The 2026-27 NBA season starts on Tuesday, October 20, when the New York Knicks raise their first championship banner since 1973 before hosting LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers. Camps open on September 29, preseason on October 3, and the regular season runs to April 11. All times below are ET, with UK and CEST times for the games European fans are most likely to watch.

When does the NBA season start?

Opening night is a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock:

  • Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons, 3 p.m. ET (20:00 UK, 21:00 CEST)
  • Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks, 7 p.m. ET (00:00 UK, 01:00 CEST on Wednesday)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 p.m. ET (02:30 UK, 03:30 CEST on Wednesday)

The late game is a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals, which the Spurs won in seven. Opening week continues on Wednesday with the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Lakers, Stephen Curry against Luka Dončić, at 10 p.m. ET. On Thursday LeBron makes his home debut for the 76ers, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Each team's schedule currently shows 80 of its 82 games. The last two are set by NBA Cup group results.

When do NBA training camp and preseason start?

The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks started early because they play two preseason games in Macao, on October 9 and 11. The other 28 teams hold media day on Monday, September 28, and open training camp the next day.

Preseason starts on Saturday, October 3, with the Toronto Raptors against the Miami Heat in Quebec City, the first NBA preseason game played there. The Raptors also meet the LA Clippers in Vancouver on October 10. The last preseason games are on October 16, and rosters must be set by 5 p.m. ET on October 19.

When is the NBA Cup?

Group play runs from October 30 to November 27, starting with the Knicks, who hold both the NBA Cup and the championship, at the 76ers, then the Lakers at the Warriors. The quarterfinals are on December 4 and 5 and the semifinals on December 8 and/or 9, all in team markets.

The final moves. It is on Friday, December 11, at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the first Cup final held outside Las Vegas.

NBA Christmas Day games

Five games on ABC and ESPN on Friday, December 25:

  • San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks, 12 p.m. ET (17:00 UK, 18:00 CET), a rematch of the Finals
  • Miami Heat at Boston Celtics, 2:30 p.m. ET (19:30 UK, 20:30 CET)
  • Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers, 5 p.m. ET (22:00 UK, 23:00 CET), LeBron's first game back in Los Angeles
  • Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET (01:00 UK, 02:00 CET on December 26)
  • Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET (03:30 UK, 04:30 CET on December 26)

NBA games in Europe and Mexico

The Denver Nuggets play the Indiana Pacers at Arena CDMX in Mexico City on November 7.

Europe gets two games in January, both between the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Pelicans and both on Prime Video. The first is at the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday, January 14, at 2 p.m. ET (19:00 UK, 20:00 CET). The second is at Co-op Live in Manchester on Sunday, January 17, at 10:30 a.m. ET (15:30 UK, 16:30 CET), the league's first regular-season game in the city.

When is the NBA trade deadline?

Thursday, February 11. From January 10, all contracts are guaranteed for the rest of the season. All-Star weekend follows the deadline, from February 19 to 21 in Phoenix.

When does the regular season end, and when do the playoffs start?

All 30 teams play on the final day of the regular season, Sunday, April 11. The Play-In Tournament runs from April 13 to 16. The NBA has not yet announced the dates of the playoffs or the Finals, so any date quoted elsewhere is not an official one. This guide will be updated when the league publishes them.