The short answer? Yes, the 2025-26 NBA season is well underway.
In fact, the league tipped off months ago. If you’re just now looking at the standings and seeing teams with 30 or 40 games played, don't feel bad. Between the new tournament formats and a broadcast schedule that feels like it's constantly shifting, it is easy to lose track of the calendar. We are currently deep into the grind of the regular season, with the high-stakes drama of the NBA Cup already in the rearview mirror.
When did NBA season start exactly?
The 80th anniversary season of the NBA officially began on October 21, 2025.
It wasn't just a quiet Tuesday night, either. The league came out swinging with a massive double-header on NBC, marking the return of the NBA to that network for the first time in over two decades. The reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder hoisted their first-ever title banner before beating the Houston Rockets, while the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Golden State Warriors in the late slot.
If you remember seeing highlights of Kevin Durant in a Rockets jersey or Cooper Flagg making his debut for the Mavericks around late October, that was the "did NBA season start" moment you might have missed.
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The early season milestones you missed
Since that October tip-off, a lot has happened. We’ve already seen the conclusion of the third annual Emirates NBA Cup. The New York Knicks took home the trophy in Las Vegas on December 16, 2025, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in a game that honestly felt like a playoff atmosphere.
Here is a quick look at how the schedule has unfolded so far:
- October 21, 2025: Regular season begins.
- October 31, 2025: NBA Cup Group Play started.
- December 16, 2025: Knicks crowned NBA Cup Champions.
- December 25, 2025: The annual Christmas Day quintuple-header.
Why the schedule feels different this year
Honestly, the "is the season on?" confusion usually stems from the way we watch games now. With the new media rights deal, you aren't just flipping to TNT every Thursday. You've got games on NBC, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, alongside the usual ESPN/ABC slate.
If you don't have a specific streaming sub, you might feel like the league is hiding from you.
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Also, the NBA has leaned hard into international "global games" this month. Just this week, the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies headed across the pond for matchups in Berlin (January 15) and London (January 18). When the stars are playing in Europe at 2:00 PM on a weekday, it can definitely throw off your internal basketball clock.
What is coming up next?
Even though the season started months ago, the "real" season—at least according to some old-school fans—starts now. We are approaching NBA Rivals Week (January 20-24), where the league schedule-makers force the biggest grudges into a single week of primetime TV.
Then comes the frantic energy of the trade deadline on February 5, 2026.
If you are just tuning in, here is the roadmap for the rest of the way:
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- All-Star Weekend: February 13–15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
- Regular Season End: April 12, 2026.
- Play-In Tournament: April 14–17, 2026.
- NBA Playoffs Start: April 18, 2026.
Basically, you’ve missed the prologue and the first act, but the meat of the story is just beginning. The Thunder are still looking like the team to beat in the West, but keep an eye on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been surprisingly dominant in the Eastern Conference through the first half of the year.
Actionable steps for fans
If you want to catch up quickly, download the official NBA app to see the updated "League Pass" standings, as the new tiebreaker rules from the NBA Cup have slightly altered how teams are ranked this early. Also, check your local listings for the new NBC/Peacock Tuesday night windows, as those have replaced the traditional cable-only starts we were used to for years.
The playoffs might seem far off, but with the way the West is crowded right now, every game in late January carries massive weight for seeding.