The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, with an NBC/Peacock opening-night tripleheader, and it runs through Sunday, April 11, 2027. Below you'll find the opening-night games, preseason dates, where to watch, every major date from the Emirates NBA Cup to the play-in and playoffs, rule changes, new coaches, and rookies.
The Top performances board updates every day with the best stat lines from the current stage of the season: preseason, regular season, play-in, and playoffs.
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Key dates
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Preseason | Oct. 3–16, 2026 | Heat vs. Raptors in Quebec City opens; Nuggets at Lakers closes it on ESPN |
| Opening-day rosters set | Oct. 19, 2026 | 5 p.m. ET |
| Opening Night | Oct. 20, 2026 | Celtics at Pistons, 76ers at Knicks, Thunder at Spurs (NBC/Peacock) |
| Emirates NBA Cup Group Play | Oct. 30 – Nov. 27, 2026 | Cup Nights on Fridays plus Nov. 24–25 |
| NBA Cup Championship | Dec. 11, 2026 | Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis (Prime Video) |
| Christmas Day | Dec. 25, 2026 | Five games on ABC/ESPN |
| Trade deadline | Feb. 11, 2027 | |
| NBA All-Star 2027 | Feb. 19–21, 2027 | Phoenix (NBC/Peacock); break runs Feb. 19–24 |
| Regular season ends | April 11, 2027 | All 30 teams play |
| SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament | April 13–16, 2027 | Seeds 7–10; all six games on Prime Video |
| NBA Playoffs begin | April 17, 2027 | NBA Finals in June on ABC |
Top NBA preseason performances
Updated daily · as of 2026-10-06
- Nique Clifford (SAC vs LAL, 2026-10-05): 23 PTS · 9 REB · 2 AST — game score 19.2
- Darius Garland (LAC vs GS, 2026-10-04): 15 PTS · 3 REB · 6 AST · 3 3PM — game score 18.1
- Jaylen Brown (PHI vs NY, 2026-10-05): 22 PTS · 2 REB · 2 AST · 3 3PM — game score 17.6
- Rui Hachimura (LAC vs GS, 2026-10-04): 21 PTS · 5 REB · 0 AST · 4 3PM — game score 16.5
- Cameron Carr (LAL vs SAC, 2026-10-05): 19 PTS · 3 REB · 2 AST · 3 3PM — game score 16.4
- Caleb Love (PHI vs NY, 2026-10-05): 15 PTS · 3 REB · 6 AST · 3 3PM — game score 15.9
- Corey Kispert (ATL vs MEM, 2026-10-05): 19 PTS · 4 REB · 2 AST · 4 3PM — game score 15.5
- Pelle Larsson (MIA vs TOR, 2026-10-03): 13 PTS · 2 REB · 2 AST — game score 15.5
- Kel'el Ware (MIL vs MIN, 2026-10-05): 14 PTS · 12 REB · 0 AST — game score 14.8
- Asa Newell (ATL vs MEM, 2026-10-05): 12 PTS · 12 REB · 2 AST — game score 14.7
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026-27 NBA season start?
The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Opening night is an NBC/Peacock tripleheader, and the regular season ends Sunday, April 11, 2027, with all 30 teams in action.
What are the first games of the 2026-27 NBA season?
Opening night (Oct. 20, 2026) has three games on NBC and Peacock: Celtics at Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, 76ers at Knicks at 7 p.m. ET (the Knicks raise their 2026 championship banner), and Thunder at Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET. Opening week continues with ESPN doubleheaders on Oct. 21 and 22 and a Prime Video doubleheader on Oct. 23.
Is the 2026-27 NBA schedule out?
Yes. The NBA released the full 2026-27 regular-season schedule on Aug. 13, 2026, at NBA.com/schedule. Each team plays 82 games. Dates and opponents are set for 80 of them, and the last two (Dec. 4–10) depend on Emirates NBA Cup Group Play results.
Sources: nba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
When does the NBA preseason start and end?
The 2026 NBA preseason began Saturday, Oct. 3, with the Heat facing the Raptors in Quebec City. It ends Friday, Oct. 16, when the Nuggets visit the Lakers at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. International preseason games include the NBA China Games (Mavericks vs. Rockets in Macao, Oct. 9 and 11) and the NBA Canada Games.
Sources: nba.com, espnpressroom.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
Where can I watch NBA preseason games?
