2025-26 NBA Schedule Highlights: Opening Night, Christmas Day, and TV Partnerships
The NBA schedule for the 2025-26 season is gradually being revealed ahead of the official release at 3:15 p.m. ET on Thursday. Fans received more key dates on Wednesday, including the opening night games where the Thunder will face the Rockets and the Lakers will play against the Warriors on Oct. 21. The Christmas Day lineup features five games, with a Lakers vs. Rockets matchup showcasing stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic.
Amazon announced Prime Video streaming games, including the NBA Cup, while NBC and Disney revealed marquee games. NBC returns as a broadcast partner after nearly two decades, airing the opening night doubleheader and hosting the All-Star Game and NBA All-Star Saturday night. Amazon secured exclusive rights to the NBA Cup and Play-In Tournament games, as well as one conference finals in six of the 11 years of the new TV deal.
The full schedule for all NBA teams will be released on Thursday. So far, games streaming on ABC, ESPN, and NBC can be watched on Fubo. Key dates in the 2025-26 NBA schedule include the start of the group stage on Oct. 31, the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Dec. 9-10, the semifinals on Dec. 13, and the championship on Dec. 16. The season will also feature games on Dec. 25, 2025, and Jan. 19, 2026.
As the anticipation builds for the complete schedule release, fans can look forward to exciting matchups and events throughout the 2025-26 NBA season. Stay tuned for more updates and mark your calendars for the upcoming games and tournaments.