2026-27 NBA Opening Week Schedule for LeBron, 76ers vs. Brunson, Knicks and Every Game Released

The NBA announced Tuesday the opening-week schedule for the 2026-27 NBA regular season this coming October.

In a tripleheader that will air on NBC and Peacock on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to tip off the season, the Boston Celtics will face the Detroit Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, the New York Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET and the Oklahoma City Thunder will clash with the San Antonio Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET:

The league also unveiled ESPN doubleheaders for Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Thursday, Oct. 22, with the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Sixers and Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder.

To wrap up the week, Prime Video will air matchups pitting the Knicks vs. the Celtics, and the Houston Rockets vs. the Spurs on Friday, October 23.

While Boston vs. Detroit is technically the first game of the season, the true headliner is the highly anticipated first meeting between the 76ers and Knicks.

In addition to the Knicks hanging their first championship banner at Madison Square Garden since 1973 on that night, they will face arguably the biggest obstacle standing between them and a return trip to the NBA Finals.

The 76ers loaded up this offseason by acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics and signing LeBron James in free agency, putting them in the conversation with the Knicks for having the NBA's best starting five.

Oct. 20 will mark the debut games for Brown and James as members of the Sixers, and they will have to combat the continuity of the Knicks, who return the full starting lineup for reigning NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.

Closing out opening night is a Western Conference Finals rematch between arguably the West's two best teams in the Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama and Thunder led by reigning two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

On Oct. 21, Giannis Antetokounmpo will make his Heat debut against the Timberwolves led by Anthony Edwards and the debuting LaMelo Ball.

The Lakers and Warriors will also renew their rivalry with Luka Dončić looking to get the post-LeBron era off to a strong start against Stephen Curry and the Dubs.

On Oct. 22, Brown and James will make their 76ers home debut in Philadelphia against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs, and Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will host three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets.

The remainder of the 2026-27 NBA schedule will officially be revealed Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.