2026 NBA Preseason Schedule, Scores, Date, Times, How to watch every Game

2026 NBA preseason schedule, scores, full dates, matchups, game times, how to watch, live stream

The 2026 NBA preseason schedule is fast approaching and is about a few week from tipping off with the two first games scheduled for Octo. 3.

From the best games to national TV matchups and more, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 NBA preseason schedule:

When does the 2026 NBA preseason start?

The preseason begins Saturday, Oct. 3 with an NBA Canada game when the Miami Heat face the Toronto Raptors in Quebec City.

Oct. 3 Saturday: Miami Heat beat the Toronto Raptors 129-105 in at home soil in Canada.

When does the 2026 NBA preseason end?

Friday, Oct. 16 is the end date for all preseason matchups. The regular season is slated to start on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

October 16 — 10:30 PM ET — Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California

What 2026 NBA preseason games will be live on national TV, stream online?

There are SEVEN NBA preseason games will be aired Live on national television. Here are those matchups:

MATCHUP - DATE - TIME (ET) - TV

Heat vs. Raptors - Oct. 3 - 7:00 p.m. - NBATV

Kings vs. Lakers - Oct. 8 - 10:30 p.m. - ESPN2

Spurs vs. Suns - Oct. 10 - 10:30 p.m. - ESPN2

Magic vs. Cavs  -  Oct. 11,   6:30 p.m.  ESPN

Bulls vs. Nuggets,     Oct. 11    9:00 a.m.,   ESPN

Cavs. Magix -    Oct. 13,    7:00 p.m.    Peacock/NBCSN

Nuggets vs. Lakers     Oct. 16,  10:30 p.m.    ESPN

Full 2026 NBA preseason schedule, scores, matchups, dates, game times, channels

2026 NBA preseason schedule: Dates, times, channels, how to watch

The NBA preseason provides an early look at what to expect in the upcoming regular season, set to begin on October 3. During this period, teams assess their rosters, test out new strategies, and gear up for the challenges of the regular season. This year’s preseason began on October 2 and runs through October 17, featuring a mix of nationally and locally televised games.


Check out the complete details on how to watch this year’s NBA preseason slate, including dates, times and TV channels.

2026 NBA Preseason Schedule and Scores

Below is the full 2026 NBA Preseason Schedule, arranged date by date. Completed games have their final scores; upcoming games are listed without scores. Times are ET. 

October 3

October 3 — 7:00 PM ET — Miami Heat 129, Toronto Raptors 105 —

October 4

October 4 — 7:00 PM ET — Golden State Warriors 101, LA Clippers 104 —

October 4 — 7:00 PM ET — Utah Jazz 109, Denver Nuggets 97 —

October 5

October 5 — 7:00 PM ET — Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks — State Farm Arena — Atlanta, Georgia

October 5 — 7:00 PM ET — Phoenix Suns vs. Detroit Pistons — Little Caesars Arena — Detroit, Michigan

October 5 — 7:00 PM ET — New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers — Xfinity Mobile Arena — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 5 — 8:00 PM ET — Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Milwaukee Bucks — Fiserv Forum — Milwaukee, Wisconsin

October 5 — 10:00 PM ET — Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings — Golden 1 Center — Sacramento, California

October 6

October 6 — 7:00 PM ET — Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets — Spectrum Center — Charlotte, North Carolina

October 6 — 8:00 PM ET — New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder — BOK Center — Tulsa, Oklahoma

October 6 — 9:00 PM ET — Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz — Delta Center — Salt Lake City, Utah

October 6 — 10:00 PM ET — Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors — Chase Center — San Francisco, California

October 7

October 7 — 7:00 PM ET — Indiana Pacers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — James H. Hilton Coliseum — Ames, Iowa

October 7 — 8:00 PM ET — Phoenix Suns vs. Chicago Bulls — United Center — Chicago, Illinois

October 7 — 8:00 PM ET — Milwaukee Bucks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder — Paycom Center — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

October 7 — 8:00 PM ET — Orlando Magic vs. Memphis Grizzlies — FedExForum — Memphis, Tennessee

October 7 — 10:00 PM ET — Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers — Moda Center — Portland, Oregon

October 8

October 8 — 7:00 PM ET — Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers — Rocket Arena — Cleveland, Ohio

October 8 — 7:30 PM ET — Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets — Barclays Center — Brooklyn, New York

October 8 — 7:30 PM ET — Washington Wizards vs. New York Knicks — Madison Square Garden — New York, New York

October 8 — 7:30 PM ET — New Orleans Pelicans vs. Miami Heat — Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida

October 8 — 8:00 PM ET — Atlanta Hawks vs. San Antonio Spurs — Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, Texas

October 8 — 10:30 PM ET — Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California

October 9

October 9 — 8:00 AM ET — Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks — Venetian Arena — Cotai, Macau

October 9 — 8:00 PM ET — Memphis Grizzlies vs. Chicago Bulls — United Center — Chicago, Illinois

October 10

October 10 — 6:30 PM ET — LA Clippers vs. Toronto Raptors — Rogers Arena — Vancouver, British Columbia

October 10 — 7:00 PM ET — Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers — Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Indiana

October 10 — 7:00 PM ET — Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards — Capital One Arena — Washington, D.C.

