The air gets a little crisper, the highlight reels start flooding your feed again, and honestly, everyone starts asking the same thing: when is the first NBA game of the season? It’s that yearly itch. We’ve survived the long, dry summer of trade rumors and summer league overreactions, and now we just want the real thing.
The 2025-26 NBA regular season officially tipped off on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
If you’re reading this mid-January, we are already deep into the grind. The "new car smell" of the season has faded into the reality of the playoff race. But understanding that start date—and the chaos that comes with it—is basically essential if you want to make sense of the standings right now.
Opening Night Was Basically a Movie
The league didn't mess around this year. They gave us a massive doubleheader to get things moving. If you missed it, the very first game featured the Houston Rockets visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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This wasn't just any game. It was the return of Kevin Durant to OKC, but this time wearing Houston red. The Thunder, coming off their 2025 championship win (yeah, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander really did that), raised their banner and then went to war. It went into double overtime. Thunder pulled it out 125-124.
The late game? Just a small matchup between Stephen Curry’s Warriors and LeBron James’ Lakers. You know, the usual. It’s wild to think LeBron is out here in his 23rd season, still moving like that. The Warriors actually took that one 119-109, silencing a very loud Crypto.com Arena.
Why the October 21 Start Mattered
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the schedule-makers have been trying to reduce "load management" and back-to-backs for years. By starting on October 21, they stretched the 82-game calendar just enough to keep players (theoretically) fresher.
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Here’s the thing people often get wrong: the "first game" isn't just one night. The NBA uses "Opening Week" to showcase its new broadcast partners. This year was huge because NBC and Peacock are back in the mix for the first time in over two decades.
- October 21: The NBC doubleheader (Rockets/Thunder, Warriors/Lakers).
- October 22: ESPN took over with the Knicks hosting the Cavs and Wemby’s Spurs facing the Mavs.
- October 24: Amazon Prime Video made its big debut with a Friday night slate.
The Cooper Flagg Effect and the October Rush
You can't talk about the start of this season without mentioning the Mavericks. When they snagged Cooper Flagg with the top pick, the energy around the league shifted. His first official game wasn't until the second night of the season, October 22, against the Spurs.
Seeing Flagg go up against Victor Wembanyama right out of the gate? That’s the kind of stuff that makes the "when is the first NBA game of the season" search so frantic every October. It’s about the debuts.
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Beyond the First Tip-Off: Key Dates to Track Now
If you’re trying to keep up with the rhythm of the 2025-26 season, the start date was just the first domino. Since we are currently in January 2026, you’ve actually got some massive milestones coming up fast.
The NBA Cup (the in-season tournament) is already wrapped up. The New York Knicks took that home back in December, beating the Spurs in the final. But look at what's on the horizon:
- January 15 & 18, 2026: The Global Games. The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic are heading to Berlin and London.
- February 5, 2026: The Trade Deadline. This is at 3:00 PM ET. This is usually when the "panic trades" happen.
- February 13-15, 2026: All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The Intuit Dome is going to be the center of the universe for a few days.
- April 12, 2026: The regular season ends. Every single team plays on this day. It’s pure chaos.
What You Should Do Next
It’s easy to get lost in the stats, but if you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve for the rest of the 2026 stretch, start by checking the injury reports for the MLK Day quadrupleheader on January 19. That’s the next "big" event that mirrors the energy of Opening Night.
Honestly, the best way to track the flow of the season is to sync the official NBA calendar to your phone. It saves you from having to Google "who plays tonight" every three hours.
Keep an eye on the Thunder and the Knicks—they’ve been the most consistent since that October 21 start. If you’re betting or playing fantasy, look for teams that had lighter schedules in October and November; they usually have more "legs" left as we hit the All-Star break in February.