By Zach Harper | The Athletic, 2026-08-14 03:38:36
NBA再次公布了全部30支球队的完整赛程，我们在这里为大家盘点那些重头戏。随着各支球队开始预订酒店并将每一项行程导入智能手机日历，至少1230场常规赛（外加NBA杯！）已经安排妥当，蓄势待发。每当NBA赛程公布，我们开始规划那些最不容错过的焦点大战时，总是令人兴奋不已。
NBA杯小组赛将于10月30日开打。这一次的杯赛地板设计会有多大胆？我非常期待！目前，有36场比赛是我最期待的，赶紧拿小本本记下来！（不可避免地，我可能漏掉了一两场精彩的对决。我保证，漏掉它们纯粹是因为我讨厌你支持的球队。不过，还是欢迎在评论区分享你最期待的比赛。）
（编者注：以下均为美东时间；在适用情况下列出了全美直播信息，但可能会有变动。）
证明之战
总决赛重演：圣安东尼奥马刺 VS 纽约尼克斯，圣诞节中午12点，ABC/ESPN
在尼克斯击败马刺夺得NBA总冠军的过程中，我们看到了两队之间积攒的真真切切的敌意，这对于马刺这支年轻的队伍来说是一次深刻的教学课。对于连续几年敲击总冠军大门的尼克斯来说，这也是一次伟大的加冕礼。现在，我们将看到他们在同一个舞台上再次交锋——也就是纽约在第四场完成29分大逆转的那个球场。尼克斯想要证明这个联盟是他们的天下，而马刺还没准备好。圣安东尼奥则需要去打破这一论调。
此外，还有一个支线故事：维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 在某种程度上扮演了反派角色。在那场历史性的第四场崩盘中，他曾对米切尔·罗宾逊 (Mitchell Robinson) 放狠话称自己已经击垮了后者的心理防线，这一幕在网络上疯传，但随后马刺却遭遇了NBA总决赛历史上最大的逆转。麦迪逊广场花园届时一定会对文班嘘声四起，因此他必须控制好自己的情绪。如果劳资协议还允许的话，这可能会在未来几年演变成一段有趣的宿敌恩怨。
西决重演：圣安东尼奥马刺 VS 俄克拉荷马雷霆，2月11日晚9:30，Prime Video
雷霆在夺得2025年总冠军后本该统治NBA，但马刺在紧接着的下一个季后赛就将他们拉下了西部王座。谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 没能做到完全统治比赛。切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 看起来还没准备好与文班亚马同台竞技。年轻的马刺击败了年轻的雷霆，这在未来可能会演变成一段伟大的宿敌对决。现在，马刺自2026年分区决赛第七场以来首次回到俄克拉荷马城（两队将在揭幕战于圣安东尼奥交手）。雷霆届时有望迎来健康的杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams)，但他们仍将缺少几名关键的轮换球员。
东决重演：纽约尼克斯 VS 克利夫兰骑士，11月7日晚8点
自从骑士在第一场第四节崩盘后，败局已定的信号就变得愈发清晰和刺眼。纽约统治了东部，而克利夫兰对此无能为力。杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 想要重申自己是这组对决中最好的后卫和领袖，而多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell) 和詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 则需要证明事实并非如此。骑士的内线群应该希望证明自己能与卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 领衔的阵容抗衡。克利夫兰其实算不上东部王座的真正挑战者，但名义上这确实是一场分区决赛的重演。我想看看克利夫兰会如何对待这场比赛。
西部强强对话：明尼苏达森林狼 VS 圣安东尼奥马刺，10月31日晚8点
文班送出的肘击。安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 和杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels) 的垃圾话。迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 和达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 令人振奋的表现。这场对决汇聚了太多天赋，森林狼将拥有拉梅洛·鲍尔 (LaMelo Ball) 来帮助分担爱德华兹面临的防守压力。这支森林狼展现出了全新面貌，虽然他们可能没有足够的内线深度来应付文班，但他们希望外线进攻能解决马刺防守带来的大部分难题。
宿敌再战：明尼苏达森林狼 VS 丹佛掘金，12月28日晚10:30，NBC
森林狼在首轮完全打爆了掘金。麦克丹尼尔斯挑衅了尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokić)、贾马尔·穆雷 (Jamal Murray)以及阿隆·戈登 (Aaron Gordon)。掘金对此毫无办法，只是在麦克丹尼尔斯在胜负已分的比赛末尾得分时，表现出了一些虚张声势的斗志。除此之外呢？自掘金2023年夺冠以来，森林狼一直在压制着他们。丹佛想要改变这一局面，并利用森林狼内线深度不足的弱点。两队还将在三天后在明尼苏达再次交手。
