The 2026-27 NBA season is ready to tip off, and the defending champion New York Knicks will begin their title defense on opening night. Can New York repeat after winning its first championship since 1973, or will a new contender take the crown?
The NBA’s 81st regular season begins Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, with a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock. From opening night and the Emirates NBA Cup to Christmas Day, NBA All-Star Weekend and the postseason, this guide has the dates, channels and streaming information you need to follow the season.
Looking for a sports-focused channel lineup? DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack® includes ESPN Unlimited Plan and national networks that carry NBA games. Channel availability varies by market.
2026-27 NBA Season at a Glance
- Opening night: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026
- Regular-season schedule: 82 games per team
- Regular-season finale: Sunday, April 11, 2027
- NBA Play-In Tournament: April 13-16, 2027
- National TV networks: ABC, ESPN, NBC, NBCSN and NBA TV
- National streaming platforms: ESPN App, Peacock and Prime Video
- NBA Finals: Exclusively on ABC in the United States
When Does the 2026-27 NBA Season Start?
The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, with three nationally televised games on NBC and Peacock:
- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons – 3 p.m. ET
- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks – 7 p.m. ET
- Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs – 9:30 p.m. ET
The defending champion Knicks will raise their 2026 NBA championship banner before hosting the 76ers. Opening week continues with ESPN doubleheaders on Oct. 21 and 22, followed by a Prime Video doubleheader on Oct. 23.
How to Watch NBA Games in 2026-27
NBA games will air across national networks, regional sports networks and streaming services throughout the 2026-27 season. Where you can watch a specific matchup depends on the day, your location and whether the game is national, local or out of market.
Unlike past seasons, TNT is no longer an NBA broadcaster. The NBA’s national media partners are Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon, with games available across ABC, ESPN, NBC, NBCSN, the ESPN App, Peacock and Prime Video.
Weekly NBA Broadcast and Streaming Schedule
|
Day |
Where NBA Games Generally Air |
|
Sunday |
ABC and NBC/Peacock, primarily later in the season |
|
Monday |
Peacock and NBCSN |
|
Tuesday |
NBC and Peacock |
|
Wednesday |
ESPN and the ESPN App |
|
Thursday |
Prime Video doubleheaders beginning in January |
|
Friday |
Prime Video, plus select ESPN games beginning in January |
|
Saturday |
ABC, plus select Prime Video games beginning in February |
Schedules vary during opening week, holidays, the Emirates NBA Cup and the postseason. Always check the latest listings before tipoff.
Watch NBA Games on ABC and ESPN
ESPN will generally carry Wednesday night games throughout the season, along with select Friday doubleheaders from January through March. ABC’s schedule includes Saturday primetime games beginning in December, Sunday afternoon showcases later in the season and all five Christmas Day games.
All ABC and ESPN games will also be available through the ESPN App. Eligible DIRECTV customers receive access to ESPN Unlimited Plan at no additional cost.
- ESPN – Ch. 206
- ABC – Check your local DIRECTV listings
- Learn about ESPN Unlimited Plan on DIRECTV
Watch NBA Games on NBC, NBCSN and Peacock
NBC and Peacock will present the opening-night tripleheader and weekly Coast 2 Coast Tuesday games throughout the season. Peacock NBA Monday begins Oct. 26, while Sunday Night Basketball returns Jan. 24, 2027. Peacock-exclusive games will also be shown on NBCSN.
- NBC
- Peacock requires a separate subscription, which you can get with DIRECTV
Watch NBA Games on Prime Video
Prime Video will stream Friday games throughout the regular season, Thursday doubleheaders beginning in January and select Saturday games beginning in February. It is also the home of the Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds, the 2027 NBA Paris and Manchester games and all six games of the 2027 NBA Play-In Tournament.
Prime Video requires a separate subscription. Customers with a compatible, internet-connected Gemini device can access participating streaming apps through the DIRECTV experience.
Watch Local NBA Games
Most locally televised NBA games air on the regional sports network or local broadcast partner that carries your favorite team. Availability varies by ZIP code, package and team territory, and blackout restrictions may apply.
