队的造访，可算不上一份圣诞礼物。在这对宿敌的近五次交锋中，森林狼队全部获胜，这一连胜纪录可以追溯到2024年西部半决赛G7，当时明尼苏达上演了历史性的客场大逆转。在丹佛与明尼苏达的最近一次交锋中，约基奇砍下61分的三双，但仍不足以帮助掘金队在一场双加时经典之战中取胜。 – 麦克马洪
全明星对决与新秀比拼
MVP对决
俄克拉荷马城雷霆 vs. 丹佛掘金
2月1日，美国东部时间晚上9:30 | NBC, Peacock
最近两届的MVP——两人合计赢得了过去五个赛季中的四座MVP奖杯——尽管司职不同，却已然形成了一种宿敌关系。去年三月，他们的球队在俄克拉荷马城连续交手两场，首战谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大狂砍40分率队大胜，次战尼古拉·约基奇则以35分18篮板的表现强势回应。吉尔杰斯-亚历山大不仅赢得了他的首个MVP，还在通往总冠军的道路上，通过七场大战赢得了两队之间的季后赛系列赛。今年夏天，约基奇的掘金队进行了补强，这一次的较量可能会更加势均力敌。 – 凯文·佩尔顿 (Kevin Pelton)
弗拉格 vs. 卢卡
洛杉矶湖人 vs. 达拉斯独行侠
11月28日，美国东部时间晚上10点 | Prime Video
未来几年，湖人与独行侠的每一场比赛都注定充满看点，但本赛季有几个“首次”值得关注。当达拉斯的状元秀库珀·弗拉格首次与球队前明星卢卡·东契奇同场竞技时，所有目光都将聚焦于此。不难想象，当东契奇通过换防对上弗拉格，并开始胯下运球准备施展后撤步三分时，整个球馆将会是何等沸腾。此外，独行侠客场挑战湖人的比赛，将是安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 自上赛季交易后首次重返洛杉矶比赛，他因内收肌拉伤缺席了二月份独行侠在Crypto.com球馆的比赛。 – 麦克梅纳明
弗拉格 vs. 文班与榜眼秀哈珀
圣安东尼奥马刺 vs. 达拉斯独行侠
10月22日，美国东部时间晚上9:30 | ESPN
请在日历上圈出10月22日，这是揭幕周最具故事性的对决之一。当然，状元秀弗拉格和榜眼秀迪伦·哈珀将在这场比赛中迎来各自的NBA首秀，联盟无疑希望这能标志着独行侠与马刺这对宿敌关系的复兴。同时，这也应该是维克托·文班亚马从终结他2024-25赛季的血栓惊魂中回归后的首场常规赛。随着达拉斯和圣安东尼奥都希望向季后赛发起冲击，这场比赛必将看点十足。 – 杰里米·伍 (Jeremy Woo)
切特 vs. 文班（第三季）
俄克拉荷马城雷霆 vs. 圣安东尼奥马刺
12月23日，美国东部时间晚上8:30
这两位冉冉升起的新星职业生涯共交手四次，切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 赢得了其中三次，包括去年那场雷霆队的这位大个子在限制文班亚马得到生涯最低分（6分）和进球数（1个）方面发挥了关键作用。可以预见，这两位竞争心极强的“竹竿”内线在场上的激烈对抗，将与他们在场下淡化这场对决的努力形成鲜明对比。文班亚马在2023-24赛季击败霍姆格伦夺得年度最佳新秀，但后者率先捧起了总冠军奖杯。文班亚马上一次战胜雷霆（2024年2月29日）终结了对对手的五连败。 – 莱特
罗格斯大学队友对决
犹他爵士 vs. 圣安东尼奥马刺
12月27日，美国东部时间晚上8:00
在选秀夜前五顺位被选中后，前大学队友贝利和哈珀将于12月27日首次作为对手交锋。尽管很难保证这将是一场精彩的比赛——爵士队本赛季后很可能再次冲击乐透区——但贝利出色的得分能力和哈珀杰出的组织才华让他们具备长远的明星潜力。对于那些关注联盟未来的球迷来说，这场比赛不容错过（更不用说，还有文班在场）。 – 伍
洛杉矶湖人 vs. 克利夫兰骑士
1月28日，美国东部时间晚上7:00
勒布朗·詹姆斯作为客队球员在克利夫兰向来予取予求，效力热火队和湖人队期间取得了9胜3负的战绩，场均贡献31.2分、8.9个篮板和7.1次助攻。上赛季是他罕见的失利之一，骑士队以134-110大胜洛杉矶，并最终取得64胜的赛季战绩——这是队史唯一一次在没有詹姆斯的情况下胜场突破60大关。一月底，他和湖人队将造访克利夫兰，这场比赛双方都希望是两支争冠球队的较量，但更重要的是，这或许是詹姆斯最后几次在家乡俄亥俄州东北部打比赛了。– 麦克梅纳明
圣安东尼奥马刺 vs. 丹佛掘金
11月28日，美国东部时间晚上9:30
联盟最佳防守球员至今仍未能限制住最强进攻球员：在与维克托·文班亚马的六次交锋中，尼古拉·约基奇场均狂砍36.8分，包括在最近一月连续两晚的比赛中分别得到41分和46分（尽管出手次数比约基奇通常要多）。进入个人第三个赛季的文班亚马能否在限制约基奇方面做得更好？还是约基奇将继续遥遥领先这位比他年轻九岁的未来之星？ – 克拉姆
各队2025-26赛季完整赛程
大西洋赛区： BOS | BKN | NYK | PHI | TOR
中部赛区： CHI | CLE | DET | IND | MIL
东南赛区： ATL | CHA | MIA | ORL | WAS
太平洋赛区： GS | LAC | LAL | PHX | SAC
西南赛区： DAL | HOU | MEM | NO | SA
西北赛区： DEN | MIN | OKC | POR | UTAH
点击查看原文：NBA schedule 2025-26: Christmas matches, All-Star Game, more
NBA schedule 2025-26: Christmas matches, All-Star Game, more
The NBA schedule for 2025-26 has been released! The regular season begins Oct. 21, with reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting Kevin Durant’s new team, the Houston Rockets, while LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers will host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
