NBA 2026-27 Schedule: LeBron's 76ers Debut at MSG
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- The NBA opens its 81st season on Oct. 20 with a triple-header on NBC/Peacock: Celtics at Pistons (3 p.m. ET), 76ers at Knicks (7 p.m. ET), and Thunder at Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET).
- LeBron James debuts with the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on the Knicks' ring night, marking his 24th NBA season after leaving the Lakers following eight seasons.
- Christmas Day features five games on Dec. 25: Spurs at Knicks, Heat at Celtics, 76ers at Lakers, Thunder at Timberwolves, and Nuggets at Warriors.
- The Emirates NBA Cup's fourth edition runs Oct. 30 through Dec. 11, with the championship tipping off at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
- Major July trades reshaped the East: Giannis Antetokounmpo went from the Bucks to the Heat, and Jaylen Brown went from the Celtics to the 76ers in a swap that sent Paul George the other way.
- The NBA All-Star Game is set for Feb. 21, 2027, at the Mortgage Matchup Center, home of the Phoenix Suns.
- Headline reunion games include LeBron at the Cavaliers (Nov. 6) — the only team he met with in person during free agency — at the Heat (Jan. 30), and Jaylen Brown returning to Boston (Jan. 21) for the first time after nearly a decade as a Celtic.
Why it matters: The Knicks have to defend a championship while immediately facing what may be the East's new favorite, making the LeBron-Embiid-Maxey-Brown lineup's debut the season's first referendum. LeBron spurning both Cleveland and Miami in free agency turns three routine regular-season games into grudge matches, with Cleveland especially motivated after its deepest playoff run in three years without him.
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