NBA Black Friday 2026 Schedule for Giannis, Heat vs. Knicks and Lakers vs. Wemby, Spurs Released

A star-studded doubleheader will lead the NBA action for the day after Thanksgiving.

The league announced Prime Video will broadcast two NBA Cup clashes on Black Friday. The new-look Miami Heat will take on the reigning champion New York Knicks, while the Los Angeles Lakers will face off with the San Antonio Spurs.

All four teams are aiming to contend for a title in 2026-27, while New York will attempt to defend its NBA Cup title. In a precursor to the NBA Finals, the Knicks beat the Spurs 124-113 in the 2025 championship game.

New York and San Antonio are running it back for the most part. The Spurs are banking on continued development from Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, while Victor Wembanyama may yet have another level to reach. The Knicks are in the opposite place as they know what to expect from their veteran-laden core.

By late November, fans should have a better idea of what to expect from the Heat and Lakers after they each underwent some big changes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo could potentially form a devastating tandem. Miami sacrificed a lot of depth to acquire Antetokounmpo, though, and the backcourt leaves a lot to be desired. Davion Mitchell is a plus defender but not a good offensive creator as the starting point guard.

The Heat may need a full season to see how Antetokounmpo and Adebayo work together along with gaining the necessary flexibility to build the supporting cast.

The Lakers, meanwhile, are making a sizable bet that Walker Kessler is the big who can properly complement Luka Dončić.

Appeasing Dončić was clearly Los Angeles' top priority, and that meant giving Kessler almost $130 million and trading away multiple first-round picks to have the right. In addition to his value as a pick-and-roll option, the center will shoulder a massive burden as the last line of defense when opposing players elude Dončić and Austin Reaves on the perimeter.

Nobody expects L.A. to be the finished product by Thanksgiving. There should at least be a tangible difference to how the team is playing compared to last season.