As the season nears, which debuts, star showdowns, reunions and playoff rematches are we most excited to watch?
Plenty of stars will don new jerseys – most notably Durant, Chris Paul returning to the LA Clippers, Myles Turner with the Milwaukee Bucks and Kristaps Porzingis with the Atlanta Hawks – setting up must-see reunions.
Top rookies will square off, with No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg facing No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and All-Star Victor Wembanyama in an opening-week contest between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.
Former Rutgers teammates Ace Bailey and Harper will face off in December when the Utah Jazz play the Spurs. Meanwhile, James will embark on his record-breaking 23rd season in the league.
These are just some of the storylines we can’t wait to watch. ESPN’s NBA insiders break down the most anticipated games of the upcoming season, including opening night, every big revenge matchup, the five-game Christmas Day slate and key superstar showdowns.
Jump to:
NBA schedule FAQs
Opening night matchups
Must-see reunions
Rivalry rematches
Christmas showdowns
Superstar, rookie showdowns
Schedule for all 30 teams
NBA schedule FAQs
When does the preseason begin?
The Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns begin training camp Sept. 24 ahead of preseason games in Abu Dhabi, UAE; Melbourne, Australia; and China. The rest of the teams will start camp Sept. 29.
When is opening night?
The NBA regular season begins Oct. 21 with the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers welcoming the Golden State Warriors.
When is the Emirates NBA Cup, also known as the in-season tournament?
The third edition of the tournament begins Oct. 31 when group play tips off. Group play ends on Nov. 28, with the knockout rounds running through Dec. 9-10. The semifinals will be on Dec. 13 and the championship will be held on Dec. 16.
What is the Christmas schedule?
There will be five games Dec. 25:
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks (12 p.m. ET)
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder (2:30 p.m. ET)
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (8 p.m. ET)
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (5 p.m. ET)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET)
When and where is the All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game will take place Feb. 15, 2026, at Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers.
