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Seven days remain before the 2026-27 NBA regular season begins, and the countdown is building toward a loaded Opening Week. American Express Tip-Off headlines the first four days with nine national broadcasts, fresh superstar pairings take the floor for the first time, and Monday’s preseason slate delivered its own fireworks. Here is the complete rundown on what’s coming before the ball goes up for real.
American Express Tip-Off: The Opening Week Guide
American Express Tip-Off brings nine national games across the season’s first four days, beginning with an NBC/Peacock tripleheader on Oct. 20 and wrapping up on Prime on Oct. 23. Below is one storyline to track in each matchup.
Tuesday, Oct. 20 (NBC/Peacock): New Eras and Renewed Rivalries
The season opens in Motown as Cade Cunningham and the Pistons host Jayson Tatum, Paul George and a retooled Celtics squad at 3 ET, pitting last year’s top two seeds in the East against each other from the opening tip.
At 7 ET, the defending champion Knicks open their title defense at Madison Square Garden against a revamped 76ers club, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown set to make their Philadelphia debuts.
The night closes with a rematch at 9:30 ET as two-time reigning Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder face reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the team that eliminated OKC in a seven-game West Finals classic last spring despite the Thunder’s NBA-best 64-18 regular season.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 (ESPN): New Duos and Familiar Foes
Minnesota overhauled its roster by acquiring LaMelo Ball to play alongside Anthony Edwards, while Miami countered with a blockbuster move of its own, adding Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Bam Adebayo. The Wolves and Heat meet at 7:30 ET in the first regular-season test for both new pairings.
Two hours later, the post-LeBron era in Los Angeles gets its first real look as Luka Dončić and the rebuilt Lakers host Steph Curry’s Warriors at 10 ET.
Thursday, Oct. 22 (ESPN): Conference Powers Collide
Philadelphia returns home for its opener as James faces his former team, the Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, at 7 ET.
The nightcap at 9:30 ET pits two West heavyweights against each other as the Nuggets visit Oklahoma City. Nikola Jokić and Gilgeous-Alexander have combined for five of the last six Kia MVP awards between them.
Friday, Oct. 23 (Prime): New Twists and Texas Ties
Knicks-Celtics needs no introduction, but Friday’s 7 ET rematch carries a fresh wrinkle. Mitchell Robinson faces his former team for the first time since helping New York capture the title last June.
American Express Tip-Off closes with a Kevin Durant homecoming at 9:30 ET as the former Texas Longhorn returns to Austin, leading the Rockets against Wembanyama’s Spurs at UT’s Moody Center.
Western Conference Reasons for Optimism
NBA.com’s John Schuhmann built out one reason for optimism for every team entering 2026-27 as part of the Amex season preview. After covering the East, the lens shifts West, with four clubs standing out.
The Jazz enter the season with rising expectations around their young core.
The flip is about to be switched, and this team has the talent to compete for a playoff spot while also developing two top-five picks from the last two drafts.
In Sacramento, Schuhmann points to the backcourt pairing growing inside the Kings organization.
The duo of Darius Acuff Jr. and Nique Clifford should be fun to watch, and potentially very potent in two or three years.
For the Nuggets, health is the key variable heading into the new campaign.
Aaron Gordon should be healthier after missing 49 (56%) of a possible 88 games last season, including playoffs.
New Orleans’ optimism centers on lineup chemistry around the Pelicans frontcourt.
They outscored their opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in 303 total minutes with Dejounte Murray on the floor with at least two of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III or Zion Williamson last season.
Monday Highlights: Ant and MPJ Heat Up, Peterson Leads Utah
Minnesota’s new backcourt pairing wasted no time making a statement at Madison Square Garden. The Wolves beat the Knicks 122-104, with Ball running point (10 points, 7 assists) and Edwards erupting for a game-high 26 points on five 3-pointers, including a 36-footer at the buzzer that pushed Minnesota’s lead to 12 at halftime. Jaden McDaniels added 22 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep, while Jalen Brunson led New York with 20 points and 5 rebounds as the Wolves improved to 3-1 this preseason.
