NBA Opens 2025-26 Season With LeBron, Curry, Durant Doubleheader

The 2025-26 NBA season will tip off on October 21 with a highly anticipated doubleheader featuring defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Houston Rockets, and a star-studded Western Conference matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kevin Durant, now with the Rockets, will watch his former team, the Thunder, raise their championship banner, while LeBron James begins his eighth season with the Lakers and faces off against Stephen Curry of the Warriors. The season opener marks NBC's return to broadcasting NBA games after 23 years, alongside new media partnerships with Amazon Prime Video and continued coverage by Disney. On Christmas Day, marquee games include a Western Conference rematch between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Warriors, and a critical Eastern Conference showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers visiting the New York Knicks. The Cavaliers and Knicks are both seen as the top contenders in the Eastern Conference, adding intensity to their Christmas matchup. Overall, the schedule highlights key rivalries, star player showdowns, and significant media coverage shifts for the upcoming NBA season.