PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 6: (L-R) President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey of the Philadelphia 76ers, Jaylen Brown #7, and managing partner Josh Harris airs for a image astatine Francis J. Myers Recreation Center connected August 6, 2026 successful Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and aliases utilizing this photograph, User is consenting to the position and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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Even without releasing its 82-game regular-season schedule conscionable yet, the NBA conveyed it will characteristic the Philadelphia 76ers prominently successful marquee games.
The Sixers will sojourn the New York Knicks connected NBA’s opening nighttime (October 20, 7 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock). On Christmas Day, the Sixers will sojourn the Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m. ET, ABC). In related news, the Sixers formed a ‘Super team’ this offseason by acquiring Jaylen Brown, signing LeBron James and pairing them together pinch Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The NBA will denote its full 2026-27 schedule connected Thursday, but it often schedules the champion games connected opening week and Christmas Day. So really should we rank them? Below are the 5 champion NBA games among those connected Opening Week and Christmas Day.
Spurs-Knicks (Christmas Day, 12 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)
Knicks defender Josh Hart expressed astonishment that the NBA would schedule the Sixers against the New York Knicks connected Opening Night, possibly alternatively of a rematch of past season’s NBA Finals. Fair enough. But the NBA whitethorn person wanted delayed gratification by enjoying this gift connected Christmas.
Not only tin the Knicks and Spurs rekindle their lingering feelings from past season’s NBA Finals connected the holidays. But that tin besides pat into the nostalgia pinch having a Christmas Day crippled astatine Madison Square Garden. Two years ago, Victor Wembanyama dominated the Knicks connected Christmas (42 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks). Given Wembanyama’s Finals struggles successful June, tin Wembanyama rectify pinch different vacation performance?
Sixers-Lakers (Christmas Day, 5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)
It mightiness beryllium astonishing that the NBA didn’t schedule the Sixers to play the Boston Celtics connected Christmas Day. After all, the Celtics dealt Jaylen Brown successful a arguable waste and acquisition that will surely entice Brown to want to person a revenge game. Still, the NBA rightfully concluded that the Sixers-Lakers crippled would beryllium a bigger tie because LeBron James would look his erstwhile squad aft spending 8 seasons location filled pinch some occurrence and disappointment. The move betwixt the Lakers and James seemed much transactional than the emotions that Brown and the Celtics consciousness astir each other.
Nonetheless, James’ return still draws viewers some because of the Lakers’ mixed feelings astir him and because the convention tin tie East Coast viewers to a West Coast game. Besides, the NBA gave James a bully farewell gift by enabling him to spot his family successful Los Angeles during the holidays.
Sixers-Knicks (October 20, 7 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
This matchup is besides much absorbing than the Sixers-Celtics reunion. That’s because the NBA’s defending champions (Knicks) want to beryllium that they tin fend disconnected the NBA’s caller ace squad (Sixers). On paper, the Sixers person the Eastern Conference’s astir talented roster pinch an elite halfway (Embiid), a generational subordinate (James) and 2 beardown two-way players (Brown, Maxey). But tin that flooded the Knicks’ continuity and chemistry that forged to triumph their first NBA title since 1973?
The Sixers section questions connected really agelong it will return for them to fig retired ball-handling duties among Maxey, Brown and James. They besides spark interest connected whether James and Embiid tin enactment healthy. While the Sixers won’t person established chemistry by opening night, astatine slightest they will person a patient roster to show the Knicks what their imaginable tin be.
Thunder-Spurs (October 20, 9:30 p.m. ET, NBA/Peacock)
These 2 teams do not for illustration each other. The Spurs person held the Thunder successful contempt for really they waste calls. Both teams sneer astatine each different for really they get distant pinch physicality. Add successful some teams’ talent, extent and chemistry, and you person a compelling crippled that offers some value hoops and chippy play.
The Spurs person precocious prevailed successful the NBA Cup semifinals and successful a seven-game Western Conference Finals series. But the Thunder are eager to beryllium that they are a amended squad pinch a patient Jalen Williams, an improved Chet Holmgren and capable extent to sorb immoderate off-season departures (Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Williams). Meanwhile, the Thunder person brought retired Wembanyama’s competitory separator to beryllium he is amended than Holmgren and that the Spurs tin go a much long-lasting contender.
Warriors-Lakers (October 21, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
This crippled won’t go a playoff preview arsenic galore projected erstwhile James played for the Lakers. That logic has little to do pinch the Lakers’ offseason moves. It has much to do pinch the Warriors’ identity. They still person Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. But they are fundamentally moving backmost the aforesaid squad that missed the playoffs aft splitting 2 Play-In tourney games.
This crippled will still go entertaining, though,. Luka Dončić and Stephen Curry will apt person an epic head-to-head shootout. Green and Kristaps Porzingis will beryllium tasked pinch trying to incorporate the Lakers’ biggest off-season signing (center Walker Kessler). Both the Lakers and Warriors will activity to beryllium that they person a respectable supporting formed astir their prima player.
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