The total 2025-26 NBA schedule has been launched for a while now and the offseason is hitting these canine days of August the place there’s not a lot breaking NBA information to report, so what higher time is there to undergo this 12 months’s slate of video games and decide which matchups are most price wanting ahead to and even doubtlessly shopping for tickets for.
From a season-opening matchup between two generation-defining rivals to a matchup between the 2 abilities who will certainly outline their very own era, listed here are 5 key matchups to circle in your 2025-26 calendar forward of the upcoming season.
Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors, October 21 (Opening Night time, NBC)
In what could be the closing season opener of LeBron James’ profession, the second sport of the league’s opening night time doubleheader on NBC will characteristic a matchup with the one rival who has maybe had the largest position in his story in Golden State Warriors’ celebrity Stephen Curry.
Not solely is that this one other matchup between two stars who’ve outlined their era of NBA basketball, it should even be a historic second for the league. When LeBron steps out onto the ground on the Chase Middle in San Francisco that late October night time, he’ll develop into the primary participant to have ever began a twenty third season within the NBA.
Apart from that, you by no means know what number of LeBron vs. Curry matchups we even have left. It’s greatest to cherish every one. Particularly one which’s occurring in such a forward-facing second for the league, because it coincides with the return of one among its most beloved broadcasting companions.
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, November 28 (Prime)
This would be the Mavericks and Lakers’ first assembly because the narrative surrounding Nico Harrison’s decision-making in buying and selling Luka Doncic this previous February might have barely improved after his group improbably received the draft lottery and landed Cooper Flagg.
Maybe the largest factor saving Harrison from remaining drenched within the hellfire of NBA Twitter criticism is the actual fact the Mavericks seem to be legit title contenders, whereas the Lakers group so many individuals swore he was a double agent for hasn’t proven marked enchancment since Harrison metaphorically packed his baggage and drove him to DFW Airport.
The opposite facet of that commerce additionally signifies that that is one other reunion between the Lakers and Anthony Davis, whose presence within the Dallas Mavericks’ group is among the many chief causes they’re being thought of a 2025-26 title risk. Whereas Luka’s failed relationship with the Mavericks is what drew a lot of the headlines following that commerce, you’ll be able to guess your backside greenback that AD appears like he has one thing to show as nicely.
Lastly, this would be the first time we see Flagg and LeBron (Sr.) matchup on an NBA court docket, so will probably be attention-grabbing to see if there’s any form of passing of the torch second between two of the best American prospects of the final 25 years.
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, December 25 (Christmas Day, ABC)
The spotlight of a largely disappointing Christmas Day NBA lineup is undoubtedly the 5:30 p.m. matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks on the Chase Middle. To place it merely, this sport is storylines galore. Not solely will or not it’s No. 1 choose and doubtlessly generational expertise Cooper Flagg’s Christmas Day debut, making him the primary No. 1 total choose to play on Christmas Day as a rookie.
It additionally signifies that Klay Thompson, one of the vital beloved Warriors ever, shall be spending his Christmas afternoon on the alternative bench of the group that served as his second household for thus a few years. After so many Christmas Day video games with Thompson in his iconic blue and gold No. 11 jersey, it’s nonetheless going to be a bit unusual seeing him in that No. 31 Mavericks jersey on the opposite sideline on such a cherished stage.
If there’s one secure guess to make for that sport, Megan Thee Stallion can have a courtside seat.
Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs, January 20 (Rivals Week, NBC)
I’m not precisely positive how profitable the NBA’s new Rivals Week branding shall be at attracting informal viewership, however I’m to see the Houston Rockets and offseason acquisition Kevin Durant tackle a San Antonio Spurs group that could possibly be poised to take their first massive leap of the Victor Wembanyama period.
The Rockets had been one of the vital spectacular groups within the league final season, incomes the No. 2 seed within the Western Convention playoffs, however their seven-game loss to the Warriors proved they had been nonetheless a star away from actually contending for a title. Durant could also be growing older, however he’s nonetheless a top-five scorer in basketball. The Spurs have their celebrity already, however maybe they are often this 12 months’s Rockets within the sense that they arrive forward of schedule to earn a prime playoff seed.
Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, February 1 (Sunday Night time Basketball, NBC)
Whereas the Indiana Pacers nearly pulled off an NBA Finals upset over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, it was Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets who practically prevented that matchup from taking place solely by forcing the 68-win Thunder to a seventh sport within the second spherical.
Denver and OKC’s first matchup of the 2025-26 season received’t come till the primary day of February, however will probably be a major one as the sport will mark the debut of NBC’s Sunday Night time Basketball. NBC shall be broadcasting the Tremendous Bowl from Santa Clara, Calif., precisely one week later to the minute, so will probably be one other massive stretch in what’s prone to be an all-time 12 months for the tv big.
In fact, this sport additionally pits the 2 opponents in what was one of many closest MVP races in NBA historical past. Given each Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s efficiency in recent times, its doubtless this sport can have a major bearing on the 2026 MVP Award as nicely.