肉搏大战：底特律活塞 VS 奥兰多魔术，11月24日晚7点
这场首轮对决堪称历史性，活塞在1-3落后的情况下完成了大逆转，重演了2003年活塞与魔术之间的恩怨。奥兰多最终解雇了主教练贾马尔·莫斯利 (Jamahl Mosley)，并寄希望于肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney) 能带领球队冲击东部前列。尽管底特律在锁定东部第一后度过了一个平庸的休赛期，但我们知道这必将是一场充满身体对抗的防守大战。
迟到的宿敌重逢：纽约尼克斯 VS 印第安纳步行者，11月13日晚7点，Prime Video
步行者曾在2025年阻挡了尼克斯进入总决赛的脚步。泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 狂喷垃圾话，投进关键球，险些带领步行者夺冠。但他的跟腱断裂让步行者错失了震惊世界的机会。在他康复期间，尼克斯已经成长为篮球界最好的球队。印第安纳想要证明纽约的成功只是因为步行者经历了一个“过渡年”，而后者则希望重新统治东部。这场比赛绝对会充满趣味和火药味。
故人归来
致敬视频：迈阿密热火 VS 密尔沃基雄鹿，1月28日晚9:30，Prime Video
这场比赛看点颇多。首先也是最重要的一点，是扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 重返密尔沃基。他此前在雄鹿度过了13年，带领他们夺得总冠军，并成为这十年中最成功的球队之一。那一晚阿德托昆博的情绪一定会非常激动，我预计雄鹿球迷会给他送上热烈的欢迎。但此外，在据报道今年夏天在拉斯维加斯发生的事情之后，巴姆·阿德巴约 (Bam Adebayo) 与泰勒·希罗 (Tyler Herro) 之间的微妙关系也值得关注。每当他们交手，戏码绝不会少。
他回——来了：费城76人 VS 波士顿凯尔特人，1月21日晚7:30，Prime Video
杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown) 上赛季度过了他最喜欢的NBA赛季。然而，凯尔特人随后试图用他去交易阿德托昆博，在未能与密尔沃基达成协议后，又决定不打算给布朗另一份巨额续约合同。凯尔特人现在寄希望于保罗·乔治 (Paul George) 还能保持几年好状态，而布朗则将代表阵容豪华的76人出战，这支球队此前已经在季后赛中克服了1-3的落后局面击败了波士顿。只不过这一次，费城同时拥有了布朗和勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)。
詹姆斯回归第一幕：费城76人 VS 洛杉矶湖人，圣诞节下午5点，ABC
说到勒布朗，这将是他大约九年来首次代表其他球队回到洛杉矶。他曾带领湖人夺得2020年总冠军，并多年来一直努力保持竞争力，但勒布朗与湖人之间的合作却以尴尬的方式收场。后者不得不迈向卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Dončić) 时代，而勒布朗则必须在其他地方开启他的第24个赛季。对双方来说，这都将是一个充满看点的环境。
这有可能发生：多伦多猛龙 VS 洛杉矶快船，11月2日晚10点
这完全是理论上的，前提是科怀·莱昂纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 的交易在赛季开始前发生，或者真的能发生。猛龙希望迎回莱昂纳德，他在2019年带领球队夺得队史唯一一座总冠军后离开。莱昂纳德从未带领快船达到过这样的高度，但现在洛杉矶在篮球上的失败或不足已经不再是人们讨论的话题。如今，焦点在于对快船涉嫌规避工资帽的调查。
重返黄蜂之城：明尼苏达森林狼 VS 夏洛特黄蜂，2月15日中午12点，NBC/Peacock
黄蜂今年夏天将鲍尔送往明尼苏达，这让许多人感到意外。他本该是他们的建队基石，并且刚刚帮助他们度过了十年来最好的一个赛季。黄蜂的前景过去是——现在依然是——一片光明。只是他们的计划中不再包含鲍尔。他将回到他所熟知的唯一另一个NBA主场，并获得热烈的欢迎。看看他会如何应对这一晚将会非常有趣。他会砍下50分吗？还是会努力做好细节来帮助明尼苏达赢球？
莫兰特法则：波特兰开拓者 VS 孟菲斯灰熊，2月6日下午5:30，Prime Video
说到交易走当家控卫，灰熊放弃贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant) 一点也不令人意外。他们曾在赛季期间尝试这样做，但没能找到买家。夏天同样没有太大的市场。最终他们换回了杰拉米·格兰特 (Jerami Grant) 和克里斯·默里 (Kris Murray)。现在，莫兰特回到了这个他曾风光无限、却最终狼狈收场的地方。我可以想象，他一定会想向主教练托马斯·伊萨洛 (Tuomas Iisalo) 以及灰熊管理层的其他人复仇。
致敬视频：亚特兰大老鹰 VS 俄克拉荷马雷霆，11月18日晚8点
