The 2026-27 NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 20, with a three-game Opening Night on NBC and Peacock, and 22 more teams open on Wednesday, October 21. That is 14 games across the first two nights and 28 of the 30 clubs. The other two, Cleveland and Denver, open on Thursday.
The headline is at Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks get their championship rings and raise their first title banner since 1973, and then they play LeBron James in his first regular season game for the Philadelphia 76ers. On Wednesday, Brooklyn opens in its ABA Classic Edition throwback, Houston plays its first regular season game in the new ketchup and mustard uniforms, Minnesota brings its rebranded uniforms to Miami for Giannis Antetokounmpo's Heat debut, and Indiana wears white on the road in New Orleans.
Below is every look we know for both nights, starting with the special ones. Confirmed means the team has published the jersey for that game. Expected is our read from that team's 2026-27 uniform schedule, which follows the standard pattern of white at home and color on the road. NBA LockerVision, the league's official jersey assignment site, had not posted any 2026-27 games when we checked on October 17, so most of these are still expected. We will flip each one to what was actually worn the morning after.
One warning on the expected calls. NBA teams pick home jerseys far more freely than NFL teams do. Over the first two nights of last season, LockerVision had eight of the 14 home teams in their colored Icon jersey and one more in its Classic Edition, so treat every expected home white as the softest part of this page.
The Opening Night Storylines
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks: Ring Night at the Garden
Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Expected on both sides. This is the Knicks' first banner raising and ring ceremony at Madison Square Garden in 53 years, and the opponent is a 76ers team that added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown over the summer. Our Knicks schedule has New York in the Association white at home, which sends Philadelphia out in its royal blue Icon, the jersey LeBron wore in No. 23 at Media Day. Neither team has announced a jersey for the game.
The 76ers royal blue Icon, the jersey Philadelphia is expected to wear at the Garden (Tyrese Maxey, April 2026). Photo: Chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0
The white is the call we are least sure of all night. Champions sometimes go to their color for ring night: Oklahoma City wore its blue Icon at home for its 2025 ring night, per LockerVision. If the Knicks go orange and blue instead, Philadelphia would switch to white. We will update this as soon as either team shows its lockers.
LeBron's number and why it is not 6 are in our LeBron 76ers jersey number explainer. If you want to see how little the Knicks' look has changed since the last banner, our 1973 vs 2026 Knicks championship uniforms puts them side by side. More dates in the Knicks 2026-27 uniform schedule and the 76ers 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons: A 3 p.m. Tip to Start the Season
Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Expected on both sides. The season starts in the afternoon with last season's top two seeds in the East. Detroit is expected in the Association white at Little Caesars Arena, and Boston in its green Icon, with Paul George and former Knick Mitchell Robinson in green for the first time in a game that counts. Both clubs are in the new Specter Edition program, but those uniforms arrive later in the fall, with Detroit's pegged for November, so do not expect them on Tuesday. Our Specter Edition guide has the details. See the Pistons 2026-27 uniform schedule and the Celtics 2026-27 uniform schedule.
The Celtics green Icon, expected in Detroit on Tuesday (Jayson Tatum, December 2024). Photo: Hameltion / CC BY-SA 4.0
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs: The Rematch
Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Expected on both sides. San Antonio beat Oklahoma City in Game 7 of last season's Western Conference Finals, and the Spurs open at home against the Thunder. We expect the Spurs in white at Frost Bank Center and the Thunder in their blue Icon. The Spurs' new silver ABA Classic Edition does not debut until November 4 against Dallas, the team has said, so Tuesday is a regular uniform night. Every Classic date is in our NBA Classic Edition rankings, and the rest is in the Spurs 2026-27 uniform schedule and the Thunder 2026-27 uniform schedule.
