NBA Opening Night 2026: Times, TV and the Three Games on Tuesday

Updated 12:50 UTC, Oct 20, 2026. Jayson Tatum is expected to suit up for Boston in the opener at Detroit after sitting out the preseason finale to rest, RotoWire reported. It is his first full season since his Achilles injury. Tatum averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two preseason appearances, and teammate Paul George told reporters after practice on October 19 that the old Tatum is back. "He's explosive, he looks strong, he's shooting the heck out of it," George said. "You see, everything is back." Tatum played 16 regular season games last season after his return, averaging 21.8 points.

The NBA regular season opens on Tuesday, October 20 with three games on one night, all on NBC and Peacock. It is the first time one network has carried three games on opening night.

Searches for opening night picked up on Friday as the preseason closed. Boston beat Philadelphia 125-120 in overtime, with Hugo Gonzalez leading the Celtics reserves with 21 points. Joel Embiid scored 27 for the 76ers, Tyrese Maxey added 22, and LeBron James played his first home game as a Sixer, finishing with eight points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Milwaukee beat Indiana 128-127 in overtime in the other late final, and Detroit beat Toronto 129-125.

Opening night, Tuesday, October 20, all times Eastern

Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons, 3 p.m., Little Caesars Arena, NBC and Peacock.

Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks, 7 p.m., Madison Square Garden, NBC and Peacock. New York raises its first championship banner since 1973 before tipoff.

Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 p.m., NBC and Peacock. This is a rematch of last seasons Western Conference finals.

The game everyone will talk about

The middle game carries the night. The Knicks begin their title defense at home, and the banner ceremony comes first. Across from them stands a rebuilt Philadelphia team: James in a 76ers uniform for the first time in a regular season game, Jaylen Brown beside him after his move from Boston, plus Embiid and Maxey. Philadelphia has not won a title since 1983. New York waited 53 years for this banner, and the Garden crowd gets to watch it rise before a rival tries to spoil the evening.

What follows

ESPN takes over on Wednesday, October 21, when Giannis Antetokounmpo plays his first game for Miami against Minnesota. The full first week runs across NBC, Peacock, ESPN, ABC and Prime Video. Rotations set in the preseason finales on Friday now meet real minutes, real fouls and a real standings table.