Opening-night matchups
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
Will Thunder fans’ angst over Kevin Durant’s decision to leave Oklahoma City in free agency in 2016 finally dissipate now that the NBA’s next dynasty could be blossoming in Bricktown? His presence at the Paycom Center as the franchise’s first championship banner is raised to the rafters will provide a good litmus test. Houston’s trade for Durant – a deal fittingly agreed to on the morning of the Thunder’s title-clinching Game 7 win – might make the Rockets the defending champions’ toughest challenger in the Western Conference. Mix in the history between the Rockets’ new centerpiece and the Thunder, and this is a marquee matchup worthy of tipping off a season. – Tim MacMahon
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Oct. 21, 10 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
One of the simplest ways to ensure an older star is rested and revved up for a particular matchup is to make it the first of 82 games. Barring a preseason injury, both LeBron James, 40, and Stephen Curry, 37, should be out there for their 56th career head-to-head matchup. James has the slight regular-season upper hand: a 14-13 record. Curry has the playoff crown: 17-11 record, 3 series to 2. There’s no telling how many more matchups the basketball world will see between them. This one will generate plenty of spotlight and should be competitive, considering both teams are projected to finish similarly in the conference. – Anthony Slater
Bad blood? Must-see reunions
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
Nov. 24, 9:30 p.m. ET | Peacock
Reunions tend to work out favorably for Kevin Durant but not so much for the opposing team. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has won whenever he has returned for the first time to play on the road against a former team. Durant dropped 34 in his return to OKC as a Warrior, 20 in a 134-117 rout of Golden State in his first game back in the Bay and 33 when Phoenix blasted the Nets in Brooklyn. Now, he’s leading a contender against a retooled roster in Phoenix. – Michael C. Wright
Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers
Nov. 3, 7:00 p.m. ET
The most shocking move of the summer came when the Bucks, with no cap space, signed center Myles Turner out of nowhere by waiving Damian Lillard and stretching the remaining $113 million owed in the final two years of his contract over the rest of this decade. With Turner now on the team that was knocked out of the playoffs by the Pacers the past two seasons, more fuel has been added to what has quietly become one of the NBA’s more intense rivalries. – Tim Bontemps
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
In 24 hours in June, the Celtics moved on from two key cogs of their championship-winning team from a year ago, sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks. The Porzingis move was one of several Atlanta made this summer that could push the Hawks back into contention for a top-four seed in the East, and it should add spice to the Latvian’s return to Boston, where he became a fan favorite in his two seasons in Celtic green. – Bontemps
Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
This isn’t just a matchup between the two defending No. 1 seeds but also a clash of styles, as the Cavaliers led the league in offensive rating last season and the Thunder were tops in defensive rating. The clichéd unstoppable force versus immovable object produced one of the best games of the 2024-25 regular season, a 129-122 Cavaliers win at home, before Oklahoma City got revenge with a 20-point victory a week later. This matchup should be just as compelling a year later, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams battling Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland for perimeter scoring, plus two elite double-big pairings going head-to-head in the frontcourt. – Zach Kram
Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies
Jan. 21, 8:00 p.m. ET
The Grizzlies and Hawks had the NBA’s fastest offenses last season, each taking an average of 10.6 seconds per possession to shoot, per Inpredictable tracking. The teams’ second meeting last season showed just how fun a matchup between fast-paced teams can be: Atlanta won 132-130 in March when Dyson Daniels stripped Desmond Bane in the final seconds and threw the ball ahead to Caris LeVert for a buzzer-beating layup. – Kram
Run it back: Big rematches to watch
NBA Finals rematch
Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers
Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
The Finals rematch loses a lot of luster due to the torn Achilles tendon Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered early in Game 7, an injury that will sideline him all season. But the friendly, fierce competition between MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his childhood buddy Andrew Nembhard, who will be the Pacers’ primary ballhandler in Haliburton’s absence, is always worth the price of admission. – MacMahon
Western Conference finals rematch
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder
