Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Opening night of the upcoming NBA season will feature the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting Houston and a star-studded clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State, ESPN reported Friday. The season will tip off on October 21 and the opening night games will be aired by NBC, marking the league’s return to the broadcaster for the first time in 23 years.
The 2025-26 season is the first of an 11-year media rights deal for the NBA worth a reported $76 billion. It includes a new partnership with Amazon, a return to NBC and a continuing partnership with ESPN and ABC, with ABC to carry a blockbuster Christmas day slate.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, are scheduled to play on Christmas against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It will be the Cavs’ first Christmas appearance since superstar LeBron James played for his hometown team.
Another Christmas game will see Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City. James and the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks visit the Golden State Warriors, and Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves in other holiday matchups.
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