October 10 — 8:00 PM ET — Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics — TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts

October 10 — 8:00 PM ET — Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat — Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida

October 10 — 8:30 PM ET — Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors — Chase Center — San Francisco, California

October 10 — 10:00 PM ET — San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns — Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona

October 11

October 11 — 6:00 AM ET — Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets — Venetian Arena — Cotai, Macau

October 11 — 6:30 PM ET — Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers — Rocket Arena — Cleveland, Ohio

October 11 — 7:00 PM ET — Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte Hornets — Spectrum Center — Charlotte, North Carolina

October 11 — 9:00 PM ET — Chicago Bulls vs. Denver Nuggets — Ball Arena — Denver, Colorado

October 12

October 12 — 4:00 PM ET — London Lions vs. Portland Trail Blazers — Moda Center — Portland, Oregon

October 12 — 7:00 PM ET — Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards — Capital One Arena — Washington, D.C.

October 12 — 7:00 PM ET — Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Atlanta Hawks — State Farm Arena — Atlanta, Georgia

October 12 — 7:30 PM ET — Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks — Madison Square Garden — New York, New York

October 12 — 9:00 PM ET — San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz — Delta Center — Salt Lake City, Utah

October 13

October 13 — 7:00 PM ET — Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic — Kia Center — Orlando, Florida

October 13 — 7:00 PM ET — New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors — Scotiabank Arena — Toronto, Ontario

October 13 — 8:00 PM ET — Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder — Paycom Center — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

October 13 — 10:00 PM ET — Portland Trail Blazers vs. Sacramento Kings — Golden 1 Center — Sacramento, California

October 13 — 10:00 PM ET — Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers — T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, Nevada

October 14

October 14 — 7:30 PM ET — Charlotte Hornets vs. Boston Celtics — TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts

October 14 — 7:30 PM ET — Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat — Kaseya Center — Miami, Florida

October 14 — 8:00 PM ET — Phoenix Suns vs. San Antonio Spurs — Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, Texas

October 14 — 8:00 PM ET — Detroit Pistons vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — Target Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota

October 14 — 8:00 PM ET — New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks — American Airlines Center — Dallas, Texas

October 14 — 8:00 PM ET — Chicago Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks — Fiserv Forum — Milwaukee, Wisconsin

October 14 — 10:30 PM ET — Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers — Intuit Dome — Inglewood, California

October 15

October 15 — 7:30 PM ET — Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks — Madison Square Garden — New York, New York

October 15 — 8:30 PM ET — Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets — Toyota Center — Houston, Texas

October 16

October 16 — 7:00 PM ET — Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic — Kia Center — Orlando, Florida

October 16 — 7:00 PM ET — Toronto Raptors vs. Detroit Pistons — Little Caesars Arena — Detroit, Michigan

October 16 — 7:00 PM ET — Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers — Xfinity Mobile Arena — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 16 — 7:00 PM ET — Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers — Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Indiana

October 16 — 8:00 PM ET — Charlotte Hornets vs. Memphis Grizzlies — FedExForum — Memphis, Tennessee

October 16 — 8:00 PM ET — Atlanta Hawks vs. Dallas Mavericks — American Airlines Center — Dallas, Texas

October 16 — 8:00 PM ET — Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Chicago Bulls — United Center — Chicago, Illinois

October 16 — 8:00 PM ET — Sacramento Kings vs. San Antonio Spurs — Frost Bank Center — San Antonio, Texas

October 16 — 8:00 PM ET — Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans — Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana

October 16 — 10:00 PM ET — Utah Jazz vs. Phoenix Suns — Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona

October 16 — 10:00 PM ET — Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors — Chase Center — San Francisco, California

October 16 — 10:30 PM ET — Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California

Note: The 2026-27 NBA preseason officially began on October 3, and the regular season begins October 20.

When does the 2026-27 NBA regular season start?

The 2026-27 regular season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with three games, including an afternoon tilt between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. That matchup will be followed by an evening doubleheader when LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers visit the reigning champion New York Knicks and the Spurs host the Thunder in a Western Conference Finals rematch.

Tuesday, Oct. 20: Celtics at Pistons, 3 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock

Tuesday, Oct. 20: 76ers at Knicks, 7 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock

Tuesday, Oct. 20: Thunder at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock.

Where can I watch the NBA Preseason? What channel will it be on?

The majority of NBA preseason games will air on NBA TV and local regional networks or NBA League Pass. Select games will also be on ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT.

How can I stream the NBA Preseason or watch without cable?

Games on channels like ESPN, NBA TV and TNT can be streamed with services such as YouTube TV or Fubo TV.

Many games will also be available for streaming on NBA League Pass.




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