It’s hard to think of another season having as much intrigue as the 2025-26 NBA campaign. It’s been an eventful calendar year, with superstars being traded, pivotal free agency signings, and some ultra-talented rookies entering the league.
Now that the schedule has officially been released, there’s no better time to highlight the games that should be considered appointment viewing. Barring injuries, of course, these are 25 games across the 2025-26 season that you should circle on your calendar. (Note: The first team mentioned is the home team.)
25) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Oct. 22)
With the number of international fans that tuned in to watch Yang Hansen’s debut for the Portland Trail Blazers during summer league, even more will likely be watching for his official NBA debut. The 7’2″ Chinese native dazzled the crowd with his fancy passing, blocked shots, and skillful drives to the rim.
But how will he fare against the likes of four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and 2024 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, who highlight the Minnesota Timberwolves’ front line? Plenty of fans across the globe will have their eyes glued to this game, the first of Hansen’s career.
24) Philadelphia 76ers vs. San Antonio Spurs (Mar. 3)
Quite frankly, either of these teams could be decimated by injuries by the time they meet for the first time on March 3. That was the case for both teams last season, as Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George missed extensive time with injuries, and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was absent for the final 30 games due to a blood clot.
But anytime Embiid and Wembanyama match up, it’s box office for NBA fans. The NBA has never seen the skills that each has, with Embiid matching guard-like movements with hulking physicality and Wembanyama slithering around the court, belying his 7’5″ frame, and dunking — and shooting from 3-point range — over any defender.
If they’re both healthy and in the race for playoff positioning, the Spurs and 76ers are must-watch teams come March.
23) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Jan. 23)
Though much excitement will be curtailed from this matchup due to Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles and Myles Turner’s departure, this is still an NBA Finals rematch and deserves to be on this list. While the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers play first on October 23, that contest is in Indianapolis, not where the Thunder won the finals.
The sour taste in the Pacers’ mouths could be avenged ever so slightly with an upset victory over the Thunder, with Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam leading the charge.
22) Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks (Jan. 5)
This first-round series in 2025 was as hard-fought as it gets, with the young, ascending Detroit Pistons giving the star-studded New York Knicks all they could handle.
Though the Knicks came away with a six-game series victory, the Pistons put the league on notice that they’re here to stay as a tough, defensive-minded team with an All-NBA caliber leader in Cade Cunningham.
Where To Watch KEY DATES for the 2025-26 NBA season 📺🏀
The full schedule is out, learn more: https://t.co/Zm2PTBkf2p pic.twitter.com/UY0OLneawc
— NBA (@NBA) August 14, 2025
Set to meet in Detroit just after New Year’s, Little Caesars Arena will be rocking. Pistons fans don’t mess around; they’ll bring as much heat as possible.
21) Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors (Oct. 21)
The LeBron James versus Stephen Curry matchups will never get old — no matter how old the two megastars get. Each player is still producing at a sky-high level and creating memorable moments nearly every time they lace it up against each other.
Their teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, have high expectations this season thanks to star trios. But this game, taking place on opening night, is all about James vs. Curry and soaking in the moments viewers have with two of the best players in the game’s history facing off once again.
20) New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Oct. 22)
Arguably the two favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, the Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers to kick off the season for both teams. Each excelled in the regular season in 2024, finishing first (Cleveland) and third (New York) in the East standings, and they are expected to once again finish near the top of the standings this season.
The lights always seem to bring the best out of Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, and it doesn’t get any brighter than Madison Square Garden. He’ll duel with Jalen Brunson, who never shies away from the pressure.
19) Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Oct. 22)
Although the Boston Celtics’ roster was essentially decimated this offseason for salary cap purposes, as they traded away Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday and let several other contributors walk in free agency, there’s still intrigue over what the duo of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White can do in the absence of Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs.
Also featured in this game is the debut of 2025 No. 3 overall pick V.J. Edgecombe, who flashed his athleticism and explosiveness in summer league. The presence of Embiid and George is a question mark as of right now, but this contest is still well worth tuning in to.
18) Milwaukee Bucks vs. Portland Trail Blazers (Nov. 24)
While Damian Lillard’s two-year tenure in Milwaukee shouldn’t harbor any hard feelings among Bucks fans, as he battled through personal challenges and played through injuries, it’ll still be interesting to see how they react to Lillard’s presence despite his not being active in this game due to a torn Achilles tendon.
