NBA schedule launch: The greatest video games of the 2026-27 season

It is mid-August, which suggests we’re determined for NBA content material, which suggests the league dropped its schedule into our lap on Thursday afternoon, and now we get to select it aside, selecting the perfect video games of a schedule that includes 1,230 video games.

While the NBA already dropped its opening night time, vacation and in-season event schedules this week, it introduced the complete slate Thursday. So, now, not solely do we all know when the New York Knicks will get their championship rings and when Jaylen Brown and LeBron James will make their Philadelphia 76ers debuts (all on the identical sport, by the way in which!), we all know when various stars shall be making their returns to former houses, when Tyrese Haliburton will debut — when everybody performs everybody.

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We know all of it, and but we all know nothing about what’s going to really occur in any of those video games. That is the great thing about sport. It’s going to be one other lengthy season. So, we have run a highlighter via it: The 23(!) greatest video games of the 2026-27 NBA season.

(Or one man’s opinion on the NBA schedule. Either method, that is alleged to be enjoyable.)

All instances Eastern

76ers at Knicks, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

The New York Knicks will unveil their championship banner and obtain their rings on opening night time, which is an actual sentence. The Knicks received the title for the primary time since 1973 and did so in dramatic vogue, profitable 13 straight playoff video games and finishing one of many biggest comebacks in sports activities historical past en path to a five-game collection victory over Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.

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It shall be a celebration inside Madison Square Garden in contrast to many we have ever seen.

And then they should play an precise basketball sport — towards their No. 1 challenger, a revamped Philadelphia 76ers group that added each Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to a core that boasted Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe.

It is the debut of the league’s latest superteam — LeBron’s newest superteam — and what a present that shall be. How the heck do all of these high-usage gamers share one basketball? Sixers coach Nick Nurse has his arms full. And whereas his roster could also be filled with expertise, Philly’s chemistry shall be put to an early check by the Knicks’ continuity.

(Fun reality: If the Knicks hadn’t received the title, LeBron would’ve joined them. But they did. And now they get to have fun. Before internet hosting James and his new-look 76ers.)

Then, on that very same opening night time, …

Thunder at Spurs, Oct. 20, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)

We get to see the West’s high two contenders — the NBA’s title favorites, according to oddsmakers — in a rematch of final season’s epic seven-game convention finals.

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It is Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren within the at all times entertaining battle between wiry 7-foot-something dudes, a matchup the French phenomenon dominated in Game 7.

It is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and a stacked Thunder rotation, which is able to characteristic a brand new forged of characters at its finish. Gone are Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, changed by a forged of untested newcomers (Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz). Is Oklahoma City nonetheless the deepest group within the league?

Or is it San Antonio? The Spurs characteristic De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, simply the NBA’s most proficient guard trio. Harper is the odds-on favourite to win Sixth Man of the Year, forward of final 12 months’s winner, teammate Keldon Johnson. Add Tobias Harris to a proficient forged of wings and swings, and the Spurs are loaded.

The East could also be deeper for the primary time in a very long time, however these two groups may have their say on opening night time about via which convention the title will run.

Pacers at Pelicans, Oct. 21, 8 p.m. (League Pass)

When final we noticed Tyrese Haliburton on a basketball courtroom in earnest, he was writing one of many nice non-title-winning chapters in NBA historical past, an underdog story concerning the Indiana Pacers, who made Game 7 of the 2025 Finals as a No. 4 seed. They may need received the championship, too, had Haliburton not torn his Achilles within the contest.

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Now, almost 18 months faraway from surgical procedure, Haliburton is presumably wholesome and able to re-ascend the league’s participant rankings. If Boston Celtics famous person Jayson Tatum’s return from Achilles surgical procedure is any indication, we may even see one thing particular from Haliburton briefly order, so it will likely be fascinating to see how he seems to be in a debut.

Meanwhile, the Pacers have retooled round Haliburton, most notably including Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-Defensive middle performed 5 video games for Indiana following its trade-deadline acquisition of him. So, the Pacers’ opening night time sport is not simply the reintroduction of a star however a reintroduction of a contender.

