When is NBA Opening Night for the 2025 season? Circle your calendars for Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers and more

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With the preseason drawing to a close, fans have the same question on their mind: When is NBA opening night? Starting with Luka Doncic’s trade to the LA Lakers last season, teams throughout the league made several moves ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, significantly shaking things up before the playoffs.

After the OKC Thunder won the title, the moves continued in the offseason, headlined by a seven-team trade that saw Kevin Durant land with the Houston Rockets. In light of all the moves, the league seems to be wide open, piquing the fans’ interest in the upcoming season.

The 2025-26 season is set to open on Oct. 21 when the Rockets take on the OKC Thunder at Paycom Center, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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NBA opening night will also feature the Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers at Staples Center, tipping off at 10 p.m. ET. Let’s take a closer look at both matchups.

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What to expect from NBA opening night (Oct. 21)?

Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers

Despite facing the massive obstacle of Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency, the Golden State Warriors managed to make something out of the offseason. The team brought in Al Horford, giving it much-needed relief at the center position.

They also acquired Seth Curry and De’Anthony Melton, adding backcourt depth. Led by Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, the Warriors look solid heading into 2025-26.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have also had a productive summer, extending Luka Doncic on a three-year deal, and acquiring Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart.

Ayton’s signing will go a long way towards filling the team's gaping hole at the center position. Meanwhile, Smart and LaRavia add solid depth as two-way players who can play on the wing.

Houston Rockets vs OKC Thunder

The Houston Rockets had a massive summer following their first-round exit from the 2025 playoffs. The team traded its franchise player, Jalen Green, in a seven-team trade for Kevin Durant.

Moreover, the Rockets added some serious quality to their bench, bringing in JD Davison, Clint Capela, Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie. Despite losing Fred VanVleet to an ACL injury, fans will have much to be excited about for the Rockets in 2025-26.

Lastly, the OKC Thunder also had a busy summer, even though the team did not make any signings. The team extended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams in an effort to keep its championship core intact.

This move took OKC’s summer spending to a league-high $807.5 million, according to Spotrac. Fans can catch the reigning champions in action on NBA opening night.

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About the author

Sameer Khan

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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