LeBron dishing in Philly. LaMelo splashing in Minny. Giannis slamming in South Beach.

A new season starts tomorrow, and familiar stars are already making noise in new homes.

Ready for American Express Tip-Off? Catch up on key preseason storylines, Opening Week matchups and more.

Get Ready For Amex Tip-Off: Everything you need to know for 2026-27 in two minutes

Preseason First Looks: Sixers stars flash, LaMelo & Ant click, Giannis & Kawhi shine, plus key returns

Tuesday’s Tripleheader: Three marquee matchups, three key stats and three burning questions

Kia MVP Ladder: Shaun Powell makes the case for 10 potential Kia MVP candidates

Strength In Numbers: Why depth is more important than ever in today’s NBA

BUT FIRST … ⏰

The 2026-27 regular season tips off tomorrow with a must-see tripleheader on NBC & Peacock.

• Celtics at Pistons (3 ET)
• 76ers at Knicks (7 ET)
• Thunder at Spurs (9:30 ET)

It’s NBA Jersey Day: Wear your favorite NBA jersey today to celebrate the new season. Share a photo on social, tag @NBA and your favorite team’s account for a chance to be featured.

Final Rosters Due: All 30 teams must finalize their opening-day rosters by 5 ET today, ahead of tomorrow’s regular-season openers.

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals tips off tonight in Golden State, as the Valkyries look to take a 2-0 lead, while the Dream aim to even the series at 1-1 (8 ET, USA/Peacock/CNBC/E!).

1. GET READY FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS TIP-OFF IN TWO MINUTES

The countdown is almost complete.

A new chase for the Larry O’Brien Trophy begins Tuesday and we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know for American Express NBA Tip-Off, all in one place.

• Amex Season Preview Hub: An in-depth breakdown of all 30 teams, including season outlooks, breakout candidates, must-see games and more
• NBA GM Survey: Who will win it all? Who’s the Kia MVP favorite? Who had the best offseason? See how the league’s 30 general managers answered 48 questions about 2026-27
• Preseason Surprises: NBA.com staff highlights which players and teams made the biggest impressions this preseason
• Full Schedule & Key Dates: See your team’s full 82-game slate and other marquee dates on the 2026-27 calendar

• All Things NBA Cup: Explore the Emirates NBA Cup 2026 schedule, groups, format and more before Group Play tips off on Oct. 30
• Free Agency Hub: Catch up on the biggest offseason moves and roster changes across the league
• 2026 NBA Draft Center: Complete coverage of the 2026 NBA Draft, plus the latest on the league’s rookie class

2. PRESEASON FIRST LOOKS: SAME FACES, NEW PLACES & BIG RETURNS

The offseason brought plenty of change across the NBA. The preseason offered a first look at how it could all come together.

From new partnerships to long-awaited returns, below are a few early impressions from preseason play.

Philly Flash: The star power is undeniable in Philadelphia. But how will LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid mesh?

Friday offered an encouraging glimpse. Despite falling to Boston in their preseason finale, the Sixers’ stars stuffed the stat sheet, with James directing traffic.

• The Facilitator: After dropping 5 dimes in the 1st quarter of his preseason debut in Brooklyn, James posted a team-high 7 assists in his first preseason game in Philly on Friday, while adding 8 points and 8 boards
• The Buckets: That included at least one dime to each of Embiid (27 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast), Maxey (22 pts) and Brown (20 pts, 8 reb), who combined for 69 points
• Returning The Favor: Maxey also found James for a fastbreak lob – his first preseason bucket as a Sixer in Philly

Minny Connection: Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball wasted no time building chemistry in Minnesota. In four preseason games, Edwards led the Wolves in scoring (19.8 ppg in 22.6 min), while Ball paced the team in assists (5.8 apg in 19.4 min).

• “I want to make the game easier for everyone,” said Ball after his preseason debut. “The more we play, the easier and easier it’s going to get.”
• After You: Ant and LaMelo are already having fun together, too, including on this sequence where both looked determined to get the other an open look 😂

New Homes, Same Impact: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Heat) and Kawhi Leonard (Raptors) have also looked sharp, delivering big performances last week as they settle into their new surroundings.

• Back In The Six: In his first game wearing a Raptors jersey since leading the team to its lone NBA title in 2019, Leonard lit it up in his preseason debut in Toronto, dropping 21 points in 17 minutes
• Greek Freak Unleashed: One night later, Giannis put on a show in Miami, posting a near triple-double in just 24 minutes (20 pts, 15 reb, 9 ast, 3 blk)

Back In Action: After an emotional homecoming at Iowa State, 472 days removed from tearing his right Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton followed up with back-to-back 17+ point outings for Indiana.