76ers at Celtics, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)

In a surprising transfer this summer time, the Celtics traded five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown to the Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and a pair of first-round draft picks. With Boston, Brown reached six Eastern Conference finals, a pair of NBA Finals and received the 2024 championship, capturing convention finals and Finals MVP.

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This outing marks not solely Brown’s first regular-season sport again in Boston (he’s scheduled to play there within the preseason) — and an opportunity for him to play reverse Tatum for the primary time outdoors of follow or the All-Star Game — however a brand new chapter in a rivalry between James and the Celtics that has spanned each group he is ever been on. James, in fact, selected the Sixers, quickly after Brown was traded there, believing they gave him his greatest probability at actually contributing to a fifth championship.

The Celtics trio of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen despatched James house in 2008 and 2010, so he joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat, who despatched house those self same Celtics within the 2012 Eastern Conference finals en path to the primary of two titles collectively. James despatched the youngest variations of Brown and Tatum’s Celtics house within the 2017 and 2018 Eastern Conference finals, earlier than shifting West, the place he joined a Celtics-Lakers rivalry that has simmered because the Sixties.

We have not even gotten to Joel Embiid, who has a longstanding rivalry with these C’s, whom he despatched house for the primary time this previous April in a surprising comeback from a 3-1 deficit in a first-round collection. Now, he and Brown are teammates. What a world.

Heat at Bucks, Jan. 28, 9:30 p.m. (Prime)

The relationship between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo — one which lasted 13 seasons and delivered a championship in 2021 — fractured to the purpose of no return. When it grew to become clear Giannis can be dealt, the Bucks, by all accounts, selected between two packages: one from the Heat, which was centered round Tyler Herro; and one other from the Celtics, who centered their supply round Jaylen Brown.

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Milwaukee went with Miami’s supply of Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and the rights to 4 first-round draft picks. The first of these draft picks grew to become Nate Ament, who shall be paired with fellow lottery choice Brayden Burries.

Yeah, the Bucks are going to be dangerous — a worse model of final season’s Heat — however they at the least have a reunion sport with Antetokounmpo on their house schedule. He stands out as the biggest participant in franchise historical past, contemplating Kareem Abdul-Jabbar solely lasted six seasons in Milwaukee, and he needs to be warmly welcomed to Cream City, no matter the way it ended. He needed to win, and he not may with them.

Heat at Celtics, Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Which is why a Heat-Celtics matchup on Christmas Day would possibly maintain as a lot gravity as a tribute video. Remember, Milwaukee rejected Boston’s supply, and the Celtics nonetheless traded Brown to the 76ers quickly afterward, reshaping their roster round Tatum, George, Mitchell Robinson and a set of gamers who contributed to 56 wins final season.

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The Celtics ought to nonetheless be good, and these two groups typically maintain one another up as a measuring stick. They beat one another within the 2022 and 2023 Eastern Conference finals, and now Antetokounmpo breathes new life right into a rivalry that had grown stale within the absence of Jimmy Butler. Heat Culture vs. Joe Mazzulla in a steel-cage match!

Spurs at Knicks, Dec. 25, 12 p.m. (ABC)

It’s been months, however we’ve not forgotten: The 2026 NBA Finals have been superior. There was the wild ending when Wembanyama threw the ball off Stephon Castle in Game 2. Despite shedding the primary two video games of the collection at house, the Spurs received Game 3 and constructed a 29-point lead in Game 4, solely to lose it as OG Anunoby touched God. Every night time was in some way a comeback. And all of it occurred in simply 5 video games.

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This rematch — pitting Wembanyama towards the Madison Square Garden crowd and that splendidly constructed Knicks lineup of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart — needs to be equally entertaining.

And it ideas off ABC’s Christmas Day lineup, replete with present and former MVP candidates: Heat at Celtics (Giannis vs. Tatum — once more at 2:30 p.m.), 76ers at Lakers (LeBron’s L.A. return at 5 p.m.), Thunder at Timberwolves (SGA vs. Anthony Edwards at 8 p.m.) and Nuggets at Warriors (Nikola Jokić vs. Stephen Curry at 10:30 p.m.).

