NBA 2026-27 season preview: opening night, key dates and prediction markets

When does the 2026-27 NBA season start?

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026. All three opening-night games are on NBC and Peacock.

Game	Time (ET)	Where
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons	3:00 p.m.	Detroit
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks	7:00 p.m.	Madison Square Garden, New York
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs	9:30 p.m.	Frost Bank Center, San Antonio

Before the 7:00 p.m. game the Knicks raise their championship banner, the franchise's first since 1973. LeBron James, now with the 76ers, plays his first game for Philadelphia that night. Times are from the NBA's schedule announcement.

Key dates for the 2026-27 season

Date	What happens
Tuesday, October 20	Opening night: three games on NBC and Peacock
Friday, October 30	Emirates NBA Cup group play begins (runs to November 27)
December 4 and 5	NBA Cup quarterfinals
December 8 and 9	NBA Cup semifinals
Friday, December 11	NBA Cup championship game, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Friday, December 25	Christmas Day: Spurs at Knicks (noon), Heat at Celtics (2:30 p.m.), 76ers at Lakers (5:00 p.m.), Thunder at Timberwolves (8:00 p.m.), Nuggets at Warriors (10:30 p.m.)

All times Eastern. Dates are from the NBA and ESPN's schedule guide.

What NBA contracts do prediction markets list?

These are the kinds of NBA contracts US exchanges have listed in past seasons. What is open in your state depends on the platform, so check the app for current listings.

• Single games: which team wins, often opening a day or so before tip-off. Some platforms also list point margins and totals.
• Championship: a yes-or-no contract for each team to win the 2027 NBA title.
• Conference winners and the NBA Cup.
• Awards: MVP, Rookie of the Year and similar, on some platforms.
• Season win totals: "Will this team win more than a stated number of games?" on some platforms.

Each contract pays $1 if it is right and $0 if not, and its price before then is the market's estimate, not a guarantee. We do not show prices on this page because they change constantly. Example: a contract trading at 40 cents pays $1 if the outcome happens, so a buyer risks 40 cents to make 60.

Where can you trade NBA contracts?

For sports we list ProphetX first, then Kalshi, Polymarket US and OG. Our platform ranking explains how we compare them.

Status as of October 3, 2026:

• Kalshi: sports contracts are blocked by court order in Nevada, Michigan and Washington. In California, New York, Massachusetts and several other states it is available with a legal dispute pending.
• Polymarket US and ProphetX: not offered in Nevada.
• OG: sports contracts are not offered in Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey or Ohio.

ProphetX's minimum age is 18 (or the local age of majority if higher); Kalshi's, Polymarket US's and OG's minimum age is 18; we recommend 21+. Rules differ by state: see our state-by-state guides.

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2026-27 NBA season start?

Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with three games on NBC and Peacock.

What are the opening night games?

Celtics at Pistons (3:00 p.m. ET), 76ers at Knicks (7:00 p.m. ET) and Thunder at Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET).

When is the NBA Cup final?

Friday, December 11, 2026, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Group play begins on October 30.

What NBA games are on Christmas Day 2026?

Five: Spurs at Knicks, Heat at Celtics, 76ers at Lakers, Thunder at Timberwolves and Nuggets at Warriors.

Can I trade NBA contracts on a prediction market in my state?

It depends on the state and the platform. Kalshi's sports contracts are blocked by court order in Nevada, Michigan and Washington; Polymarket US and ProphetX are not offered in Nevada; OG does not offer sports contracts in eight states. Check our state guides and the app for current availability.