The Thunder blue Icon, expected in San Antonio (Darius Bazley, January 2022). Photo: All-Pro Reels / CC BY-SA 2.0
Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets: The Classic Edition Opens the Season
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET. Nets confirmed, Hornets expected. Brooklyn tagged a jersey for all 80 games on its own schedule page, and Opening Night is the Classic Edition: white, with the red Nets script and its long underline, red numbers outlined in navy, and red, white and blue piping. It is the first of 16 Classic nights, built around the ABA-NBA 50th anniversary and 60 seasons of Nets basketball, and the Nets say the jersey goes on sale October 19. We graded it an A-. With Brooklyn in white, Charlotte is expected in its teal Icon. It is also Julius Randle's first regular season game for the Nets. See the Nets 2026-27 uniform schedule and the Hornets 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets: Ketchup and Mustard Is Back
Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET. Expected on both sides. This is Houston's home opener and the first regular season game for the Rockets' 2026-27 rebrand: new white, red and black uniforms with Championship Yellow back for the first time in 30 years. We graded all three jerseys a B+. Our schedule has the Rockets in the new Association white and Dallas in its Icon. It is also Houston's first regular season game on the new Core Court, which we graded a C+. See the Rockets 2026-27 uniform schedule and the Mavericks 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat: Giannis and LaMelo Debut
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Expected on both sides. Two of the summer's biggest moves meet in Miami: Giannis Antetokounmpo's first regular season game for the Heat and LaMelo Ball's first for the Timberwolves. Both wore new jerseys at Media Day, Giannis in No. 7 in Heat white and LaMelo in No. 1 in the new Wolves white. Our schedule has Miami in the Association white at home, which puts Minnesota in the new blue Icon, the jersey we called maybe the best blue in the league when the Timberwolves rebrand dropped. We graded the full rebrand an A+. See the Heat 2026-27 uniform schedule and the Timberwolves 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Two Teams in White on the Road
Two visiting teams have already published white for Wednesday, which changes what their hosts wear.
- Milwaukee at Washington, 7:00 p.m. ET. The Bucks' own schedule data has the Association white for the opener in D.C., the first of 18 road games in white. That means the Wizards should be in a colored jersey at home, not the white our Wizards page lists. Washington has not said which one. It is Anthony Davis and Trae Young's first opener as Wizards. Bucks 2026-27 uniform schedule and Wizards 2026-27 uniform schedule.
- Indiana at New Orleans, 8:00 p.m. ET. The Pacers published their uniform schedule on September 18, and the opener is the Association white on the road. The Pelicans should answer in color, and they have not named a jersey. The Pacers' gold pinstriped Statement, booked for 31 games, waits until Friday at home against Dallas. Pacers 2026-27 uniform schedule and Pelicans 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Also Worth Watching
- Kawhi Leonard back in Toronto. Kawhi is a Raptor again, and his first game back is the opener at home against Chicago. We expect Toronto in white and the Bulls in red. Raptors 2026-27 uniform schedule and Bulls 2026-27 uniform schedule.
- Ja and Dame in Portland. Ja Morant (now No. 1) and Damian Lillard (back in No. 0) open in Blazers white against Phoenix, if the expected home white holds. Trail Blazers 2026-27 uniform schedule and Suns 2026-27 uniform schedule.
- Warriors at Lakers on ESPN. The late national game is Steph Curry against Luka Doncic at Crypto.com Arena, with the Lakers expected in white and Golden State in its Icon. Both clubs are Specter Edition teams too, but that uniform is not expected yet. Lakers 2026-27 uniform schedule and Warriors 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Every new number for the season is in our NBA new jersey numbers guide.
Every Opening Night Game
Confirmed = announced by the team. Expected = what the home-white default and the team schedules point to. We will update this board as teams announce.
Tuesday, October 20
- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons, 3:00 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Celtics: green Icon (expected). Pistons: Association white (expected).
- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks, 7:00 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Ring night and banner raising. 76ers: royal blue Icon (expected). Knicks: Association white (expected).
- Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock. Thunder: blue Icon (expected). Spurs: Association white (expected).
Wednesday, October 21
- Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic, 7:00 p.m. ET. Hawks: Icon (expected). Magic: Association white (expected).
- Milwaukee Bucks at Washington Wizards, 7:00 p.m. ET. Bucks: Association white (confirmed). Wizards: a colored jersey, not yet named (expected).
