The 2026/27 NBA season tips off this month, and after one of the most dramatic summers in league history, there's plenty to catch up on.

LeBron James has joined the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is now a Miami Heat player, and the New York Knicks begin their first title defense since 1973.

In this complete 2026/27 NBA season guide, we cover the key dates in the calendar, from opening night and the NBA Cup to Christmas Day and Manchester's first-ever regular-season NBA game.

We also explain where to find English-speaking coverage around the world, recap the biggest highlights, and look at notable retirements and coaching changes. Finally, we assess the NBA championship favorites and which teams are most likely to lift the trophy come June 2027.

Key Dates for the 2026/27 NBA Season

The regular season begins on Tuesday 20 October, with an opening night triple-header of Boston at Detroit, Philadelphia at New York, and Oklahoma City at San Antonio.

Opening night triple-header:

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

Following from the start of the season, the NBA Cup tips-off on 30 October, with the 'group play' stage of the tournament running until 27 November. The quarterfinals are set to take place on 4 and 5 December, and the semifinals four days later, with the final being held at the Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on 11 December.

NBA fans who want to follow the league over the festive period will be spoiled for choice on the big day, with five games taking place on Christmas Day, including the 76ers at the Lakers, which will see LeBron James' first return to Los Angeles as a visitor after eight seasons with the Lakers.

The recently-established NBA Rivals Week, which pits historic and recent rivals head-to-head, offers a week of heightened intensity and fierce match-ups from 20 to 24 January. The all-important All-Star Game will take place on 21 February, 10 days after the trade deadline falls.

Finally, the regular season ends on Sunday 11 April, with the play-in and playoffs starting soon after. Although exact dates haven't been confirmed, the Finals are set for June.

Mark these dates in your calendar! 📅

Where to Watch NBA 2026/27 Games

With 82 regular season games per team, following your favorite franchise and keeping on top of the action can be quite the challenge. But thankfully, we've made a list of where you can watch or stream NBA games, wherever you are in the world.

NBA on TV and live stream

It is important to note that, for those outside the US and Canada, the NBA League Pass allows users to watch every NBA game live via NBA TV, whilst NBA Team Pass offers a cheaper alternative for basketball fans who are only interested in watching the matches of one specific team.

NBA Highlights

Anyone who can't watch a game live, can use the NBA App to watch game highlights, or visit the official NBA YouTube channel to catch up on any missed action. Sky Sports and Prime Video also post clips for UK viewers.

Notable Retirements

The 2026/27 NBA season will not look the same for many teams, with some household names retiring ahead of the new season. This season will be the first in almost two decades to not feature Russell Westbrook, who announced his retirement from basketball in the summer. The nine-time NBA All-Star and 2017 MVP, who struggled to find a team ahead of last season, is the all-time NBA leader in career triple-doubles, featuring for seven different teams across his 18 seasons, including both LA franchises, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he started his NBA career.

Kyle Lowry also announced his retirement from the NBA this summer. The 40-year-old featured across 20 NBA seasons, during which he was named an NBA All-Star on six occasions. Having recently featured on the rosters of the MIami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, the vast majority of his success came during his nine years with the Toronto Raptors, where he became an NBA Champion in 2019. In a display of affection for the club, Lowry signed a one-day contract with the franchise in order to retire with the team where he made the biggest impact.

Chris Paul featured in the NBA for 21 seasons, having made his debut with the New Orleans Hornets in 2005. Having been traded to the Toronto Raptors in February 2026, the franchise waived Paul without him making a single appearance, before he subsequently retired from the NBA. Despite being named an NBA All-Star 12 times, as well as being awarded the All-Star game MVP in 2013, Paul left the sport without a championship ring.

NBA 2026/27 Coaching Changes

A fifth of the league have changed coaches this offseason, six teams in total. None of those six won a playoff series in 2026 and four of them finished more than 10 games out of the play-in. Former Portland interim coach, Tiago Splitter, will take charge of the Chicago Bulls, having won a title as a Spurs player in 2014, while Dusty May replaces Jason Kidd at the helm of the Dallas Mavericks.

Ex-Grizzlies coach, Taylor Jenkins, returns after a year out to coach the Milwaukee Bucks and Jamahl Mosley moves from Orlando to the New Orleans Pelicans. Meanwhile, Sean Sweeny becomes a first-time head coach with the Orlando Magic, and long-time Timberwolves assistant, Micah Nori, will take charge of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Chances of Winning NBA 2026/27

As is the case for every pre-season, the question on everybody's lips is "who's going to win the championship?" And whilst it's difficult to predict before a single pass has been made, we asked a supercomputer to rank every team's chances of winning the championship, and here are the frontrunners.

New York Knicks

As the reigning and defending NBA Champions, the Knicks are a shoo-in for this season's championship. Led by finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who averaged 26 points and 6.8 assists last season, the Knicks will be determined to take the championship back to the 'Big Apple'. London-born OG Anunoby was the hero in his side's 29-point comeback in game 4 of the finals, and will be hoping that history repeats itself come next June.

San Antonio Spurs

Having finished third in last season's MVP vote, Victor Wembanyama will be leading the Spurs' charge for the championship this season, in the hopes that he could be named the 'most valuable player' in what will be his fourth year in the NBA. And whilst many will point to the Spurs' young roster as the reason behind their performances in the finals last season, such a heartbreaking experience will surely provide the perfect encouragement for the young team.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Led by reigning MVP Shai Gilheous-Alexander, the supercomputer believes that the Thunder will return to the summit of the NBA after their championship success in 2025, particularly after they managed an impressive 64 wins during the regular season last time out. With Jalen Williams out for much of last season, an injury-free year for the shooting guard could be enough to propel OKC back to championship contention.