The NBA released a sneak peek at the 2026-27 season schedule on Tuesday, with LeBron James' first game in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey set for October 20 at Madison Square Garden against the reigning champion New York Knicks.
A new chapter in the career of one of the greatest basketball players of all time will begin on the biggest stage. LeBron James will make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers on NBA opening night, and it will be against the team that finished last season on top of the league, the New York Knicks.
The game is scheduled for October 20 at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will raise their first championship banner since 1973. This matchup will be part of a tripleheader that kicks off the new season.
While the Knicks will celebrate a historic achievement, for James this marks the beginning of the final stop in his legendary career. A particularly emotional moment is expected on Christmas Day, December 25, when the 76ers will face the Los Angeles Lakers, the franchise with which James won his fourth NBA title.
The Christmas Day slate also features an NBA Finals rematch. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs return to New York to take on the Knicks, headlining a five-game lineup for that day.
The season officially begins earlier in the day, when the Boston Celtics visit Detroit. That game tips off at an unusual time for a weekday, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The tripleheader concludes with the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will play a rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals in San Antonio.
The league released these matchups on Tuesday morning as a "sneak peek" at the 2026-27 schedule. The full schedule will be released on Thursday, August 13.