卢·多尔特 (Lu Dort) 曾是雷霆效力时间最长的球员，之后俄克拉荷马城为了降到第二土豪线以下，进行了几次薪资清理，将他送到了亚特兰大。雷霆及其球迷都非常喜爱多尔特。他曾帮助球队在2025年夺冠，在雷霆队史三分球命中数上仅次于凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 和拉塞尔·威斯布鲁克 (Russell Westbrook)。他很可能会获得极其热烈的欢迎，随后在防守亚历山大时上演有趣的对决。
大个子归来：洛杉矶湖人 VS 犹他爵士，10月25日下午5点
四年时间虽然不算太长，但沃克·凯斯勒 (Walker Kessler) 本该让鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 的那笔交易成为爵士的绝对打劫。然而，事实证明这是一笔不错的交易，让爵士获得了丰厚的选秀资产，并最终得到了小贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson Jr.)。凯斯勒希望爵士给他大合同，但犹他认为湖人更适合承担这笔开销。不过，他在盐湖城应该还是会获得不错的掌声。
沃克·凯斯勒与奥斯汀·里夫斯 (Austin Reaves) 如今联手，湖人正试图围绕东契奇打造一支争冠球队。(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)
精彩的球队对决
王座之争：费城76人 VS 纽约尼克斯，2月27日晚8:30，ABC
在过去的八年里，勒布朗每个赛季只去一次麦迪逊广场花园。现在，作为76人的一员，他将获得两次机会。这将是第二次。费城组建了一支不仅要在东部拉尼克斯下马，还要赢得自1983年以来首个总冠军的球队。尼克斯和76人之间的宿敌恩怨将瞬间重燃。这会是勒布朗在麦迪逊广场花园的最后一场比赛吗？还是他会在季后赛中获得更多机会？
本该拥有一切：丹佛掘金 VS 俄克拉荷马雷霆，10月22日晚9:30，ESPN
2023年，掘金在夺冠后本该统治NBA，但自那以后他们甚至再也没能接近总决赛。2025年，雷霆在夺冠后本该统治NBA。然而他们上赛季被马刺击败，随后大幅削减了角色球员的深度。掘金和雷霆在2025年为我们奉献了一场精彩的七场大战。他们每一次交手都应该是一场精彩的对决。
2025年总决赛重温：印第安纳步行者 VS 俄克拉荷马雷霆，2月5日晚9:30，Prime Video
别忘了步行者在2025年距离总冠军有多近。第七场，哈利伯顿大杀四方，随后他遭遇了跟腱断裂。两支球队在2026-27赛季都有着非常切合实际的夺冠抱负，而在这场比赛中，我们将回到第七场的发生地。只要哈利伯顿能恢复到我们记忆中的水平，这绝对会是一场极高水平的篮球对决。
詹姆斯回归第二幕：费城76人 VS 克利夫兰骑士，11月6日晚7:30，Prime Video
我们不会再看到像2010年勒布朗选择迈阿密而非克利夫兰时那样的群情激愤。多亏了2016年的总冠军，那些情绪早已平息。但勒布朗在决定加盟费城之前，确实曾考虑过重返骑士。克利夫兰会想要向他证明他犯了个错误。勒布朗和76人则想向骑士证明，费城才是东部霸主。
本该如此：迈阿密热火 VS 波士顿凯尔特人，圣诞节下午2:30，ABC
如果凯尔特人愿意放弃乌戈·冈萨雷斯 (Hugo González) 或贝勒·希尔曼 (Baylor Scheierman)，他们真的能得到阿德托昆博吗？这很难说，但整个阿德托昆博的交易传闻风波，正是导致他们放弃杰伦·布朗的导火索。没有了布朗，凯尔特人如今处境大不相同。阿德托昆博将有机会向波士顿的忠实拥趸展示，这可能是个多么巨大的错误。
精彩的球员对决
外星人 VS 希腊怪兽：圣安东尼奥马刺 VS 迈阿密热火，2月15日下午5点，NBC/Peacock
想知道在哈哈镜里看篮球是什么感觉吗？看看阿德托昆博和文班正面对决，试图证明谁才是NBA在身体天赋上最具威慑力的球员就知道了。
后卫对决：明尼苏达森林狼 VS 俄克拉荷马雷霆，11月25日晚7:30，ESPN
在2025年西部决赛期间，曾有人评论说，从收视率的角度来看，雷霆和森林狼的对决对联盟来说有多么艰难。但如果你无法说服大众去观看爱德华兹对阵亚历山大的比赛，那我觉得你根本不配当一个营销人员。这向来是一场精彩的对决。
两位历史级巨星：休斯顿火箭 VS 费城76人，12月23日晚7:30，Prime Video
在过去的几年里，我们中的许多人都在想，什么时候会看到勒布朗和凯文·杜兰特之间的最后一次对决。会是这一次吗？
欧洲好友：洛杉矶湖人 VS 丹佛掘金，12月19日晚9点
东契奇和约基奇之间的友谊是篮球界一段非常有趣的佳话。有无数关于他们在全明星训练和比赛中互相打闹的集锦。我们将看到这两位超级巨星交手几次，努力提升各自在西部的排名。他们还将在四天后再次交锋。
詹姆斯回归第四幕：费城76人 VS 金州勇士，3月24日晚10点，ESPN
就像上面提到的杜兰特和勒布朗一样，观看斯蒂芬·库里 (Steph Curry) 和勒布朗打球在过去11年里一直是NBA的招牌大戏。这一次由于勒布朗在今年夏天决定不与勇士签约，比赛变得更有看头。我想知道勇士球迷会对詹姆斯有多生气。两队还将在一个星期后在费城再次交手。
杜克校友：夏洛特黄蜂 VS 达拉斯独行侠，1月19日晚8点，NBC
上赛季最热门的两位最佳新秀候选人也是杜克大学的队友。库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 和康·克努佩尔 (Kon Knueppel) 应该会在未来十多年里为我们奉献精彩的对决。
