The new NBA season tips off tonight

The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts on Tuesday, October 20, with three games, all on NBC and Peacock. Opening night usually has two games, so this tripleheader is a change, the Associated Press noted.

The Boston Celtics visit the Detroit Pistons at 3 p.m. ET. At 7 p.m. ET, the Philadelphia 76ers play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The night ends at 9:30 p.m. ET with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the San Antonio Spurs, a repeat of last season's Western Conference finals.

Most attention is on the game in New York. LeBron James, 41, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, plays his first game for Philadelphia. ESPN reported that he signed a two-year deal worth $8 million. Jaylen Brown, whom the 76ers acquired from Boston, also makes his debut for the team. Before the game, the Knicks will raise a banner for the 2026 title, their first since 1973. They beat the Spurs in the Finals and won the title in Game 5 in San Antonio.

Most other teams play their first game on October 21. James is set to play his first home game with Philadelphia on October 22, against Cleveland, one of his former teams. On Christmas Day there will be five games, including the 76ers at the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Fox Sports, the regular season ends on Sunday, April 11, 2027.