2025-26 NBA Schedule Release: Date, When Does the Season Start, Christmas Games
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Aug. 11, 2025 10:12 a.m. ET
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With the 2024-25 NBA season and 2025 NBA Draft behind us, it's time to start thinking about the upcoming NBA season. Stay up to date with everything you need to know about the 2025-26 NBA Schedule release below:
When is the 2025-26 NBA Schedule Release?
The NBA announced that the 2025-26 regular season schedule will be released this week. Fans can tune in to Good Morning America (ABC) and the TODAY Show (NBC) on Tuesday morning for the schedule. The regular-season schedule will include dates and opponents for 80 of each team's 82 games. There will also be two games announced as part of the Emirates NBA Cup with dates TBD.
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When does the 2025-26 NBA Season start?
While we don't know everything about the 2025-26 NBA season yet, we do know that NBA Opening Night will be October 21, 2025. Below are the NBA Opening Night matchups on NBC:
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Opening night will see Kevin Durant head back to Oklahoma City with his new team, and watch his former team raise their NBA championship banner. The other game will see Stephen Curry and LeBron James play against one another in another star-studded Western Conference class.
2025 NBA Christmas Day Schedule
NBA Christmas Day Games will be spread across ABC and ESPN. Here's the matchups:
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Houston Rockets at LA Lakers
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
On Christmas, there's a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Finals with the Nuggets hosting the Timberwolves. Also, Cooper Flagg and the new-look Mavs head to San Francisco to take on Curry and the Warriors. The lone Eastern Conference matchup will see the Cavs head to Madison Square Garden for a date with the Knicks.
Past NBA Schedule Release Dates
2024-25: Aug. 15, 2024
2023-24: Aug. 17, 2023
2022-23: Aug. 17, 2022
2021-22: Aug. 20, 2021
2020-21: Dec. 4, 2020
2019-20: Aug. 13, 2019
2018-19: Aug. 10, 2018
2017-18: Aug. 14, 2017
2016-17: Aug, 11, 2016
2015-16: Aug. 12, 2015
2014-15: Aug, 13, 2014
2013-14: Aug. 6, 2013
2012-13: July 26, 2012
2011-12: July 19, 2011
2010-11: Aug. 10, 2010
2009-10: Aug. 4, 2009
2008-09: Aug. 6, 2008
2025-26 Regular Season Games Already Announced
We do know the dates of three international games for the upcoming NBA season:
November 1, 2025: Pistons vs. Mavs in Mexico City, Mexico
January 15, 2026: Grizzlies vs. Magic in Berlin, Germany
January 18: 2026: Magic vs. Grizzlies in London, UK
2025-26 NBA Schedule and Key Dates
Oct. 2, 2025: NBA Preseason begins with NBA Abu Dhabi Games
Oct. 21, 2025: Regular Season starts
Oct. 31, 2025: Emirates NBA Cup starts
Dec. 16, 2025: Emirates NBA Cup Championship
Feb. 13-15, 2026: NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, CA
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New York Post
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