新秀对决
状元 VS 榜眼：华盛顿奇才 VS 犹他爵士，2月27日下午3点，Prime Video
我们在未来很长一段时间里都会想看这场对决。AJ·迪班萨 (AJ Dybantsa) 是2026年选秀的状元。达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson) 是榜眼。这两人的交手历史可以追溯到高中时期。关于谁应该当选状元曾有过广泛的争论。无论如何，我们知道他们会带着我们所期待的竞争心去拼杀，开启一段新星之间的宿敌故事。
状元 VS 探花：孟菲斯灰熊 VS 华盛顿奇才，11月16日晚7点
也有很多人认为卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer) 应该成为状元。The Athletic的约翰·霍林格 (John Hollinger) 将他列为这一届最顶尖的新秀。他在选秀中跌至第三顺位，现在是灰熊的新星。当他面对迪班萨时，我们将看看他能否让奇才产生选秀悔意。
榜眼 VS 探花：犹他爵士 VS 孟菲斯灰熊，10月21日晚8点
看着布泽尔 and 彼得森对决也会很有趣。卡梅隆的父亲卡洛斯·布泽尔 (Carlos Boozer) 曾长期效力于爵士。我们完全有理由怀疑，如果小贾伦·杰克逊和劳里·马尔卡宁 (Lauri Markkanen) 不在队中的话，爵士是否会选择他而不是彼得森。
探花 VS 第四顺位：孟菲斯灰熊 VS 芝加哥公牛，3月13日晚8点
我们在拉斯维加斯夏季联赛中曾一窥这一对决，布泽尔对阵凯莱布·威尔逊 (Caleb Wilson) 的表现没有让人失望。威尔逊会去挑战所有顺位在他之上的顶尖新秀。他拥有那种好胜的怒火。布泽尔和威尔逊还带来了杜克与北卡罗来纳大学宿敌对决的元素。在很长一段时间里，这都将是一场有趣的对决。
榜眼 VS 第四顺位：犹他爵士 VS 芝加哥公牛，12月16日晚8点
威尔逊在北卡罗来纳对阵堪萨斯大学的对决中，在与彼得森的第二场交手中强势宣告了自己的大学赛场存在感。他想证明自己才是这届选秀中最强的人。我们将看看这种势头能延续多少。
状元 VS 第四顺位：华盛顿奇才 VS 芝加哥公牛，10月24日晚8点
如果威尔逊是那种会公开向同届新秀叫板、并扬言每天晚上都要把他们打得落花流水的人，那么这应该会是这届选秀中又一场精彩绝伦的对决。威尔逊从未被考虑过排在迪班萨之前，但他会想证明这种想法是愚蠢的。
后卫之战：洛杉矶快船 VS 布鲁克林篮网，1月29日晚7:30
这届选秀中有着深厚的控卫储备，我们将通过盘点2026年的第五和第六顺位来开启这些对决。基顿·瓦格勒 (Keaton Wagler) 对阵小米克尔·布朗 (Mikel Brown Jr.) 有时可能会是一场慢热的较量。目前尚不清楚他们在各自的新秀赛季能获得多少自由度。但我们希望这两位能有多次交手机会。
后卫之战：萨克拉门托国王 VS 洛杉矶快船，10月21日晚10:30
阿库夫 (Darius Acuff) 将肩负起带领国王重回胜率过半行列的艰巨任务。瓦格勒的任务则是帮助开启快船篮球的新时代。在这场对决中，阿库夫（极有可能）会拥有更漂亮的数据，但我们将看看这是否能转化为一场胜利。
后卫之战：布鲁克林篮网 VS 萨克拉门托国王，12月31日晚6点
许多人（包括我自己）认为篮网的下一位明星应该是阿库夫。相反，他们认为布朗的运动能力和影响力实在太大，不容错过。我们将看看阿库夫是否会对此耿耿于怀，但这两位都是非常有趣的竞争者。
后卫之战：萨克拉门托国王 VS 亚特兰大老鹰，2月14日下午1点
控卫大战中最后要提到的是阿库夫对阵金斯顿·弗莱明斯 (Kingston Flemings)。他们在去年12月曾有过一场有趣的大学交手，当时休斯敦大学击败了阿肯色大学，两人合砍48分。现在，这位老鹰后卫有望获得充足的出场时间，努力证明自己依然能压制阿库夫。
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
查看原文：NBA 2026-27 schedule release: Three dozen games I'm looking forward to the most
NBA 2026-27 schedule release: Three dozen games I’m looking forward to the most
Once again, the NBA has released a full schedule for all 30 teams, and we’re here to go over the big matchups. As teams book hotels and insert every itinerary into their smartphone calendars, a minimum of 1,230 regular-season (plus NBA Cup!) games are scheduled and ready to go. It’s always fun when the NBA schedule gets released and we start planning for the most important matchups.