Jrue Holiday, a key member of the Bucks’ 2021 championship squad, is also a member of the Trail Blazers and should also get some love. Oh, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — who may have to play more point guard this season than he ever has — is on the other side. This is well worth the ticket and worth watching on television.
17) Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Apr. 12)
Taking place on the final day of the regular season, it’s hard to imagine a world in which either of these teams isn’t competing for playoff positioning. This matchup was played on the final day of the 2024-25 regular season, producing an absolute classic in which the Clippers pulled out a 124-119 overtime victory. James Harden’s 39 points outpaced Curry’s 36.
If all the stars are healthy — Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac for the Clippers and Curry, Jimmy Butler III, and Draymond Green for the Warriors — this will be yet another battle between two veteran-heavy squads who know how to win late in the season.
16) Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Feb. 1)
Somewhat surprisingly, the Denver Nuggets and Thunder don’t meet until February. Luckily for the NBA, it falls one Sunday before the Super Bowl, pitting it against the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games. It’s safe to say a duel between Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should outshine any other sports on this day, considering how entertaining their 2025 second-round matchup proved to be.
The Nuggets had a tremendous offseason and look well-equipped to challenge the Thunder at the top of the Western Conference. Over four months into the season, this will be their first shot to prove it.
15) Memphis Grizzlies vs. Orlando Magic (Jan. 15)
Thursday games at 2 p.m. ET wouldn’t normally be considered must-watches, but when the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic battle in Berlin, Germany, in mid-January, expect an intriguing clash of styles and a former player in Desmond Bane facing off against his former team.
Bane was traded from the Grizzlies to the Magic this offseason, and while he won’t visit Memphis this season (as the two teams play back-to-back overseas), it’ll still have the mold of an All-Star caliber player facing his old team. Add in Ja Morant and Paolo Banchero, both highly entertaining All-Stars, and you might want to skip your afternoon nap for this one.
14) Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Dec. 25)
When the Nuggets and Timberwolves met on April 1, 2025, they played arguably the best game of the season, with Minnesota pulling out a 140-139 win in double overtime. This game added another layer to their growing rivalry, as they’d faced off in both the 2023 and 2024 playoffs.
What better way to renew this matchup than to cap off the NBA’s Christmas slate? It doesn’t get much better than this in the middle of the season.
13) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Jan. 19)
When these teams met in Cleveland on January 8 last season, they had a combined 62-10 record. Eleven days later into the schedule in 2026, we could see a very similar occurrence. The Thunder and Cavaliers certainly didn’t get worse this offseason, with both adding pieces around the edges of their roster.
An underrated aspect of this game, barring injury, would be the matchup between Evan Mobley and Chet Holmgren, who was unavailable last January. They are similar players in stature and skill level who are considered the perfect prototype for the modern NBA. It will be one of the more interesting duels to watch this upcoming season.
12) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors (Jan. 24)
The what-if from this second-round series in 2025 is easy: what if Curry hadn’t injured his hamstring in Game 1 with the Warriors up seven in the second quarter in a game they went on to win by double figures? The Timberwolves closed out the series with four consecutive victories with Curry on the bench.
They meet for the first time on January 24, when Golden State can partly answer that question. The storylines include Butler visiting his former team, which ended with bitter feelings, and the classic Draymond Green hatred of Rudy Gobert. This should be a fun one.
11) Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs (Nov. 28)
What should be a must-see meeting for years to come, Jokić and Wembanyama have vastly contrasting styles but dominate the game nonetheless. Come to see the duel between the two centers, but leave impressed by the play of San Antonio’s young supporting cast featuring Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, two ultra-talented guards.
Denver is entrenched as a contender in the West, but the Spurs are fast approaching and have high expectations of competing for a top-six seed in the 2026 playoffs.
10) Phoenix Suns vs. Houston Rockets (Nov. 24)
Traded to the Houston Rockets this summer, Kevin Durant’s departure from the Phoenix Suns seemed to be mutual. But what sort of reaction will the Suns crowd have for him, as he came over from the Brooklyn Nets and only managed to win a single playoff series in two and a half seasons?
We know any hatred won’t rattle Durant, who’s been in this situation before. Regardless, it’s a moment the entire league will be buzzing about on Nov. 24.
9) Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Nov. 25)
Looking closer at this game just adds to the intrigue. Aside from being cross-town rivals and featuring several megastars on each team, the Lakers and Clippers meeting on November 25 in Crypto.com Arena (with the Lakers as the host) is a part of the NBA Cup — meaning the court will be designed significantly differently than usual.