Damian Lillard returned from a torn left Achilles tendon injury — and he and new Portland teammate Ja Morant are already clicking. Plus, Nikola Jokić dropped his “personal favorite” dime, and Victor Wembanyama is still doing Victor Wembanyama things.

3. THREE QUESTIONS FOR TUESDAY’S NBC/PEACOCK TRIPLEHEADER

The matchups are set, but there’s still plenty to unpack.

Tuesday’s opening tripleheader on NBC & Peacock features conference rivals, superstar debuts and a pair of 2026 Playoff rematches.

Before diving deeper into each showdown tomorrow, we’re highlighting one key stat and one burning question for each opener.

Celtics at Pistons (3 ET): The Pistons finished with an East-best 60 wins last season, their most since 2005-06, before falling to Cleveland in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Now, with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren again leading the way, Detroit will look to take the next step in 2026-27, starting with a stiff test against a new-look Celtics team that’s already cooking.

• Boston’s Hot Start: The Celtics were the only team to go unbeaten this preseason (4-0), averaging an NBA-best 126 ppg behind Jayson Tatum (21 ppg, 2nd-most among all players)
• The Question: Can Boston carry that offensive momentum into the regular season against a Detroit squad that finished 2nd in defensive rating last year?

76ers at Knicks (7 ET): New York ended Philly’s season last May with a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Five months later, the Knicks open their title defense at MSG against a familiar opponent with a dramatically different look, as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown prepare for their first regular-season game as Sixers.

• Knicks Clamps: New York held Philly to just 102 ppg in last year’s East Semifinals, limiting Joel Embiid (18.7) and Tyrese Maxey (18.3) to a combined 37 ppg
• The Question: With James and Brown now in the mix, can Philly find the offensive answers that eluded it against New York last spring?

Thunder at Spurs (9:30 ET): OKC posted an NBA-best 64 wins last season, but San Antonio had its number, winning four of five regular-season meetings before eliminating the Thunder in seven games in an epic West Finals.

On Tuesday, OKC returns to San Antonio with a healthy Jalen Williams and a revamped supporting cast, looking to turn the tables on the team that ended its title defense.

• Missing Firepower: With Williams and Ajay Mitchell missing extended time, OKC posted a 107.9 offensive rating in the West Finals, 9.6 points below its overall Playoff average (117.5)
• The Question: Can the Thunder’s improved health and revamped roster help it solve Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs?

The action doesn’t stop Tuesday.

American Express Tip-Off continues with six more nationally televised matchups over the next three days, starting Wednesday as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat host Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and the Wolves (7:30 ET, ESPN), with Giannis and LaMelo set to make their respective regular-season debuts with their new squads.

4. THE RACE BEGINS: POTENTIAL KIA MVP LADDER CANDIDATES

A new season also means a new race for Kia NBA MVP. One that always brings plenty of intrigue.

Last year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claimed his second straight Kia MVP award, finishing ahead of Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama in a sprint that saw all three players earn first-place votes.

Could SGA win three in a row, something only three other players have done in NBA history, or will someone else take the crown?

To set the stage, NBA.com’s Shaun Powell identified 10 players to watch entering 2026-27, outlining why each could contend for the award. Below are the first three players on his list – laid out alphabetically – along with a glimpse of Powell’s case for each.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Heat)

His Case: “The two-time Kia MVP has always been a popular candidate. Following his back-to-back wins, Giannis finished in the top four among MVP voting in each of the next five seasons…

“Here in his first season with a new team, Giannis might be extra frisky and anxious to make a statement.”

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)

His Case: “The reigning NBA Finals MVP will enter the season with more momentum than anyone, given his solid play last June in winning the championship. In doing so, Brunson elevated himself among the top players in the game and seemingly is only getting better.”

Cade Cunningham (Pistons)

His Case: “Being the best player on the team with the league’s best record is always a no-brainer candidate for MVP, and Cunningham has the chance to be that in 2026-27.” |

5. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: ROSTERS DEEPER THAN EVER

Stars may drive the Kia MVP conversation, but winning a championship takes more than top-end talent.

With teams required to finalize their opening-day rosters by 5 ET today, the decisions beyond the starting rotation could prove just as important.

In his latest piece, NBA.com’s Jeff Zillgitt examines what it takes to build a contender in today’s NBA – including one quality becoming increasingly important, he writes:

“As the NBA readies for the 2026-27 season, one word dominates the discourse:

“Depth.

“The league is deep, and to excel in both the regular season and playoffs, teams require deep rosters …

“Victories and championships don’t come easily.

“There hasn’t been a repeat champion since the Golden State Warriors (2017-18), and a team hasn’t returned to consecutive NBA Finals since the Warriors (2018-19).” |