NBA Opening Night Games 2025-26: Teams, schedule, date & other key details revealed

The NBA has released the schedule for its 2025-26 Opening Night. Shams Charania of ESPN posted two games on X to get fans excited for the new regular season. The Houston Rockets will visit the Paycom Center to face the OKC Thunder for their championship ring ceremony.

The second game is a bout between the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. Fans will see the classic showdown between Steph Curry and LeBron James.

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For the Rockets, they're expected to be one of the top teams in the league next season following their major roster upgrade. At the start of free agency, they engaged with the Phoenix Suns and traded for All-Star forward Kevin Durant. The two-time Finals MVP, a former Thunder player, will witness the championship banner get secured in the rafters by his former team.

Durant wasn't able to deliver a championship when he played for OKC, although they came close in 2012. However, they faced a hungry Miami Heat team led by James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

NBA fans can finally look forward to the new season, as the schedules are gradually being released. Charania also posted a five-game slate on Christmas Day.

The Rockets will play the Lakers, giving fans a James-Durant face-off. The Warriors will take on the Dallas Mavericks, featuring top rookie Cooper Flagg. The New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only teams that feature in the Eastern Conference.

The defending champions will take on Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs on Christmas. Lastly, the Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers will play four games before the NBA Opening Night

NBA clubs will warm up with friendly games before the season, before things get serious. The Los Angeles Lakers feature four preseason games ahead of opening night.

The Greater Palm Springs' Acrisure Arena will host the first game versus the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 3. The Lakers will face the Warriors back on their home floor, Crypto.com Arena in LA, on Oct. 12. Their third game will be against Luka Doncic's former team, the Mavericks. Fans in Las Vegas will witness the exhibition game at the T-Mobile Arena on Oct 15.

The Lakers will conclude their NBA preseason games on Oct. 17, as they face the Sacramento Kings in front of their home crowd.

Fans who can't attend the games in the arena can watch the broadcast on Spectrum SportsNet.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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