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. Timberwolves: new blue Icon (expected). Heat: Association white (expected).
- Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET. Hornets: teal Icon (expected). Nets: white Classic Edition (confirmed).
- Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET. Bulls: red Icon (expected). Raptors: Association white (expected).
- Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 p.m. ET. Jazz: Icon (expected). Grizzlies: Association white (expected).
- Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans, 8:00 p.m. ET. Pacers: Association white (confirmed). Pelicans: a colored jersey, not yet named (expected).
- Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets, 8:30 p.m. ET. Mavericks: Icon (expected). Rockets: new Association white (expected).
- Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN. Warriors: Icon (expected). Lakers: Association white (expected).
- Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers, 10:00 p.m. ET. Suns: Icon (expected). Trail Blazers: Association white (expected).
- Sacramento Kings at LA Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET. Kings: Icon (expected). Clippers: Association white (expected).
Still to Open on Thursday, October 22
The last two teams open on ESPN: Cleveland at Philadelphia at 7:00 p.m. ET, the 76ers' home opener, and Denver at Oklahoma City at 9:30 p.m. ET, DeMar DeRozan's first regular season game as a Nugget. Our schedules have the home teams in white and the Cavaliers and Nuggets in their Icons, all expected. Denver's new home floor waits for the Nuggets' home opener; it is in our Nuggets court post.
The Bottom Line
Opening Night is the Knicks' night: rings, the first banner since 1973, and LeBron in Sixers blue on the other bench. Wednesday is the uniform night. Brooklyn opens in its ABA Classic throwback, Houston and Minnesota play their first regular season games in rebranded uniforms, and Milwaukee and Indiana both wear white on the road. Only three of the 28 teams have published their Opening Week jersey so far, so check back: we will update this page as teams show their lockers and log what was actually worn after each game.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is NBA Opening Night 2026?
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with three games on NBC and Peacock: Celtics at Pistons at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, 76ers at Knicks at 7:00 p.m. and Thunder at Spurs at 9:30 p.m. Eleven more games follow on Wednesday, October 21, and the Cavaliers and Nuggets open on Thursday, October 22.
What are the Knicks wearing on ring night?
The Knicks have not announced it. Our schedule has them in the Association white at home against the 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Champions sometimes wear their color on ring night, as Oklahoma City did in 2025, so we will update this as soon as the Knicks show their lockers.
What jersey is LeBron James wearing in his 76ers debut?
No. 23. We expect the 76ers in their royal blue Icon at Madison Square Garden, the jersey LeBron wore at Media Day, because the Knicks are expected in white. If New York wears a colored jersey instead, Philadelphia would switch to white.
What are the Nets wearing on Opening Night?
The Classic Edition, the white throwback with the red Nets script, against Charlotte on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. It is on the Nets' own schedule page and Classic Edition schedule, and it is the first of 16 Classic nights this season.
When do the Rockets wear their new uniforms for the first time?
Their home opener against Dallas on Wednesday, October 21, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern at Toyota Center is their first regular season game in the new uniforms, which were revealed on June 4. We expect the new white at home.
Are the Spurs wearing their ABA throwback on Opening Night?
No. The Spurs' Classic Edition debuts on November 4 against Dallas. Against the Thunder on October 20 we expect San Antonio in its regular white.
What are Giannis Antetokounmpo and LaMelo Ball wearing in their debuts?
Giannis wears No. 7 for Miami and LaMelo No. 1 for Minnesota. We expect the Heat in white at home and the Timberwolves in their new blue Icon on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Neither team has announced the jerseys.
Which NBA teams have announced their Opening Night jerseys?
Three so far: the Bucks (Association white at Washington), the Nets (Classic Edition against Charlotte) and the Pacers (Association white at New Orleans). Everything else on this page is expected until the teams or NBA LockerVision post it.
Where can I see every NBA team's jersey schedule?
Our NBA uniform schedule hub links all 30 teams, with every announced jersey and every game logged as the season runs.
