The NBA has officially set the stage for the 2025–26 season, and it’s clear they’re opening with star power and playoff intrigue right out of the gate.
With the new media rights deal and declining viewership, it’s important for the NBA to build a proper schedule, one that minimizes the workload for players while maximizing fan intrigue. It’s not an easy balance to achieve, but there is a general sense of optimism now that we’ve seen what the league’s two more important regular-season days will have in store.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the season will begin with teams like the Thunder, Rockets, Warriors, and Lakers, while Christmas will feature premium matchups that include the Knicks, Nuggets, Spurs, and Mavericks (among others).
Opening Night
Per Shams Charania, opening night this year will feature a Western Conference showcase as the Houston Rockets visit the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by a primetime clash between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
As the West’s leading teams last year, it’s only right for the Rockets and Thunder to kick off the NBA calendar, which begins on October 21. As the reigning NBA champions, that night will also mark the annual championship ring ceremony, where players receive their well-earned hardware while watching their championship banner get hung in the rafters. It’ll make for a historic moment for the league, and the game afterwards is sure to be competitive with stars that include the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Kevin Durant.
The only other game on opening night will be must-watch TV. It features the new-look Lakers (with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves) against a familiar foe: the Steph Curry-led Warriors. As two of the NBA’s most popular and successful franchises, these teams already generate a lot of interest on their own, but every time they face off against each other, the fanfare gets elevated to a whole new level.
Christmas Day
Fans won’t have to wait long for more blockbuster matchups, as the league also revealed its highly anticipated schedule for December 25. The five-game holiday slate is loaded with marquee battles: Cavaliers vs. Knicks, Spurs vs. Thunder, Rockets vs. Lakers, Mavericks vs. Warriors, and Timberwolves vs. Nuggets — a mix of title favorites, rising stars, and heated rivalries designed to keep viewers locked in from morning to night.
Since Christmas is arguably the NBA’s most important game day, it’s no surprise they tried to go for the best matchups possible. In the East, the Cavaliers and Knicks will begin the day with a star-studded matchup that pits two of the best teams in the Conference against each other. Shockingly, that’s the only Eastern Conference matchup on Christmas, which is still more than we’ll see on opening night. Due to injuries to several key players (Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton), the East is projected to be especially weak next season, and that explains why only two teams will get the spotlight on December 25.
In the West, we’ll see a mix of younger and experienced teams. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs were an easy pick to headline the Christmas schedule, and they’ll have their hands full trying to take down the defending champions. There’s also the Rockets and Lakers matchup, which will see another LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant showdown. After the Mavericks and Warriors face off in a competitive Western duel, the Timberwolves and Nuggets will end the night in a rematch of the 2024 Western Semifinals.
2025-26 Season Could Be Special
If the NBA’s goal was to make the 2025–26 season feel like a must-watch from day one, this schedule hits the mark. Opening night delivers reigning champions, superstar duels, and rivalry energy, while Christmas Day offers an all-day showcase of the league’s most marketable stars and compelling storylines. Between the return of healthy contenders, the rise of young superstars, and the continued dominance of the game’s biggest names, this could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory, and the league clearly wants fans locked in from the jump.
