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The NBA has announced the start date for the new campaign and the matchups that will tip off the 2026/27 season.
The 81st NBA season is set to begin on October 20th with three games featuring six of the strongest teams from the previous year.
The opening day will see the 2024 champions, the Boston Celtics, visit the Detroit Pistons, who were the Eastern Conference's top team in 2025/26. Immediately following, the reigning champions, the New York Knicks, will host the Philadelphia 76ers, a team bolstered this summer by superstar LeBron James.
The New Yorkers will receive their championship rings, and a banner commemorating the club's third title in history will be raised at Madison Square Garden.
The opening day schedule is rounded out by a clash between the 2025 champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and last season's finalists, the San Antonio Spurs, in Texas. These two teams faced each other 12 times last season.
The NBA's statement also included information on the Christmas Day games – a traditional day for spectacular NBA matchups for 79 years. San Antonio will visit New York, the Miami Heat will play against Boston, Philadelphia will travel to the West Coast for a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves will host Oklahoma City, and the Denver Nuggets will face the Golden State Warriors.
The upcoming campaign offers the New York Knicks the opportunity to become the first team to defend their title since the Golden State Warriors achieved the feat in 2018.
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