Pascal Siakam and the Pacers tip off their season with a Finals rematch against the Thunder.
Following the release of the full 2025-26 schedule, we looked at each team’s opening week of games to break down key matchups and storylines entering the new season. We begin with the Eastern Conference below and will be back tomorrow with the West.
Note: All games are available on NBA League Pass unless otherwise indicated.
Atlanta Hawks
- Oct. 22 vs. Raptors
- Oct. 24 at Magic
- Oct. 25 vs. Thunder
- Oct. 27 at Bulls
The Hawks will debut their new-look lineup – with offseason additions Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard joining Trae Young, a healthy Jalen Johnson, Kia Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels and Kia Rookie of the Year runner-up Zacharrie Risacher – when they open the season at home against the Raptors. That’s followed by a challenging back-to-back, beginning in Orlando against a Magic team that ended Atlanta’s 2024-25 season in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament before returning home to host the defending champion Thunder. Atlanta then closes out Week 1 in Chicago.
Boston Celtics
- Oct. 22 vs. Sixers
- Oct. 24 at Knicks (Prime)
- Oct. 26 at Pistons
- Oct. 27 at Pelicans
Boston opens the 2025-26 season at home against a familiar opponent – the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA-record 588th all-time meeting (regular season and postseason combined) between the teams – but with an unfamiliar lineup. Without Jayson Tatum (Achilles), Jrue Holiday (Portland) and Kristaps Porziņģis (Atlanta) from its 2024 title team, Boston will roll out a new-look starting five this season. After opening at home, the Celtics hit the road for three straight games, beginning in New York with the NBA’s first-ever game streamed live on Prime Video, followed by stops in Detroit and New Orleans to wrap up Week 1.
Brooklyn Nets
- Oct. 22 at Hornets
- Oct. 24 vs. Cavaliers
- Oct. 26 at Spurs
- Oct. 27 at Rockets
Michael Porter Jr. – who was acquired from Denver via trade this summer – will make his Nets debut when Brooklyn opens the season in Charlotte against LaMelo Ball and the Hornets on Oct. 22. Two days later, the Nets return to Brooklyn for their home opener against a Cavs team that swept their season series a year ago. The new-look Nets then head to Texas for a back-to-back starting in San Antonio against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, followed by a matchup with former Net Kevin Durant and the Rockets.
Charlotte Hornets
- Oct. 22 vs. Nets
- Oct. 25 at Sixers
- Oct. 26 at Wizards
After winning the NBA 2K26 Summer League title behind All-Summer League Second Team selections Kon Knueppel (No. 4 pick in 2025 Draft) and KJ Simpson, the Hornets open their season at home against Brooklyn. Knueppel is one of five top-10 picks projected for Charlotte’s opening day roster, joining LaMelo Ball (3rd, 2020), Brandon Miller (2nd, 2023), Tidjane Salaün (6th, 2024) and offseason addition Collin Sexton (8th, 2018). After the home opener, the Hornets visit Philadelphia and Washington looking to snap a pair of losing streaks – they’ve dropped 10 straight to the Sixers and five straight to the Wizards.
Chicago Bulls
- Oct. 22 vs. Pistons
- Oct. 25 at Magic
- Oct. 27 vs. Hawks
After three straight seasons hovering around 40 wins and ending with Play-In eliminations, the Bulls will look to break through in 2025-26 as they open the season facing three East squads that are on the rise. Chicago tips off the season at home against a Pistons squad coming off a historic 30-win improvement last season. That’s followed by a quick trip to Orlando to face a Magic team with its young stars healthy and the addition of Desmond Bane. The Bulls return home to take on the Hawks, who added veterans Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard to complement their young talent.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Oct. 22 at Knicks (ESPN)
- Oct. 24 at Brooklyn
- Oct. 26 vs. Bucks
- Oct. 27 at Pistons (Peacock)
A year ago, the Cavs tied the NBA’s second-longest win streak to open a season with a franchise-best 15-0 start. Repeating that early success will be a challenge with three of Cleveland’s first four games coming against top-six finishers in the East last season. The Cavs open the season with an NYC doubleheader, facing the Knicks and Nets, before returning for their home opener against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Cleveland closes its opening week in Detroit against the rising Pistons. A year ago, the Cavs went a combined 15-1 against these four opponents. Can they replicate that success and get off to another strong start?
Detroit Pistons
- Oct. 22 at Bulls
- Oct. 24 at Rockets
- Oct. 26 vs. Celtics
- Oct. 27 vs. Cavaliers (Peacock)
Last season, the Pistons completed one of the largest single-season turnarounds in league history – more than tripling their win total from the previous season – but it didn’t start out that way. Detroit opened the 2024-25 campaign with four straight losses and was 11-17 through 28 games before going 33-21 the rest of the way. Can the Pistons avoid another slow start? They’ll have to overcome some strong competition to do so, with three of their first four games coming against teams that finished top-two in their respective conferences – the Rockets (52-30), Celtics (61-21) and Cavs (64-18) – after opening the season in Chicago.