Playing for $500,000 (the cash prize per player of winning the NBA Cup) always ups the ante, no matter how much players are paid nowadays. Expect the Los Angeles squads to go all out in this early-season matchup.
8) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Jan. 28)
James visiting Cleveland, where he grew up, began his NBA career, and brought a championship, is always the top game of the night. Last season, Bronny James scored his first career bucket against the Cavaliers in Cleveland.
The elder James always seems to put on a show in front of the Cleveland fans; what will 2026 have in store?
7) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs (Dec. 25)
The Christmas slate is loaded this year, but none top the Thunder and Spurs at 2:30 p.m. ET. Once presents are unwrapped and lunch has been served, get ready to glue your eyes to the TV for the next two hours.
Wembanyama and Holmgren have gone at it in individual battles dating back to before they were in the league. Now, the teams are more even than they’ve ever been. If San Antonio can keep up with the NBA-championship-winning Thunder, this one could be an all-time Christmas Day classic.
6) Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Nov. 3)
Set to meet on November 3, the Pacers-Bucks matchup already had a spot reserved on this list. Multiple playoff series battles, Antetokounmpo’s “Ball-gate” situation, and now Myles Turner signing with the bitter rival Bucks.
Turner spent the first decade of his career with the Pacers and became one of the franchise’s most beloved players. But less than two weeks after being a pivotal part of Indiana’s 2025 NBA Finals run, he switched up and signed with Milwaukee. It’ll be interesting to see how Pacers fans receive him coming back to Indiana.
5) Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs (Oct. 22)
Even if this wasn’t 2025 top pick Cooper Flagg’s NBA debut, the Dallas Mavericks and Spurs clashing would be something to see. But considering Flagg has been touted as one of the best American-born prospects of this century, intrigue will be flowing in Dallas.
Wembanyama will be on the other side, beginning his third season in the league. He’ll likely be guarding multi-time All-Star Anthony Davis, another added layer to this one. But at the end of the day, it’ll all be about Flagg and how he fares. Expectations are high for the 19-year-old.
4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets (Oct. 21)
The NBA had to know what they were doing when they decided to send the Rockets — now equipped with Durant — to Oklahoma City for ring night, right? Durant will be forced to watch the Thunder raise a championship banner in the city where he played eight seasons early in his career before unceremoniously jettisoning off to the 73-win Warriors.
The emotions will be high for both sides, but once each settles down, we could be in for an old-school battle between two tough, rugged teams that want to start the season off with a win.
3) Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets (Nov. 26)
Just ahead of Durant’s reunion with his first team is his reunion with his second team: the Warriors, whom he helped lead to two titles before once again unceremoniously exiting.
The first-round battle between Golden State and Houston went seven games before the Warriors pulled away. But the Rockets acquired Durant to add some extra firepower offensively, making this a potential playoff preview and a measuring stick for Houston.
2) Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors (Nov. 19)
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Butler attempted to rip apart the Miami Heat organization at the seams when they refused to trade him or offer him an extension at the beginning of last season. He pouted, expressed his dismay in press conferences, and displayed minimal effort on the court before being suspended and sent away from the team.
He was eventually dealt to the Warriors, where he reclaimed his joy of playing basketball and oversaw a late-season run to the playoffs. The arrow is pointing up for Golden State and Butler. That’s not so for the Heat, who were swept in the first round and should — rightfully so — be bitter over the Butler saga. His first time in Miami post-trade will be the talk of the NBA, and you’ll want to witness it.
1) Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Jan. 24)
Surprise, surprise. Despite the roughly six months since Luka Dončić was traded to the Lakers in the middle of the night, Dallas general manager Nico Harrison’s decision remains confounding. This offseason, Dončić addressed Harrison’s concerns about his conditioning by arguably getting into the best shape of his life.
Our digital cover star, Luka Doncic, ready to take his game (and the Lakers) to new levels of dominance. And this summer shred has been years in the making.https://t.co/aB19DY7rrL pic.twitter.com/bjVsf1ampI
— Men’s Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) July 28, 2025
For the rest of Dončić’s career, visiting Dallas will be a must-see game. January 24 is the date this season, with Anthony Davis also facing his former team and James and Flagg dueling for the first time. Storylines galore, but none bigger than the beloved former Maverick Dončić in his old city.