Watch Out-of-Market Games With NBA League Pass
NBA League Pass gives fans access to live and on-demand out-of-market regular-season games. DIRECTV customers can add NBA League Pass to eligible streaming or satellite packages and watch up to 40 out-of-market games per week.
Local and nationally televised games may be subject to blackout restrictions. NBA League Pass does not include live NBA Play-In Tournament, playoff or NBA Finals games.
2026-27 NBA Schedule
The 2026-27 NBA regular season runs from Oct. 20, 2026, through April 11, 2027. Each of the league’s 30 teams will play 82 games.
Wondering which NBA games are on tonight? Find game times, channels, live scores, betting odds and more throughout the regular season.
Key Dates in the 2026-27 NBA Season
2026-27 NBA Opening Night
Date: Oct. 20, 2026
The season tips off with a three-game slate on NBC and Peacock. Boston visits Detroit at 3 p.m. ET, Philadelphia faces the defending champion Knicks at 7 p.m. ET and Oklahoma City meets San Antonio at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Emirates NBA Cup Group Play
Dates: Oct. 30-Nov. 27, 2026
Emirates NBA Cup Group Play begins Oct. 30 and continues on designated Cup Nights through Nov. 27. The 60-game Group Play schedule will help determine which teams advance to the single-elimination Knockout Rounds.
NBA Mexico City Game
Date: Nov. 7, 2026
The Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers meet at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.
Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds
Dates: Dec. 4-11, 2026
Prime Video will stream all seven Knockout Round games:
- Quarterfinals: Dec. 4-5
- Semifinals: Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9
- Championship: Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
NBA Christmas Day Games
Date: Dec. 25, 2026
All five Christmas Day games will air on ABC and ESPN:
- San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks – Noon ET
- Miami Heat at Boston Celtics – 2:30 p.m. ET
- Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers – 5 p.m. ET
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8 p.m. ET
- Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors – 10:30 p.m. ET
The opening matchup is a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals, when New York defeated San Antonio to win the championship.
NBA Paris Game
Date: Jan. 14, 2027
The San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans face off at Accor Arena in Paris. The game begins at 2 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
NBA Manchester Game
Date: Jan. 17, 2027
The Spurs and Pelicans meet again at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. The 10:30 a.m. ET matchup will be the NBA’s first regular-season game in Manchester and will stream on Prime Video.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Games
Date: Jan. 18, 2027
NBC Sports will present four games throughout the day, including Detroit at Cleveland, Philadelphia at Atlanta, Minnesota at New York and Houston at Memphis. Games will air across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN.
NBA Rivals Week
Dates: Jan. 26-30, 2027
NBA Rivals Week returns with 12 nationally televised games across NBC, Peacock, ESPN, Prime Video and ABC. The five-day showcase concludes with a four-game slate on ABC.
NBA All-Star Weekend
Dates: Feb. 19-21, 2027
NBA All-Star Weekend heads to Phoenix for three days of events featuring the league’s biggest stars. NBC and Peacock will carry All-Star coverage.
End of the NBA Regular Season
Date: April 11, 2027
All 30 teams will play on the final day of the regular season. Eastern Conference games and one cross-conference matchup are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, followed by Western Conference games at 8:30 p.m. ET.
SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
Dates: April 13-16, 2027
Teams seeded seventh through 10th in each conference will compete for the final two playoff spots in the East and West. Prime Video will exclusively stream all six Play-In Tournament games.
The 2027 NBA Playoffs will begin after the Play-In Tournament. ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals in the United States.
Schedules and broadcast details are subject to change. Check the DIRECTV guide and official NBA schedule for the latest information.
NBA Teams
There are 30 NBA teams that make up the Eastern and Western Conferences of the NBA. They are split into six divisions: Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Northwest, Pacific and Southwest. Those are laid out below.
|
ATLANTIC |
NORTHWEST |
|
CENTRAL |
PACIFIC |
|
SOUTHWEST |
SOUTHEAST |
Who Won the 2026 NBA Finals?
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 NBA championship. It was the Knicks’ third championship and their first since 1973. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in the series-clinching Game 5 and was named NBA Finals MVP.
Watch NBA on DIRECTV
From opening night through the NBA Finals, DIRECTV gives basketball fans access to national broadcasts, local team coverage in eligible markets and out-of-market games through NBA League Pass.
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