Indiana Pacers
- Oct. 23 vs. Thunder (ESPN)
- Oct. 25 at Grizzlies
- Oct. 26 at Timberwolves
Just four months and one day after falling to the Thunder in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers will open their season at home against the defending champs. However, they will do so without two key pieces from last year’s title run – Tyrese Haliburton with a torn Achilles suffered in Game 7 and Myles Turner, who joined the rival Bucks in free agency. Two more West playoff teams round out Indy’s opening week as they hit the road to face Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Grizzlies, followed by Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Oct. 22 vs. Wizards
- Oct. 24 at Raptors
- Oct. 26 at Cavaliers
When the Bucks host the Wizards to open the 2025-26 season, they will welcome home a foundational player of Milwaukee’s 2021 championship team – Khris Middleton – who was traded to Washington at last year’s deadline after 11-plus seasons in Milwaukee. That homecoming game is followed by a two-game road trip with stops in Toronto (Bucks swept season series 3-0 last year) and Cleveland (Cavs swept season series 4-0). Milwaukee got off to an uncharacteristic slow start (2-8 through 10 games) last season and will look to avoid digging another such hole this year.
Miami Heat
- Oct. 22 at Magic
- Oct. 24 at Grizzlies
- Oct. 26 vs. Knicks
The Heat open the 2025-26 season with connections to each of their first three opponents. First up is an all-Florida matchup with the Magic in Orlando in the season opener for both teams. That’s followed by a clash of last season’s two 8-seeds in the Playoffs after the Grizzlies and Heat both used the SoFi Play-In Tournament to secure their spot. Finally, Miami’s home opener comes against its arch-rival – the New York Knicks. Over 175 total games played between the regular season and playoffs, these teams are separated by just five wins (Knicks lead 90-85) and a total of 61 points.
New York Knicks
- Oct. 22 vs. Cavaliers (ESPN)
- Oct. 24 vs. Celtics (Prime)
- Oct. 26 at Heat
The Knicks start things off with the first ESPN game of the season (when the Knicks host the Cavs on Oct. 22) and the first Prime Video game ever (when the Knicks host the Celtics on Oct. 24). New York (51-31) finished the 2024-25 season ranked third in the East behind Cleveland (64-18) and Boston (61-21) and now opens the 2025-26 season against those two squads, including a 2025 East Semifinals rematch with the Celtics before the Knicks hit the road to visit the rival Heat to close out its opening week.
Orlando Magic
- Oct. 22 vs. Heat
- Oct. 24 vs. Hawks
- Oct. 25 vs. Bulls
- Oct. 27 at Sixers
Last season, the Magic used the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament to secure their playoff berth as the 7-seed. The other three Eastern Conference teams in that tournament – the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls – are Orlando’s first three opponents as the Magic tip off 2025-26 with a three-game homestand in the span of four days. After opening the season against its only in-state rival (Miami), the Magic will host the new-look Hawks – after Orlando ended Atlanta’s season back in the Play-In – before wrapping up Week 1 against Philly.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Oct. 22 at Celtics
- Oct. 25 vs. Hornets
- Oct. 27 vs. Magic
When the Sixers open the season in Boston on Oct. 22, they’ll look to snap a pair of three-game losing streaks – Philly has dropped its last three games to the Celtics and has lost three straight season openers. Then, the Sixers return to Philly for their home opener, hosting the Hornets in a battle of No. 3 overall picks – Philly’s VJ Edgecombe (2025) in his home debut and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball (2020). To close out their opening week, the Sixers host the Magic in a clash of under-25 stars in Tyrese Maxey and Paolo Banchero.
Toronto Raptors
- Oct. 22 at Hawks
- Oct. 24 vs. Bucks
- Oct. 26 at Mavericks
- Oct. 27 at Spurs
The early portion of Toronto’s schedule is road heavy — with 10 of the Raptors’ first 15 games coming outside of Canada, including their season opener on Oct. 22 in Atlanta against the new-look Hawks. Two days later, the Raptors have their home opener against a Bucks team that swept the season series with Toronto last year. Then, it’s time for a Texas two-step with a Mavs-Spurs back-to-back on Oct. 26-27 as the Raptors face the past two Kia Rookies of the Year in San Antonio and this year’s top pick in Dallas.
Washington Wizards
- Oct. 22 at Bucks
- Oct. 24 at Mavericks
- Oct. 26 vs. Hornets
Washington heads to Milwaukee to open up the season – in what will be Khris Middleton’s first game back in Milwaukee – they’ll try to end the Bucks’ recent dominance in the matchup, having gone 18-3 over the past 21 matchups. Two days later, the Wizards will host Cooper Flagg and the Mavs in a matchup of this year’s No. 1 pick (Flagg) against last year’s No. 2 pick (Alex Sarr). That’s not the only top-five pick Washington will face to open Week as they host Kon Knueppel (4th, 2025), LaMelo Ball (3rd, 2020) and Brandon Miller (No. 2, 2023) of the Hornets in Washington’s home opener.