Better open your presents early.

NBA Cup championship sport, Dec. 11, TBD (Prime)

Because, in case you’ll recall, final 12 months’s Finals have been really a rematch of the 2025 NBA Cup championship sport between the Knicks and Spurs (which the Knicks additionally received). You by no means know which of the 1,230 video games on the slate shall be a preview of this 12 months’s Finals.

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Will we see one other precursor to the Finals within the NBA Cup title sport? Unlikely, however the first few years of the in-season event have supplied storylines that rippled throughout seasons. Do we get a repeat champ? A fourth winner in as a few years? Could LeBron win a second Cup? As at all times, it’s going to be extra enjoyable than if the Cup by no means existed.

76ers at Lakers, Dec. 25, 5 p.m. (ABC)
Heat at 76ers, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
76ers at Cavaliers, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m. (Prime)
76ers at Warriors, March 24, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
76ers at Rockets, Nov. 28, 8:30 p.m. (League Pass)

Who is aware of if that is LeBron’s retirement tour, however he’s nonetheless a hell of a participant, and the 76ers needs to be nearly as good as he’s this season. With Embiid, James, Brown, Maxey and Edgecombe, they need to be a present each night time, or at the least each night time they’re all on the ground. We hope they’re all on the ground for the next matchups:

• LeBron’s return to face the Lakers in Los Angeles on Christmas Day. He spent eight seasons there, delivering the 2020 championship (in a bubble). Where does LeBron rank among the many all-time Lakers? Something to think about.

• LeBron’s Sixers towards Antetokounmpo’s Heat — within the NBA Cup on Thanksgiving Eve. Get your folks collectively. Miami was on James’ brief checklist of doable locations this summer time. Now, Antetokounmpo is making an attempt to do what LeBron did in Miami, earlier than LeBron can do it once more in Philadelphia.

• While LeBron is minted in Cleveland endlessly, he did spurn the Cavaliers as nicely this summer time. The Cavs reached the Eastern Conference finals for the primary time since LeBron was there. He may’ve pushed them excessive. Now, they, too, meet within the NBA Cup. (Yes, the Cavaliers, 76ers and Heat are all in the identical group, together with the Knicks and Pacers. The East is loaded!)

• LeBron vs. Stephen Curry! Who is aware of what number of extra instances we are going to see James face his biggest rival — his equal in championships — however we must always get pleasure from every considered one of them, because the two all-timers at the moment are averaging age 40.

• LeBron vs. Kevin Durant! It looks like a number of the luster has come off this rivalry lately, however this one has an opportunity to rekindle the hearth. Both James and Durant are flanked by a ton of expertise on could-be contenders.

Lakers at Mavericks, Feb. 28, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Will Dallas ever recover from the Luka Dončić commerce? Probably not. And for good motive. Trading an entering-his-prime famous person for a past-his-prime Anthony Davis and a single first-round draft decide, with out canvassing the league, remains to be the worst deal in NBA historical past, all issues thought of (even after the Celtics flipped Brown for George).

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Now, the Mavericks can debut towards the Lakers that first-round decide they obtained in return for Doncic, the No. 25 total choice on this June’s draft, Sergio de Larrea.

More thrilling: The alternative for the Mavs’ latest famous person, final 12 months’s No. 1 decide, Cooper Flagg, to face his predecessor, Dončić, in a high-profile setting. Flagg needs to be flanked by a wholesome Kyrie Irving, if that’s any comfort for shedding Luka Magic.

Timberwolves at Hornets, Feb. 15, 12 p.m. (NBC)
Blazers at Grizzlies, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. (Prime)
Wizards at Hawks, Nov. 6, 7 p.m. (League Pass)

The returns of LaMelo Ball to Charlotte, Ja Morant to Memphis and Trae Young to Atlanta. All three of those All-Star level guards are mercurial in nature, both on the courtroom or off, or each, however no matter what you consider their video games — and there are causes to query their respective matches on the Timberwolves, Blazers and Wizards — every left his group higher than he discovered it and needs to be applauded for it.