NBA Cup group play begins on Oct. 30. How aggressive will the Cup courts be this time? I’m excited to see! For now, there are three dozen games I’m most looking forward to, so take note! (Inevitably, I probably left a good matchup or two off this list. I promise I left it out because I hate your favorite team. Still, toss the games you’re most looking forward to watching in the comments.)
(Editor’s note: All times Eastern; national TV info listed when applicable but subject to change.)
Matchups with something to prove
NBA Finals rematch: San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks, noon, Christmas, ABC/ESPN
We saw genuine animosity build up during the Knicks’ NBA Finals win over the Spurs, and it was a real teaching moment for San Antonio’s young squad. It was also a great coronation for a Knicks team that had been knocking on the door for a couple years. Now, we get to watch them have another go-round at the same scene of New York’s 29-point, Game 4 comeback. The Knicks will want to show this is their league and the Spurs aren’t ready yet. San Antonio should want to disprove that.
There’s also the sub-story of Victor Wembanyama becoming somewhat of a villain. In that historic Game 4 collapse, he had that viral moment of telling Mitchell Robinson he’s in the latter’s head before yielding the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. Madison Square Garden will be all over Wemby, so he has to manage his emotions. This could bloom into a fun rivalry for the next couple of years, if the collective bargaining agreement even allows that anymore.
West finals rematch: San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m., Feb. 11, Prime Video
The Thunder were supposed to have a stranglehold on the NBA after their 2025 championship, but the Spurs knocked them off the West’s perch the very next postseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t completely dominant. Chet Holmgren looked ill-equipped to share a court with Wembanyama. And the young Spurs took out the young Thunder in what could be a tremendous rivalry moving forward. Now, the Spurs return to OKC for the first time since Game 7 of the 2026 conference finals (the teams play in San Antonio on opening night). The Thunder will hopefully have a healthy Jalen Williams, but they’ll still be down several key role players.
