PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 6: (L-R) President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey of the Philadelphia 76ers, Jaylen Brown #7, and managing partner Josh Harris pose for a picture at Francis J. Myers Recreation Center on August 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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Even without releasing its 82-game regular-season schedule just yet, the NBA conveyed it will feature the Philadelphia 76ers prominently in marquee games.
The Sixers will visit the New York Knicks on NBA’s opening night (October 20, 7 pm ET, NBC/Peacock). On Christmas Day, the Sixers will visit the Los Angeles Lakers (5 pm ET, ABC). In related news, the Sixers formed a ‘Super team’ this offseason by acquiring Jaylen Brown, signing LeBron James and pairing them together with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The NBA will announce its entire 2026-27 schedule on Thursday, but it often schedules the best games on opening week and Christmas Day. So how should we rank them? Below are the five best NBA games among those on Opening Week and Christmas Day.
Spurs-Knicks (Christmas Day, 12 pm ET, ABC/ESPN)
Knicks guard Josh Hart expressed surprise that the NBA would schedule the Sixers against the New York Knicks on Opening Night, perhaps instead of a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals. Fair enough. But the NBA may have wanted delayed gratification by enjoying this gift on Christmas.
Not only can the Knicks and Spurs rekindle their lingering feelings from last season’s NBA Finals on the holidays. But that can also tap into the nostalgia with having a Christmas Day game at Madison Square Garden. Two years ago, Victor Wembanyama dominated the Knicks on Christmas (42 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, four blocks). Given Wembanyama’s Finals struggles in June, can Wembanyama rectify with another holiday performance?
Sixers-Lakers (Christmas Day, 5 pm ET, ABC/ESPN)
It might be surprising that the NBA didn’t schedule the Sixers to play the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. After all, the Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown in a controversial trade that will surely entice Brown to want to have a revenge game. Still, the NBA rightfully concluded that the Sixers-Lakers game would be a bigger draw because LeBron James would face his former team after spending eight seasons there filled with both success and disappointment. The dynamic between the Lakers and James seemed more transactional than the emotions that Brown and the Celtics feel about each other.
Nonetheless, James’ return still draws viewers both because of the Lakers’ mixed feelings about him and because the league can draw East Coast viewers to a West Coast game. Besides, the NBA gave James a nice farewell gift by enabling him to see his family in Los Angeles during the holidays.
Sixers-Knicks (October 20, 7 pm ET, NBC/Peacock)
This matchup is also more interesting than the Sixers-Celtics reunion. That’s because the NBA’s defending champions (Knicks) want to prove that they can fend off the NBA’s new super team (Sixers). On paper, the Sixers have the Eastern Conference’s most talented roster with an elite center (Embiid), a generational player (James) and two strong two-way players (Brown, Maxey). But can that overcome the Knicks’ continuity and chemistry that forged to win their first NBA championship since 1973?
The Sixers field questions on how long it will take for them to figure out ball-handling duties among Maxey, Brown and James. They also spark concern on whether James and Embiid can stay healthy. While the Sixers won’t have established chemistry by opening night, at least they will have a healthy roster to show the Knicks what their potential can be.
Thunder-Spurs (October 20, 9:30 pm ET, NBA/Peacock)
These two teams do not like each other. The Spurs have held the Thunder in contempt for how they sell calls. Both teams sneer at each other for how they get away with physicality. Add in both teams’ talent, depth and chemistry, and you have a compelling game that offers both quality basketball and chippy play.
The Spurs have recently prevailed in the NBA Cup semifinals and in a seven-game Western Conference Finals series. But the Thunder are eager to prove that they are a better team with a healthy Jalen Williams, an improved Chet Holmgren and enough depth to absorb some off-season departures (Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Williams). Meanwhile, the Thunder have brought out Wembanyama’s competitive edge to prove he is better than Holmgren and that the Spurs can become a more long-lasting contender.
Warriors-Lakers (October 21, 7 pm ET, ESPN)
This game won’t become a playoff preview as many projected when James played for the Lakers. That reason has less to do with the Lakers’ offseason moves. It has more to do with the Warriors’ identity. They still have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. But they are essentially running back the same team that missed the playoffs after splitting two Play-In tournament games.
This game will still become entertaining, though,. Luka Dončić and Stephen Curry will likely have an epic head-to-head shootout. Green and Kristaps Porzingis will be tasked with trying to contain the Lakers’ biggest off-season signing (center Walker Kessler). Both the Lakers and Warriors will seek to prove that they have a respectable supporting cast around their star player.
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