Rockets-Thunder, Warriors-Lakers reportedly set for NBA opening night

The 2025-26 NBA season will open with a star-studded Western Conference doubleheader featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. According to ESPN and The Athletic, the October 21 slate will see the Houston Rockets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by the Golden State Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Lakers.

The opener will be a special night in Oklahoma City, as the Thunder raise their first championship banner. Durant, now with the Rockets, will watch one of his former teams celebrate before trying to spoil the evening.

In the nightcap, James begins his eighth season with the Lakers, while Luka Doncic embarks on his first full season in Los Angeles, adding extra intrigue to the matchup against Curry’s Warriors.



This doubleheader also marks a broadcasting milestone - the first regular-season NBA games aired by NBC in 23 years. It’s part of a new media rights deal that will feature games on NBC and Amazon Prime Video, while the league maintains its partnership with Disney.

Reports also revealed the five-game Christmas Day schedule, loaded with Western Conference storylines. The slate includes the Cleveland Cavaliers at the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets.


The Christmas Day matchups promise marquee showdowns. Durant and James will square off in Lakers-Rockets, while former Warriors star Klay Thompson returns to Golden State in a Mavericks uniform.

The Spurs-Thunder clash will highlight the growing rivalry between young big men Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Meanwhile, the Nuggets and Timberwolves will add another chapter to their budding playoff battles.

With opening night and Christmas Day both brimming with superstar power, the NBA is setting the stage for a blockbuster season.