East finals rematch: New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m., Nov. 7
Once the Cavs folded in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the writing on the wall developed bigger, more elaborate font. New York owned the East, and Cleveland couldn’t do anything about it. Jalen Brunson wants to reiterate he’s this matchup’s best guard and leader, and Donovan Mitchell and James Harden should want to prove that wrong. The Cavs’ frontcourt should hope to prove it can hang with Karl-Anthony Towns and company. Cleveland isn’t really the challenger to the throne in the East, but this is legally a conference finals rematch. I want to see how Cleveland treats it.
West showdown: Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs, 8 p.m., Oct. 31
The elbow from Wemby. The trash talk from Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. The inspired play of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox. There is so much talent in this matchup, and the Wolves will have LaMelo Ball to help alleviate defensive pressure from Edwards. These Wolves have a new look and may not have the frontcourt depth to handle Wemby. But they’re hoping the perimeter attack can solve most of the issues the Spurs’ defense presented.
Rivalry renewed: Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m., Dec. 28, NBC
The Wolves completely punked the Nuggets in the first round. McDaniels called out Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets did nothing about it, except show some faux fight in them when McDaniels scored at the end of a decided game. Beyond that? The Wolves continued owning the Nuggets since the latter’s 2023 title. Denver will want to change that narrative and exploit the Wolves’ lacking frontcourt depth. The teams will also play three days later in Minnesota.
Let’s get physical: Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m., Nov. 24
This first-round matchup was historic, with the Pistons coming back from the 3-1 deficit as they reenacted what happened between the Pistons and Magic back in 2003. Orlando ended up firing Jamahl Mosley from the sidelines and hopes Sean Sweeney can lead a charge atop the East. Although Detroit had a mediocre offseason after clinching the East’s No. 1 seed, we know this will be a physical defensive battle.
Delayed rivalry renewal: New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m., Nov. 13, Prime Video
The Pacers kept the Knicks from making the NBA Finals back in 2025. Tyrese Haliburton talked trash, hit big shots and nearly led the Pacers to the championship. But his torn Achilles kept the Pacers from shocking the world. During his recovery, the Knicks have become the best team in basketball. Indiana will want to prove New York’s success was about the Pacers having a gap year, though the latter is hoping to rule the East again. This should have plenty of fun and fireworks.
Familiar faces in new places
Tribute Video: Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks, 9:30 p.m., Jan. 28, Prime Video
This one has several components. First and foremost is Giannis’ return to Milwaukee. He spent the previous 13 years with the Bucks, making them champions and one of the decade’s more successful teams. Emotions will be high for Antetokounmpo that night, which I expect to include a pretty good welcome by Bucks fans. But there’s also the Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro dynamic after what reportedly happened in Las Vegas this summer. Every time they match up, drama shouldn’t be far away.
He’s baaaack: Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 21, Prime Video
Jaylen Brown had his favorite NBA season last season. Then, the Celtics tried to trade him for Antetokounmpo, couldn’t reach an agreement with Milwaukee and decided they weren’t interested in giving Brown another massive extension. The Celtics are now hoping Paul George has a couple good years left, and Brown will be there with a stacked Sixers team that already overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat Boston in the playoffs. Except Philly has Brown and LeBron James.
LeReturn Pt. 1: Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers, 5 p.m., Christmas, ABC
Speaking of LeBron, he’ll be back in Los Angeles on a different team for the first time in about nine years. He led the Lakers to the 2020 title and had them trying to contend for years, but things between LeBron and the Lakers ended awkwardly. The latter had to move on to the Luka Dončić era, and LeBron had to move on to his 24th season elsewhere. This should be a fun environment for both sides.
This could happen: Toronto Raptors at LA Clippers, 10 p.m., Nov. 2
This is all theoretical, assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade happens before the season starts. Or at all. The Raptors are hoping to welcome back Leonard after he left in 2019 following the franchise’s only championship. Leonard never took the Clippers to such heights, but any basketball failures or shortcomings in LA are no longer the topic of conversation. Now, it’s about the investigation into alleged salary-cap circumvention by the Clippers.
