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NBC and Peacock will host a triple-header on the opening day of the 2026-2027 NBA season. The three games will feature three of the four conference finals teams from last season as well as LeBron James’ new team. Oh, and a game that will be on when the kids get home from school.
The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons will tip-off the season at 3 p.m. ET. These were the two teams that finished with the two best records in the Eastern Conference last season before they fell apart in the postseason. The Pistons won 60 games and had a 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers in the second round before they lost in seven games. The Celtics went 56-26, mostly without Jayson Tatum, and then ended up losing in the first round to a team that came out of the play-in.
MORE: 2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule, full list of games released
After that result the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers will play at 7 p.m. ET against the New York Knicks. After the Sixers landed Jaylen Brown they convinced LeBron James to sign in Philadelphia and now they’re suddenly one of the favorites to compete for the title this season. The Knicks are simply starting their first title defense in a half-century.
MORE: ESPN’s opening week ‘Spider-Man’ graphic was bad, but at least it wasn’t AI
The late game will be a rematch of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Victor Wembanyama. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The last two teams to represent the Western Conference in the Finals. Two teams that figure to keep fighting for that right over the next five to 10 years.
It’s a very nice trio of games for the NBA to open the season with. Between the very reasonable 9 p.m. ET start time for the third game and a Jayson Tatum-Cade Cunningham matchup in the middle of the afternoon, it’s a very family-friendly way for the season to begin. This is the kind of thing people want from MLB opening day and they’re getting it on a Tuesday in October from the NBA.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —
Continue reading...
The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons will tip-off the season at 3 p.m. ET. These were the two teams that finished with the two best records in the Eastern Conference last season before they fell apart in the postseason. The Pistons won 60 games and had a 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers in the second round before they lost in seven games. The Celtics went 56-26, mostly without Jayson Tatum, and then ended up losing in the first round to a team that came out of the play-in.
MORE: 2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule, full list of games released
Knicks-76ers in primetime
After that result the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers will play at 7 p.m. ET against the New York Knicks. After the Sixers landed Jaylen Brown they convinced LeBron James to sign in Philadelphia and now they’re suddenly one of the favorites to compete for the title this season. The Knicks are simply starting their first title defense in a half-century.
MORE: ESPN’s opening week ‘Spider-Man’ graphic was bad, but at least it wasn’t AI
Western Conference Finals rematch
The late game will be a rematch of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Victor Wembanyama. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The last two teams to represent the Western Conference in the Finals. Two teams that figure to keep fighting for that right over the next five to 10 years.
It’s a very nice trio of games for the NBA to open the season with. Between the very reasonable 9 p.m. ET start time for the third game and a Jayson Tatum-Cade Cunningham matchup in the middle of the afternoon, it’s a very family-friendly way for the season to begin. This is the kind of thing people want from MLB opening day and they’re getting it on a Tuesday in October from the NBA.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —
Continue reading...
