The start of the 2025-26 NBA season is less than three months away. In fact, the season is even closer when taking training camp and preseason action into account, but the countdown is on to the first games that count on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Traditionally, the NBA loads up an appetizing doubleheader to begin the campaign, and the 2025-26 season projects to be no different given the introduction of new television partners. In fact, the folks at NBC have a scheduled doubleheader on Opening Night, with the NBA returning to the broadcast network after more than two decades.
The official matchups have not been announced and won't be until late August. But we have an idea for the perfect doubleheader, taking past history and present-day team quality into account. Without further delay, here is a fantastic potential slate for the league to use.
New York Knicks @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Traditionally, the reigning NBA champion opens the season at home with the eyes of the nation and the world on that venue. This season, that honor should go to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In fact, the only thing that "has" to happen, at least using conventional wisdom, on Oct. 21 is a home game for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City is in the Central Time Zone, meaning that the Thunder could host either the first game or the second game. In this construction, we'll go with an early tip-off in Oklahoma City, and arguably the most high-profile Eastern Conference team this season makes the trip to visit the Thunder. Yes, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the highest projected win total in the East, but the Knicks made the Eastern Conference Finals and, well, New York has a much broader fan base for the league to bank on in a marquee slot. The Thunder will likely be favored to beat any opponent in this game, but the Knicks are good enough to make things quite interesting.
Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers
In the nightcap, we're going to the well. There are arguments for a bunch of teams to play on Opening Night, including the Denver Nuggets (hello, Nikola Jokic), the Minnesota Timberwolves, the aforementioned Cleveland Cavaliers, and others. However, the "down" nature of the Boston Celtics, the injury to Tyrese Haliburton limiting the Indiana Pacers, and some other machinations lead us to traditional power teams.
Both the Warriors and the Lakers project to be good teams in 2025-26 and, perhaps more importantly for the league, each has massive appeal. The Warriors have two bonafide stars in Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, and Golden State was quite good when they played together last season. The Lakers have LeBron James and Luka Doncic, to go along with a rabid, national fan base and the stars that would almost certainly be in the crowd.
It is fair to say that other teams may be better than the Warriors and/or the Lakers this coming season. But at the same time, each project to be good enough to get the nod in this slot.