Cooper Flagg faces LeBron James opens 2025 26 season

A look at the 2025-26 NBA schedule released today, highlighting opening night clashes, Christmas games, and high profile rematches.

Cooper Flagg Faces LeBron James in Christmas Schedule Showdowns

NBA teams released their 2025-26 schedule, delivering a calendar built for big nights and national TV. Opening night on October 21 features the Thunder hosting the Rockets as OKC raises the championship banner and Houston chases revenge. The night also includes the Cavaliers at Knicks in a Christmas preview of East power dynamics and a marquee clash between the Lakers and Warriors, two teams reshaped by new rosters and fresh ambitions. The slate sets the tone for a season where marquee matchups pile up across the fall and early winter and where fans will be invited to follow both familiar rivalries and new storylines.

Beyond the star pairings, the calendar leans into rematches and cross-conference showdowns that could define the season’s pace. The Mavericks host the Spurs on October 22 in a marquee first meeting between Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama, two of the most anticipated No 1 picks in years, on a big stage that signals the league’s marketing appetite for new dynasties. The schedule also carves out holiday and late-season flashpoints, including a Lakers at Celtics clash that could test the balance of power in new seasons and a Nuggets at Thunder meeting that could echo last year’s playoff drama. In-season tournament action, including Emirates Cup events in December, adds another layer of stakes while reminding fans the calendar remains crowded with competing priorities. The result is a season designed to maximize drama while letting teams prove their progress in real time.

Highlights

The schedule is a compass for a season of big nights and bold moves.