The current NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, will host the Houston Rockets on October 21 to start the NBA’s 80th season, NBA officials announced on Tuesday. Before the game, the Thunder will celebrate by raising their championship banner. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s current Most Valuable Player, will lead Oklahoma City against the Rockets, who are led by Kevin Durant.
This will be the first of two games on opening night. Later that evening, the Golden State Warriors will play the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will feature star players Stephen Curry and LeBron James, both four-time NBA champions, facing each other for the 57th time.
LeBron James, now 40 years old, will make history by playing his 23rd NBA season, the most ever. His teammate Luka Doncic will play his first season opener with the Lakers.
Kevin Durant, who has won two NBA championships and was the 2014 MVP, recently moved to the Rockets from Phoenix in a record-breaking seven-team trade.
The NBA also shared some other important game dates, including the Christmas schedule, before releasing the full 2025-26 season calendar on Thursday.
On December 25, there will be five NBA games. The first game is Cleveland playing against New York, with the Knicks making their 57th appearance on Christmas, a record. San Antonio will play in Oklahoma City, marking the Thunder’s first Christmas game since 2018. Then Dallas will face Golden State, where former Warrior Klay Thompson returns to San Francisco with the Mavericks. After that, Houston will play the Lakers, and Minnesota will take on Denver.
On the second night of the season, October 22, Cleveland will visit New York, and San Antonio will start their season against Dallas. This game will feature NBA rookies Cooper Flagg for Dallas and Dylan Harper for San Antonio. The Spurs will also welcome back French star Victor Wembanyama, who missed the end of last season due to a shoulder injury.
The next day, Oklahoma City will play Indiana in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals, followed by Denver playing Golden State. This game will feature three-time MVP Nikola Jokic against two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
On October 27, Cleveland will play Detroit, and Denver will face Minnesota.
For Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, the games will include Milwaukee at Atlanta, Oklahoma City at Cleveland, Dallas at New York, and Boston at Detroit.
FAQ
When and where will the NBA’s 80th season opener take place?
The season opener will be held on October 21, 2025, at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s home arena.
Which teams will play in the first game of the 2025-26 NBA season?
The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Houston Rockets.
What special event will occur before the season opener?
The Thunder will raise their championship banner before the game to celebrate their recent NBA title.
Who is the current NBA Most Valuable Player participating in this game?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, will play for the Oklahoma City Thunder.