Back in Buzz City: Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Hornets, noon, Feb. 15, NBC/Peacock
The Hornets surprised many people this summer by sending Ball to Minnesota. He was supposed to be their franchise guy and had just helped them have their best season in a decade. Things were — and still are — looking up for the Hornets. Their plans just no longer include Ball. He’ll return to the only other NBA home he knows and receive a great reception. It’ll be interesting to see how he approaches this night. Will he drop 50? Will he try showing the little things to help Minnesota win?
Ja ruled: Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies, 5:30 p.m., Feb. 6, Prime Video
Speaking of trading away franchise point guards, the Grizzlies moving on from Ja Morant was not at all surprising. They tried to do so during the season but couldn’t find a market. There wasn’t much of a market in the summer either. They got Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in return. Now, Morant returns to where things were so good for so long, only to end quite clumsily. I’d imagine he’s looking for revenge on coach Tuomas Iisalo and the rest of the Grizzlies organization.
Tribute video: Atlanta Hawks at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m., Nov. 18
Lu Dort was the longest-tenured Thunderman before OKC moved him to Atlanta in one of several salary dumps to get under the second apron. The Thunder and their fans loved Dort. He helped them win a championship in 2025 and trails only Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for the most 3s in a Thunder uniform. He’ll likely get a tremendous reception before having fun moments guarding SGA.
Big man back: Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz, 5 p.m., Oct. 25
Four years isn’t the longest time, but Walker Kessler was supposed to make the Rudy Gobert trade an absolute theft by the Jazz. Instead, it turned out to be a good deal that acquired ample draft capital and eventually Jaren Jackson Jr. Kessler wanted the Jazz to pay him, but Utah decided the Lakers would be better for that. He should get a nice ovation in Salt Lake City, though.
Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves are now teamed up as the Lakers try to build a contender around Luka Dončić. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)
Fun team showdowns
Watch the thrones: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks, 8:30 p.m., Feb. 27, ABC
For the last eight years, LeBron has made just one trip to Madison Square Garden per season. Now, he’ll get two opportunities as a member of the Sixers. This will be the second. Philly has put together a team to not only unseat the Knicks in the East but to also win its first title since 1983. The Knicks and Sixers will be an instantly renewed rivalry. Will it be LeBron’s last game at MSG? Or will he get more chances in the playoffs?
We could have had it all: Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m., Oct. 22, ESPN
In 2023, the Nuggets were supposed to rule the NBA after winning the championship, but they haven’t come close to the NBA Finals since. In 2025, the Thunder were supposed to rule the NBA after winning a championship. They got taken down by the Spurs last season before making big cuts to role-player depth. The Nuggets and Thunder gave us a great seven-game series in 2025. They should give us a great battle every time.
2025 finals remix: Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m., Feb. 5, Prime Video
Let’s not forget how close the Pacers were to winning the championship in 2025. Game 7. Haliburton cooking. Then he tore his Achilles. Both teams have very real championship aspirations in 2026-27, and we’re going to go back to the scene of Game 7 in this one. This should be a very high level of basketball, as long as Haliburton is back toward being the player we remember.
LeReturn Pt. 2: Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 6, Prime Video
We’re not going to get the vitriol that happened when LeBron chose Miami over Cleveland in 2010. Those feelings have long subsided thanks to the title in 2016. But LeBron did flirt with coming back to the Cavs before deciding to play with Philly. Cleveland will want to show him he made a mistake. LeBron and the Sixers will want to show the Cavs that Philadelphia is the team in the East.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics, 2:30 p.m., Christmas, ABC
Would the Celtics actually have Antetokounmpo on their team if they were willing to give up Hugo González or Baylor Scheierman? It’s hard to say, but the entire Antetokounmpo trade-rumor debacle is what led to moving on from Jaylen Brown. The Celtics are in a very different place without Brown. Antetokounmpo will get to show the Boston faithful what a mistake that might be.
Fun player showdowns
Alien versus Freak: San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat, 5 p.m., Feb. 15, NBC/Peacock
Want to know what it’s like to watch basketball in a funhouse mirror? Look no further than Antetokounmpo and Wemby going toe-to-toe and trying to prove who is the NBA’s most physically intimidating player.
En Guards: Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 25, ESPN
There was a comment back in the 2025 Western Conference finals about how difficult it is for the league to have OKC and Minnesota from a ratings standpoint. If you can’t sell the public on watching Edwards against SGA, I just don’t think you’re a salesperson. This is always a fun matchup.
