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The NBA began rolling out its schedule for the 2025-26 season, and there is a general framework of the important dates on the upcoming calendar. Training camps are still far in the distance, but the league ramps up soon. Marquee matchups slowly leaked out, as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets Oct. 21 in the first game of the season, followed by a Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors showdown as part of the doubleheader.
Important matchups for Christmas Day also solidified with a slate of five games on the docket. While a full schedule for all 30 teams in the league is coming soon, here are the key dates for the upcoming season.
NBA key dates to know
- September 5-6: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend
Naismith 2025 Hall of Fame class: Carmelo Anthony (player), Dwight Howard (player), Sue Bird (player), Sylvia Fowles (player), Maya Moore (player), Danny Crawford (official), Billy Donovan (coach), 2008 USA men’s national team, Micky Arison (contributor).
These five teams hold media day a week before everyone else as they are scheduled to begin their preseason schedule earlier with games slated outside of North America.
- September 24: Training camp opens for teams traveling outside North America for preseason games (Nets, Knicks, Sixers, Pelicans, Suns)
- September 29: Training camp and media day for remaining 25 teams
- October 17: Preseason concludes
- October 21: Opening night of the 2025-26 regular season
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC/Fubo
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors | 10 p.m. ET | NBC/Fubo
- October 31: Emirates NBA Cup group stage begins
- November 1: NBA Mexico City Game 2025 (Detroit Pistons vs. Dallas Mavericks)
- November 28: Emirates NBA Cup group play concludes
- December 9-10: Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals
- December 13: Emirates NBA Cup semifinals
- December 16: Emirates NBA Cup championship
- December 25: Christmas Day (Knicks vs. Cavaliers, Thunder vs. Spurs, Warriors vs. Mavericks, Lakers vs. Rockets, Nuggets vs. Timberwolves)
- January 15: NBA Berlin Games 2026 (Magic vs. Grizzlies)
- January 18: NBA London Games 2026 (Magic vs. Grizzlies)
- February 5: NBA Trade deadline (3 p.m. ET)
- February 13-15: 2026 All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles
- April 12: Regular season concludes