Nov 26, 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Is this really a rivalry after a gentlemen’s sweep in the conference finals? The Timberwolves, who lost a key contributor with Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s free agency departure, must prove that they’re a serious challenger to a young Oklahoma City squad that returns its entire rotation. After advancing to the conference finals the past two years, Minnesota’s best bet to break through is for 24-year-old All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards to make another leap. There is no tougher test than the Thunder’s stifling defense headed by stopper Luguentz Dort. – MacMahon
Eastern Conference semifinals rematch
Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET
Just a few months ago, these teams squared off in a playoff series that began with no one giving New York much of a chance after the Knicks were swept in the season series by the defending NBA champions. But then, after the Knicks mounted back-to-back stunning comebacks to begin the series, Jayson Tatum tore an Achilles on the Madison Square Garden floor in Game 4, changing the direction of not only the Celtics but the entire league. Now, it’s New York that is seen as one of the favorites to make the NBA Finals, while Boston finds itself in a rebuilding year. – Bontemps
Trae Young vs. the Garden
Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks
Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
The denizens of MSG love themselves a villain. Reggie Miller assumed that role with aplomb for prior generations of fans, and now Trae Young has taken to it for this group, with his name coming up even when the Hawks aren’t in attendance. But after Young ribbed the Knicks and their fans by pretending to roll dice on the court upon beating New York last season and with Atlanta looking like a factor in the East for the first time since making the conference finals in 2021 – a playoff run that sent the Knicks home in five games – expect venom to head the star point guard’s way when he appears in Gotham. – Bontemps
Highly anticipated holiday showdowns
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
Dec. 25, noon ET | ESPN, ABC
The two favorites to make the East finals will kick off the Christmas slate, a matchup that also highlights the lack of star power around the conference as the other eight teams in action hail from West of the Mississippi. There’s plenty of juice in this showdown, though, with Donovan Mitchell going up against Jalen Brunson and Evan Mobley squaring off with Karl-Anthony Towns. We’ll get an early look at which of these teams has the edge in what could be a seasonlong staring contest. – Bontemps
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
San Antonio paid close attention to Oklahoma City’s meticulous rebuild as it embarked on its own, making this matchup something of a litmus test for where the Spurs are headed. San Antonio hadn’t played on Christmas since 2016 before last season, when Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 42 points – the most by a visitor on Christmas at Madison Square Garden – with 18 rebounds and four blocks in a 117-114 loss to the Knicks. Led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending champion Thunder return to the Christmas Day slate for the first time since 2018. – Michael C. Wright
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
Dec. 25, 5 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
The arena workers won’t be lined up from the loading dock to the locker room to greet Klay Thompson. The crowd won’t be given sailor hats to tip toward him in lineup introductions. Nothing will match the pageantry and emotion of his first return to San Francisco. But Thompson against the Warriors will always have a strange and amplified look to it, especially in Chase Center. So the league planted it on a showcase stage and will get a Cooper Flagg debut Christmas game out of it as well. – Slater
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Dec. 25, 8 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
LeBron James’ first Christmas Day game as a Laker came against Kevin Durant in 2018, and now the two all-time greats will face off again to anchor the festivities. A lot has changed since that last matchup, with Durant going from the Warriors to the Nets to the Suns to the Rockets. James has stayed in L.A., but his coach has gone from Luke Walton to Frank Vogel to Darvin Ham to JJ Redick. And Durant’s old coach in Brooklyn, Steve Nash, is James’ podcast co-host on “Mind the Game.” What has remained the same is both players’ elite production. Durant, 36, averaged 26.6 points, 6 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season. James, 40, averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists in his 22nd campaign. – Dave McMenamin
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Dec. 25, 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC
A visit from Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves isn’t much of a Christmas gift for Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets. The Timberwolves have won the past five games between the rivals, a streak that dates to Minnesota’s historic road comeback in Game 7 of the 2024 Western Conference semifinals. Jokic had a 61-point triple-double in Denver’s last meeting with Minnesota, but that wasn’t enough for the Nuggets to pull out a win in a double-overtime classic. – MacMahon