Two of the all-timers: Houston Rockets at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 23, Prime Video
Over the last couple of years, many of us have wondered when we’d see the last matchup between LeBron and Kevin Durant. Could this be it?
Euro friends: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets, 9 p.m., Dec. 19
The friendship between Dončić and Jokić is a pretty fun basketball experience. There are tons of mixtapes of them messing with each other at All-Star practices and in games. We’re going to see these two supernovas play against each other a couple times to try to climb the West standings. They’ll also play again four days later.
LeReturn Pt. 4: Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m., March 24, ESPN
Much like KD and LeBron above, watching Steph Curry and LeBron play basketball has been an NBA staple for 11 years. This time has extra juice with LeBron deciding not to sign with the Warriors this summer. I wonder how upset the Warriors crowd will be with James. These teams will also play a week later in Philly.
The Dukies: Charlotte Hornets at Dallas Mavericks, 8 p.m, Jan. 19, NBC
Last season’s two leading Rookie of the Year candidates were also teammates at Duke. Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel should be a great showdown for a decade-plus.
Rookie showdowns
No. 1 versus No. 2: Washington Wizards at Utah Jazz, 3 p.m., Feb. 27, Prime Video
We’re going to want to see this one for a very long time. AJ Dybantsa was the top pick in the 2026 draft. Darryn Peterson was the second pick. And these two have a history of battling it out going back to high school. There was ample debate about who should be picked No. 1. Regardless, we know they’re going to go at it with the competitiveness we need from a budding player rivalry.
No. 1 versus No. 3: Memphis Grizzlies at Washington Wizards, 7 p.m., Nov. 16
There were also plenty of people who thought Cameron Boozer should be the top pick. The Athletic’s John Hollinger had him as this class’ top prospect. He fell to third in the draft and is now the new star of the Grizzlies. We’ll see if he can create some drafter’s remorse for the Wizards when he faces Dybantsa.
No. 2 versus No. 3: Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m., Oct. 21
Seeing Boozer and Peterson face off will also be fun. Carlos Boozer, Cameron’s dad, starred for the Jazz for a long time. It’s safe to wonder if they would have taken him over Peterson if Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen weren’t already on the team.
No. 3 versus No. 4: Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m., March 13
We saw a glimpse of this in Las Vegas Summer League, and Boozer versus Caleb Wilson did not disappoint. Wilson will go after all of the top prospects and guys taken above him. He has that competitive fire. Boozer and Wilson also bring the Duke-North Carolina rivalry component. This should be a fun matchup for a long time.
No. 2 versus No. 4: Utah Jazz at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m., Dec. 16
Wilson announced his college presence with authority in his second game against Peterson in a North Carolina-Kansas showdown. He wanted to prove he’s the guy in this draft class. We’ll see how much of that carries over.
No. 1 versus No. 4: Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m., Oct. 24
If Wilson is going to be one of those guys who calls out his peers and speaks about wanting to kick their butts every night, then this should be yet another awesome matchup from this draft class. Wilson was never considered to be picked ahead of Dybantsa, but he’ll want to prove that was stupid.
Guard battle: LA Clippers at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 29
There was a deep class of lead guards in this draft, and we’re going to start those matchups by highlighting the fifth and sixth picks in 2026. Keaton Wagler against Mikel Brown Jr. could be a bit of a slow burn at times. It’s unclear how much free rein they’ll have in their rookie seasons. But we’ll hopefully get these two matched up quite a bit.
Guard battle: Sacramento Kings at LA Clippers, 10:30 p.m., Oct. 21
Acuff will be tasked with the immense feat of bringing the Kings back to the positive side of the standings. Wagler is tasked with helping usher in the next era of Clippers basketball. Acuff will have better stats in this matchup (most likely), but we’ll see if that means anything toward a win.
Guard battle: Brooklyn Nets at Sacramento Kings, 6 p.m., Dec. 31
Plenty of people (myself included) thought the Nets’ next star should be Acuff. Instead, they decided Brown’s athleticism and impact were simply too great to pass up. We’ll see if Acuff takes this personally at all, but these are two very fun competitors.
Guard battle: Sacramento Kings at Atlanta Hawks, 1 p.m., Feb. 14
Last one to mention in the lead guard battles is Acuff against Kingston Flemings. They had a fun college battle back in December when Houston beat Arkansas with both players combining for 48 points. Now the Hawks guard will hopefully get plenty of run to try to prove he can still get the better of Acuff.
By Zach Harper, via The Athletic
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