The 2026-27 NBA season tipped off on Tuesday, October 20, and by the end of Wednesday night 28 of the league's 30 teams had played. We went through every game against the NBA's official game-by-game uniform schedule, then checked what each team actually wore in the teams' own game photos (and, for the Lakers, our own from the stands). Four storylines stand out:
- The Knicks raised their banner in gold. New York wore a one-night version of its home white with metallic gold lettering, a gold 2025-26 Champions patch and a gold "3" tag at the collar. Then the 76ers won, 106-100.
- The Bulls wore white in Toronto when the schedule said Statement. The NBA's schedule had Chicago in its Statement Edition. Every Bulls photo from the game shows the white Association Edition. It is the only clear schedule miss of the week, and it came in a 135-92 loss.
- The Nets debuted their Classic Edition at home. Brooklyn opened in the white jersey with the red "Nets" script and red, white and blue piping, a night the team billed as "Classic Edition Night."
- The Lakers opened in gold. We were at Crypto.com Arena for the Lakers home opener: Lakers in the gold Icon, Warriors in royal blue, Lakers by 127-105.
How to read this list. "Scheduled" is the call from the NBA's official game-by-game uniform schedule, released October 19. Confirmed means we saw the jersey in the team's or the NBA's own game photos. As scheduled (not yet confirmed) means the game has not been played or we have not seen a photo yet. Every team links to its full 2026-27 uniform schedule, where each row flips to what was actually worn.
The Special Looks
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks: Gold on Ring Night
Tuesday, October 20. Final: 76ers 106, Knicks 100. The schedule had the Knicks in the Association white, and technically they wore it. But it was not the regular white. For ring night, the "NEW YORK" wordmark, the names and the numbers all went metallic gold, a gold 2025-26 Champions patch sat on the back below the collar, and a small gold "3" tag marked the franchise's third title. The Knicks raised a royal blue "2025-26 World Champions" banner before tip-off. We graded the uniform an A+ in our full ring night breakdown. Philadelphia wore its royal blue Icon Edition, as scheduled. Both confirmed. Knicks schedule · 76ers schedule
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors: White Instead of Black
Wednesday, October 21. Final: Raptors 135, Bulls 92. This is the one that broke from the schedule. The NBA listed Chicago in its Statement Edition. Every game photo the Bulls posted, through the final score graphic, shows the white Association Edition with red "BULLS" lettering. Toronto wore its red Icon Edition, as scheduled, so the matchup was red against white instead of red against black, which is easier to read on TV anyway. The Raptors called it the biggest opening night win in franchise history. Both confirmed. Bulls: changed from schedule. Bulls schedule · Raptors schedule
Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets: The Classic Edition Debut
Wednesday, October 21. Final: Hornets 110, Nets 103. Brooklyn opened at home in its Classic Edition: white, with the red "Nets" script and red, white and blue piping, a nod to the ABA-NBA merger's 50th anniversary. The team posted it that afternoon as "Classic Edition Night," and the game photos show it on the floor all night. Charlotte wore its teal Icon Edition, as scheduled. Both confirmed. Nets schedule · Hornets schedule
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers: Gold vs Royal
Wednesday, October 21. Final: Lakers 127, Warriors 105. Both teams wore their Icon Editions, exactly as scheduled: the Lakers in gold, the Warriors in royal blue. We saw it from our seats, and our opening night story has the photos, plus Dieter Ruehle on the organ and the return of the old three-point sound. Both confirmed. Lakers schedule · Warriors schedule
Every Opening Week Game
Tuesday, October 20
- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons. Final: Pistons 121, Celtics 113. Celtics: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the green Icon (confirmed). Pistons: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Detroit came back from 22 points down, which NBA Communications called the largest comeback on the first day of a season in the play-by-play era. Celtics schedule · Pistons schedule
- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks. Final: 76ers 106, Knicks 100. 76ers: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the royal blue Icon (confirmed). Knicks: scheduled Association white, wore the gold-trimmed ring night white (confirmed). 76ers schedule · Knicks schedule
- Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs. Final: Thunder 116, Spurs 104. Thunder: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the blue Icon (confirmed). Spurs: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). San Antonio put its new Classic Edition on sale that afternoon but did not wear it. Thunder schedule · Spurs schedule
Wednesday, October 21
- Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic. Final: Hawks 132, Magic 125. Hawks: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Magic: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the blue pinstripes (confirmed). Hawks schedule · Magic schedule
- Milwaukee Bucks at Washington Wizards. Final: Wizards 128, Bucks 116. Bucks: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Wizards: scheduled Statement Edition, wore navy with red trim (confirmed). Bucks schedule · Wizards schedule
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat. Final: Timberwolves 131, Heat 106. Timberwolves: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the blue Icon (confirmed). Heat: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Timberwolves schedule · Heat schedule
- Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets. Final: Hornets 110, Nets 103. Hornets: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the teal Icon (confirmed). Nets: scheduled Classic Edition, wore it (confirmed). Hornets schedule · Nets schedule
- Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors. Final: Raptors 135, Bulls 92. Bulls: scheduled Statement Edition, wore the white Association instead (confirmed, changed from schedule). Raptors: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the red Icon (confirmed). Bulls schedule · Raptors schedule
- Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies. Final: Grizzlies 123, Jazz 103. Jazz: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Grizzlies: scheduled Statement Edition, wore the light blue "Grizzlies" jersey (confirmed). Jazz schedule · Grizzlies schedule
- Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans. Final: Pacers 123, Pelicans 120. Pacers: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Pelicans: scheduled Statement Edition, wore the red "Crescent City" jersey (confirmed). Pacers schedule · Pelicans schedule
- Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets. Final: Rockets 128, Mavericks 110. Mavericks: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the royal blue Icon (confirmed). Rockets: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the red Icon (confirmed). Two Icons, blue against red, and no clash. Mavericks schedule · Rockets schedule
- Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers. Final: Lakers 127, Warriors 105. Warriors: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the royal blue Icon (confirmed). Lakers: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the gold Icon (confirmed). Warriors schedule · Lakers schedule
- Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers. Final: Trail Blazers 124, Suns 83. Suns: scheduled Statement Edition, wore black (confirmed). Trail Blazers: scheduled Association white, wore the white with the red and black stripe (confirmed). Suns schedule · Trail Blazers schedule
- Sacramento Kings at LA Clippers. Final: Clippers 121, Kings 96. Kings: scheduled Association white, wore the white (confirmed). Clippers: scheduled Icon Edition, wore the navy Icon (confirmed). Kings schedule · Clippers schedule
Thursday, October 22
Tonight's two games had not tipped off when we published, so both are listed as scheduled per the NBA uniform schedule. We will flip them to what was worn once we see the photos.
- Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN. Cavaliers: Association white, as scheduled (not yet confirmed). 76ers: Icon Edition, as scheduled (not yet confirmed). Cavaliers schedule · 76ers schedule
- Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET. Nuggets: Association white, as scheduled (not yet confirmed). Thunder: Icon Edition, as scheduled (not yet confirmed). Nuggets schedule · Thunder schedule
The Biggest Surprises
1. The Bulls threw out the schedule on day one. Twenty-eight teams played through Wednesday, and 27 of them wore exactly what the NBA said they would. Chicago was the exception. The league had the Bulls in the Statement Edition at Toronto, and they came out in white. We have not seen an explanation from the team yet. Our hot take: it was the right call. Black against the Raptors' red is a dark, muddy matchup on TV. White against red is the cleanest look in basketball.
2. Ring night gold was the best uniform of the week, and it was not a new uniform. The Knicks did not invent a jersey. They took the home white and turned the trim to gold. That restraint is why it worked, and it is why we gave it an A+. Losing to Philadelphia does not change the grade.
3. The Nets went Classic on night one. Most teams save their Classic and City Editions for later in the season. Brooklyn put its Classic Edition on the floor in the very first home game, and the red, white and blue piping looked great under the Barclays Center lights.
4. Home teams wore color more than white. Of the 14 games through Wednesday, the home team wore color in eight: the Magic, Wizards, Raptors, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Rockets, Lakers and Clippers. The NBA stopped requiring home whites years ago, and opening week showed it.
5. Two Icon-on-Icon games, zero clashes. Mavericks royal against Rockets red and Warriors royal against Lakers gold both worked because the colors are so far apart. That is how the color-versus-color era is supposed to look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Knicks wear on ring night?
A special version of their home Association white with metallic gold "NEW YORK" lettering, gold names and numbers, a gold 2025-26 Champions patch on the back and a gold "3" tag at the collar for the franchise's third title. The 76ers won the game 106-100.
Did the Bulls wear the wrong jersey on opening night?
They wore a different jersey than the official schedule listed. The NBA had Chicago in the Statement Edition at Toronto on October 21. The Bulls' own game photos show the white Association Edition. They lost 135-92.
What did the Lakers and Warriors wear on opening night?
Both wore their Icon Editions, as scheduled: the Lakers in gold and the Warriors in royal blue. The Lakers won 127-105 at Crypto.com Arena.
What is the Nets' Classic Edition jersey?
It is white with the red "Nets" script and red, white and blue piping, tied to the 50th anniversary of the ABA-NBA merger. Brooklyn debuted it on opening night against Charlotte on October 21.
Did any NBA team wear a City Edition in opening week?
No. No team was scheduled for a City Edition from October 20 through October 22, and none of the 28 teams that played through October 21 wore one. The City Edition debuts start later in the season. Each team's schedule post lists its City Edition dates.
What are the 76ers wearing against the Cavaliers on October 22?
The NBA schedule has Philadelphia in its royal blue Icon Edition and Cleveland in the Association white. We will confirm it once the game is played.
What are the Thunder and Nuggets wearing on October 22?
The schedule has Oklahoma City in the blue Icon Edition and Denver in the Association white. Tip-off is 9:30 p.m. Eastern.
Where can I find what every NBA team is wearing for every game?
Every team has a 2026-27 uniform schedule post with its full game-by-game jersey list, linked from our NBA uniforms 2026-27 guide. The rows update to what was actually worn the morning after each game.
How do you confirm what a team wore?
We check the official game photos the teams post, from either side of the matchup, for every game. If we have not seen a photo, we label the jersey "as scheduled" instead of guessing.
Who won the NBA opening night games?
On October 20, the Pistons beat the Celtics 121-113, the 76ers beat the Knicks 106-100, and the Thunder beat the Spurs 116-104. On October 21, the Hawks, Wizards, Timberwolves, Hornets, Raptors, Grizzlies, Pacers, Rockets, Lakers, Trail Blazers and Clippers all won.
The Bottom Line
Opening week was almost perfectly on schedule. Twenty-seven of the 28 teams that played through Wednesday wore exactly what the NBA said they would, and the one that did not, Chicago, swapped black for white at Toronto. The look of the week belonged to the Knicks, whose gold ring night white was the best uniform on any floor, even in a loss. The Nets brought out their Classic Edition early, and the Lakers opened in gold with Dieter on the organ. Check back after tonight's games, and follow each team's schedule post for every call the rest of the way.