All-Star showdowns and rookie matchups
MVP matchup
Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets
Feb. 1, 9:30 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock
The most recent two MVPs – winners of four of the past five awards combined – have developed a rivalry of sorts despite playing different positions. Their teams met back-to-back in Oklahoma City in March, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivering 40 points in a blowout win the first night and Nikola Jokic answering with a 35-point, 18-rebound performance the next. Gilgeous-Alexander took not only his first MVP but also the seven-game playoff series between the two teams en route to the title. After Jokic’s Nuggets added reinforcements this summer, it could be a fairer fight this time around. – Kevin Pelton
Flagg vs. Luka
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
Nov. 28, 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video
Every Lakers-Mavs game figures to pack plenty of intrigue for years to come, but there are a couple of firsts to tune in for this season. All eyes will be on the matchup when Cooper Flagg, Dallas’ No. 1 pick, shares the court with Luka Doncic, the franchise’s former star, for the first time. It’s not hard to imagine the buzz that will permeate the arena when Doncic has Flagg defending him on a switch and starts dribbling the ball between his legs to set up a step-back 3. And the Mavs’ game in Los Angeles will be Anthony Davis’ first time playing there since last season’s trade, as he sat out Dallas’ game at Crypto.com Arena in February with an adductor strain. – McMenamin
Flagg vs. Wemby and No. 2 pick Harper
San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Oct. 22, 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Circle Oct. 22 for one of the most plot-heavy opening-week matchups. Of course, top picks Flagg and Dylan Harper will make their NBA debuts against each other in what the league surely hopes will mark the start of a reenergized Mavs-Spurs rivalry. This should also be Victor Wembanyama’s first regular-season game as he returns from the blood-clot scare that ended his 2024-25 season. With Dallas and San Antonio hoping to mount playoff pushes, this game should have a lot going for it. – Jeremy Woo
Chet vs. Wemby Part III
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
Dec 23, 8:30 p.m. ET
The budding stars have faced off four times in their careers, with Holmgren owning three victories, including last year’s matchup when the Thunder big man played a significant role in limiting Wembanyama to career lows in points (6) and field goals (1). Expect the play on the floor between these ultracompetitive slim towers to belie the effort they’ll expend in downplaying this matchup. Wembanyama bested Holmgren for Rookie of the Year in 2023-24, but the latter took home championship hardware first. Wembanyama’s last win against OKC (Feb. 29, 2024) snapped a five-game skid against the Thunder. – Wright
Rutgers teammates face off
Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
Dec. 27, 8:00 p.m. ET
Former college teammates Bailey and Harper will square off as opponents for the first time on Dec. 27 after hearing their names called in the top five on draft night. Though it’s hard to promise that this will be a pretty game – the Jazz will likely be spinning the lottery wheel again after this season – Bailey’s shotmaking prowess and Harper’s playmaking skills give them star potential in the long run. For those interested in the future of the league, this should be a must-watch (and not to mention, there’s Wemby). – Woo
Los Angeles Lakers at Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan. 28, 7:00 p.m. ET
LeBron James has had his way as a visiting player in Cleveland, going 9-3 with the Heat and Lakers while posting averages of 31.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists. Last season was one of those rare defeats, as the Cavs blew out L.A.,134-110 on the way to a 64-win season – the only time the franchise topped the 60-win plateau without James on the roster. He and the Lakers will come to Cleveland in late January in a game that both teams hope features two contenders, but more so, could be one of the last times James plays a game in his home in Northeast Ohio. – McMenamin
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
Nov 28, 9:30 p.m. ET
The NBA’s best defensive player hasn’t been able to slow the best offensive player in their meetings thus far: Nikola Jokic has averaged a whopping 36.8 points in six matchups against Victor Wembanyama, including 41 and 46 on back-to-back nights in their most recent games in January (albeit on more shots than Jokic usually attempts). Can Wembanyama do a better job containing Jokic in his third season? Or will Jokic remain well ahead of the budding star nine years his junior? – Kram
Every team’s full 2025-26 schedule
Atlantic: BOS | BKN | NYK | PHI | TOR
Central: CHI | CLE | DET | IND | MIL
Southeast: ATL | CHA | MIA | ORL | WAS
Pacific: GS | LAC | LAL | PHX | SAC
Southwest: DAL | HOU | MEM | NO | SA
Northwest: DEN | MIN | OKC | POR | UTAH
By ESPN | ESPN, via ESPN