ESPN and ESPN2 carry five national preseason games: Oct. 8, Oct. 10, two on Oct. 11, and Oct. 16, all also on the ESPN App. Many other preseason games air on NBA TV and on local team broadcasts, and out-of-market games stream on NBA League Pass.
Sources: espnpressroom.com, sports.yahoo.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
How can I watch NBA games in 2026-27?
National games air on ABC/ESPN (streaming on the ESPN App), NBC/Peacock/NBCSN, and Prime Video. NBA League Pass streams live out-of-market games through the NBA App and NBA.com, Prime Video, and TV providers. Local games air on your team's regional broadcaster.
Sources: nba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
When is the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup?
Group Play runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 27, 2026. The quarterfinals are Dec. 4–5, and the semifinals are Dec. 8 and/or 9. New this season, the higher seed hosts each semifinal. The championship is Friday, Dec. 11, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and Prime Video streams every knockout game.
Sources: nba.com, nba.com, nba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
What NBA games are on Christmas Day 2026?
Five games are on ABC/ESPN on Friday, Dec. 25: Spurs at Knicks at noon ET (a 2026 Finals rematch), Heat at Celtics at 2:30 p.m., 76ers at Lakers at 5 p.m., Thunder at Timberwolves at 8 p.m., and Nuggets at Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET.
When is the 2027 NBA trade deadline?
The 2026-27 NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 11, 2027.
When and where is NBA All-Star 2027?
NBA All-Star 2027 is Feb. 19–21, 2027, in Phoenix, on NBC and Peacock. The All-Star Game is Sunday, Feb. 21, and the league's All-Star break runs Feb. 19–24.
Sources: nba.com, nba.com, en.wikipedia.org · Last verified 2026-10-06
When is the 2027 NBA Play-In Tournament?
The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament is April 13–16, 2027. Teams seeded 7th through 10th in each conference play for the last two playoff spots, and Prime Video streams all six games.
When do the 2027 NBA playoffs start?
The 2027 NBA Playoffs begin Saturday, April 17, 2027, after the play-in. Playoff rosters are set April 12, and the NBA Finals are in June on ABC.
Sources: nba.com, en.wikipedia.org · Last verified 2026-10-06
What rule changes are new for the 2026-27 NBA season?
For 2026-27, referees are emphasizing flopping (deceptive embellishment is penalized), forceful off-arm push-offs, and freedom of movement. To curb tanking, the Board of Governors approved a 3-2-1 Draft Lottery that starts with the 2027 Draft: 16 lottery teams, flatter odds, and stronger league discipline. NBA Cup semifinals also move to the higher seed's arena.
Sources: nba.com, nba.com, nba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
Which NBA teams have new head coaches for 2026-27?
Six teams changed coaches: Tiago Splitter (Bulls), Dusty May (Mavericks), Sean Sweeney (Magic), Taylor Jenkins (Bucks), Jamahl Mosley (Pelicans), and Micah Nori (Trail Blazers).
Sources: nba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
Who are the top NBA rookies in 2026-27?
The Wizards took AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the Jazz took Darryn Peterson No. 2. The Bulls drafted Caleb Wilson at No. 4. Dybantsa and Peterson first meet on Feb. 27, 2027, on Prime Video.
Sources: nba.com, nba.com, en.wikipedia.org · Last verified 2026-10-06
What were the biggest NBA offseason moves before 2026-27?
LeBron James (starting a record 24th season) and Jaylen Brown joined the 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo joined the Heat, LaMelo Ball joined the Timberwolves, and Ja Morant joined the Trail Blazers.
Who won the 2026 NBA championship?
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals for their first title since 1973, and Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP. The Knicks raise the banner on opening night, Oct. 20, 2026.
Are there any new NBA teams in 2026-27?
No. The league still has 30 teams for 2026-27, and no expansion team plays this season. The NBA is also playing regular-season games abroad: Mexico City (Nov. 7), Paris (Jan. 14), and its first in Manchester (Jan. 17).
Sources: nba.com, nba.com, en.wikipedia.org · Last verified 2026-10-06
Where can I see the best NBA performances each day?
The Top performances board on this page updates daily with the best stat lines from completed games. It follows the season stage automatically (preseason, regular season, play-in, playoffs) and ranks players by game score. ClutchNBA's research tools add projections and prop grades for tonight's games.
Sources: clutchnba.com · Last verified 2026-10-06
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