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Can Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and the Hornets proceed their ascent within the absence of Ball? Does Ball complement Anthony Edwards in Minnesota? Are the Grizzlies higher with out Morant? Is Portland higher with Morant? Can Young lead the younger expertise in Washington? Or will the younger Hawks proceed to thrive in his stead?

These are all questions that want answering, and we could as nicely try to take action whereas we watch the tribute movies to former franchise faces, rousing ovation or not.

(Another added bonus: Young’s return to Atlanta is an NBA Cup sport.)

Wizards at Jazz, , Feb. 27, 3 p.m. (Prime)
Grizzlies at Wizards, Nov. 16, 7 p.m. (League Pass)
Wizards at Bulls, Nov. 20, 8 p.m. (League Pass)

In addition to Young and Anthony Davis, the Wizards now characteristic this 12 months’s No. 1 total decide, AJ Dybantsa, in addition to a plethora of current first-round draft picks. I do not understand how good they’ll be, however there’s at the least motive to observe now.

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Even extra motive: Dybantsa would not simply have a high-profile matchup with No. 2 total decide Darryn Peterson’s Utah Jazz, however the high of this draft featured as many as 4 future faces of their franchises. No. 3 total decide Cameron Boozer and No. 4 total decide Caleb Willson be a part of the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls, respectively, establishing a enjoyable collection between the lot of them, all with Rookie of the Year on the road.

And, within the case of Dybantsa vs. Wilson 1.0, the NBA Cup is on the road, too.

This stands out as the uncommon season through which all 4 of the highest picks have an equal shot at superstardom, and let’s hope they every get there. We may use all of the watchable groups we will get, and the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls are all watchable now.

Raptors at Clippers, Nov. 2, 10 p.m. (League Pass)

The Aspiration Bowl! Will Kawhi Leonard be a member of the Raptors or Clippers come sport time? As of now, he and the Clips are below investigation for allegedly circumventing the wage cap after he left the Raptors for L.A. in 2019 free company.

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The Raptors have agreed to commerce Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks again to L.A., pending the result of that investigation. They needs to be good — a fringe contender, even — whereas the Clippers unveil Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler and a contemporary look. Regardless of the result (and we do count on Leonard to be a Raptor by season’s begin), this sport needs to be entertaining if just for the awkwardness alone.

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, Dec. 28, 10:30 p.m. (NBC)

The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves have met 34 instances over the previous 4 seasons, together with three playoff collection, and the Wolves have received 18 of them. Minnesota received two of the three playoff collection, too, though, when Denver defeated the Wolves in 2023, the Nuggets went on to win the group’s first NBA championship.

Minnesota remains to be ready for its first title. The Wolves have retooled within the offseason, buying and selling Julius Randle and Naz Reid in favor of touchdown LaMelo Ball. It’s one other wrinkle on this rivalry between two superstars — Edwards and Jokić — whose video games have little in widespread apart from the truth that they’re each wonderful.

Pistons at Magic, Nov. 24, 7 p.m. (League Pass)

Hey, it is simply one other NBA Cup sport I wish to see, OK? Can you give me that?

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Entering final season, no one knew which of the Detroit Pistons or Orlando Magic can be the No. 1 seed, and which might be the No. 8 seed, however there they have been — two younger groups on the rise — dealing with off towards one another in a first-round collection.

And they have been pretty evenly matched. Paolo Banchero’s Magic could have upset Cade Cunningham’s 60-win Pistons if Franz Wagner had been wholesome for the entire collection.

After a tumultuous offseason in Detroit (the place they swapped Tobias Harris for John Collins, traded Isaiah Stewart and have but to re-sign Jalen Duren) and a do-little summer time in Orlando (the place they reunited with veteran middle Nikola Vučević), it will likely be attention-grabbing to see the place every stands in an East that has reshaped round them.

There are much more video games to get pleasure from, in fact. This is only a style of the great things.