The 2026 NBA preseason schedule is underway, giving basketball fans their first extended look at teams preparing for the 2026-27 NBA regular season.
Preseason action begins Saturday, October 3, 2026, with the Miami Heat taking on the Toronto Raptors, and continues through Friday, October 16. The NBA regular season is scheduled to begin Tuesday, October 20.
Here is the complete 2026 NBA preseason schedule with dates, matchups and start times. All times listed are Eastern Time (ET).
Saturday, October 3
- Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors — 7:00 PM ET
Sunday, October 4
- Utah Jazz at Denver Nuggets — 7:00 PM ET
- Golden State Warriors at LA Clippers — 7:00 PM ET
Monday, October 5
- Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks — 7:00 PM ET
- Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons — 7:00 PM ET
- New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers — 7:00 PM ET
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks — 8:00 PM ET
- Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings — 10:00 PM ET
Tuesday, October 6
- Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets — 7:00 PM ET
- New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:00 PM ET
- Denver Nuggets at Utah Jazz — 9:00 PM ET
- Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors — 10:00 PM ET
Wednesday, October 7
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Indiana Pacers — 7:00 PM ET
- Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies — 8:00 PM ET
- Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls — 8:00 PM ET
- Milwaukee Bucks at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:00 PM ET
- Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers — 10:00 PM ET
Thursday, October 8
- Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers — 7:00 PM ET
- Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets — 7:30 PM ET
- New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat — 7:30 PM ET
- Washington Wizards at New York Knicks — 7:30 PM ET
- Atlanta Hawks at San Antonio Spurs — 8:00 PM ET
- Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers — 10:30 PM ET
Friday, October 9
- Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks — 8:00 AM ET
- Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls — 8:00 PM ET
The Rockets-Mavericks matchup is part of the NBA’s international preseason schedule in Macao.
Saturday, October 10
- LA Clippers at Toronto Raptors — 6:30 PM ET
- Detroit Pistons at Washington Wizards — 7:00 PM ET
- Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers — 7:00 PM ET
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat — 8:00 PM ET
- Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics — 8:00 PM ET
- Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors — 8:30 PM ET
- San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns — 10:30 PM ET
Sunday, October 11
- Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets — 6:00 AM ET
- Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers — 6:30 PM ET
- Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Hornets — 7:00 PM ET
- Chicago Bulls at Denver Nuggets — 9:00 PM ET
Dallas and Houston meet for their second preseason game in Macao.
Monday, October 12
- London Lions at Portland Trail Blazers — 4:00 PM ET
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Atlanta Hawks — 7:00 PM ET
- Brooklyn Nets at Washington Wizards — 7:00 PM ET
- Minnesota Timberwolves at New York Knicks — 7:30 PM ET
- San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz — 9:00 PM ET
Tuesday, October 13
- Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic — 7:00 PM ET
- New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors — 7:00 PM ET
- Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:00 PM ET
- Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings — 10:00 PM ET
- Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers — 10:00 PM ET
Wednesday, October 14
- Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat — 7:30 PM ET
- Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics — 7:30 PM ET
- Detroit Pistons at Minnesota Timberwolves — 8:00 PM ET
- New Orleans Pelicans at Dallas Mavericks — 8:00 PM ET
- Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs — 8:00 PM ET
- Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks — 8:00 PM ET
- Denver Nuggets at LA Clippers — 10:30 PM ET
Thursday, October 15
- Toronto Raptors at New York Knicks — 7:30 PM ET
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets — 8:30 PM ET
Friday, October 16
The final night of the 2026 NBA preseason features a packed schedule:
- Miami Heat at Orlando Magic — 7:00 PM ET
- Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers — 7:00 PM ET
- Toronto Raptors at Detroit Pistons — 7:00 PM ET
- Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers — 7:00 PM ET
- Sacramento Kings at San Antonio Spurs — 8:00 PM ET
- Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks — 8:00 PM ET
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Chicago Bulls — 8:00 PM ET
- Washington Wizards at New Orleans Pelicans — 8:00 PM ET
- Charlotte Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies — 8:00 PM ET
- Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns — 10:00 PM ET
- Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors — 10:00 PM ET
- Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers — 10:30 PM ET
When Does the 2026 NBA Preseason Start?
The 2026 NBA preseason begins Saturday, October 3, with the Miami Heat facing the Toronto Raptors at 7:00 PM ET.
The preseason gives teams an opportunity to evaluate new players, rookies and offseason acquisitions while preparing rotations for the regular season.
When Does the 2026 NBA Preseason End?
The final NBA preseason games are scheduled for Friday, October 16, 2026.
That gives teams several days to make final roster decisions and prepare for the beginning of the regular season.
When Does the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season Start?
The 2026-27 NBA regular season begins Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
With the preseason running from October 3 through October 16, NBA fans will have nearly two weeks of exhibition basketball before the games begin counting toward the standings.
2026 NBA Preseason Key Dates
Preseason begins: October 3, 2026
Final preseason games: October 16, 2026
NBA regular season begins: October 20, 2026
The 2026 NBA preseason features plenty of notable matchups, including Lakers-Warriors, Celtics-76ers, Knicks-Raptors and international games involving the Rockets and Mavericks. It will also provide the first opportunity to see how teams’ new-look rosters are coming together ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.