Brooklyn also found its rhythm. The Nets topped the Wizards 131-122, as Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 22 points and Julius Randle chipped in 14 points and 9 assists against Trae Young’s 11 points and 11 assists. No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa added 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, highlighted by a putback slam followed immediately by a steal-and-dunk sequence that left Porter in awe.
Dybantsa wasn’t the only rookie standout. No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson paced the Jazz to a 119-109 win over Harrison Barnes and the Spurs, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 5 assists. Lauri Markkanen threw down a windmill slam for 11 points, and Jaren Jackson Jr. punched home a lefty poster finish for 13 points.
Atlanta survived a wild finish against Oklahoma City’s reserves. With much of the Thunder’s rotation sitting out, rookies Bennett Stirtz (26 points, 5 assists, six 3-pointers) and Aday Mara (17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) kept OKC competitive, but the Hawks closed it out behind sophomore Asa Newell, who scored back-to-back buckets in the final 1:11 for a 113-110 win in a game that featured 10 ties and 15 lead changes. Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and Jock Landale posted a team-high 17 points to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Ja Morant is already settling into Portland. The Blazers routed the London Lions of England’s Super League Basketball 119-66, with Morant dishing a game-high 5 assists, including a pair of spinning, no-look dimes that set up highlight slams, in just 13 minutes of floor time.
Tonight’s Slate: Lakers-Warriors in Vegas, JJ Redick’s Outlook and Cavs-Magic
The Lakers and Warriors are about to see plenty of each other. Los Angeles and Golden State meet tonight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (10 ET, NBA TV), then square off again eight days later to open both teams’ regular seasons on Oct. 21 (10 ET, ESPN).
For the Lakers, tonight offers another chance to build chemistry around a revamped, Dončić-led core. JJ Redick has already offered his read on how far this group can go, as The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes:
JJ Redick could have tempered expectations. That’s what NBA head coaches typically do to avoid unwanted scrutiny and, at times, the hot seat. Undersell and overdeliver, especially when working for a franchise that draws the brightest lights in Laker Land. But when the third-year Lakers coach was asked to assess his revamped team’s title-contending chances during a Sept. 24 news conference, he took the road less traveled with a bold response.
On Peacock (7 ET), the Magic and Cavaliers meet for the second time in three days, following Cleveland’s 119-105 win on Sunday.
League Pass carries three more matchups: Knicks-Raptors at 7 ET, a 2025 Finals rematch between the Pacers and Thunder at 8 ET, and Blazers-Kings at 10 ET.
Fantasy Hoops: Yahoo Introduces High Score
Fantasy managers have a new option this season. Yahoo High Score is a streamlined format built to simplify fantasy basketball management without losing the weekly competitive edge.
- Smaller Rosters: Draft 10 players, with six weekly starters (two guards, three frontcourt players and one flex spot) and four bench players.
- Simplified Scoring: Earn points through five core stats, points (1), rebounds (1), assists (2), steals (3) and blocks (3). Turnovers do not count against managers.
- Best Game Counts: Each starter’s highest-scoring outing of the week counts toward the team total, so one big night can swing a matchup.
- Less Management, Same Strategy: Set a lineup once a week and let scores accumulate. Managers can make changes throughout the week, but benching a player wipes out that player’s score for the week.
Fans wanting the full breakdown, including draft strategies, can find additional coverage through Yahoo Sports, and the NBA Fantasy Hub offers further rankings and tips ahead of the regular season.
Read also: Best NBA Tipsters & Prediction Sites – October 2026 ROI Rankings
Opening Week is nearly here, and the matchups above set the tone for the entire 2026-27 campaign. Keep checking TipsGG for continued NBA coverage as the season tips off.