The New York Knicks will face the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James again on Oct. 30, the opening day of NBA Cup play, the league announced Wednesday as it released the full schedule and the 15 nationally televised games that will air on ESPN, Prime Video and NBC/Peacock.
The matchup between the defending NBA champions and the 76ers, who also met on opening night Oct. 20, gives the league a marquee fixture to launch the tournament portion of the season. The Lakers visiting the Golden State Warriors also headlines the Oct. 30 slate, the first of the Friday game windows.
New York will appear in additional Cup games against the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 13 and the Miami Heat on Nov. 27, giving the Knicks a prominent schedule throughout the tournament. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in both the NBA Cup final and the NBA Finals last season, ending a 53-year championship drought. They also became the first NBA Cup winner to decline hanging a banner to mark the achievement.
How the NBA Cup works
NBA Cup games will be played every Friday from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27, with additional games scheduled for Nov. 24 and Nov. 25. The top team from each group advances to the quarterfinals, along with one wild-card team from each conference. The six groups were announced in June.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for Dec. 4-5, the semifinals for Dec. 8-9, and the final for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the classic college arena associated with Butler University. It is the first time the championship game will be held outside a standard NBA arena.
The history of the Cup
The event began as the NBA In-Season Tournament in 2023, when the Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural edition. The Milwaukee Bucks won in 2024 before the New York Knicks claimed the title last season on the way to the full NBA championship.
The tournament has found a niche on the NBA calendar as a distinct competition within the regular season structure, giving teams something meaningful to play for in October and November. The Knicks’ consecutive title victories last season added legitimacy to the tournament as a meaningful stepping stone.
What to watch
The Knicks-76ers rematch on Oct. 30 will be the first in-season look at the 76ers’ revamped roster, which includes James and Jaylen Brown alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. James will be 41 and in his 24th NBA season, playing in Philadelphia in what he called his final free agency decision.
The Lakers visiting the Warriors on the same day puts Stephen Curry‘s season opener in a tournament context and provides an early test for both franchises.
The full 2026-27 schedule is scheduled for release on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. Between the full schedule release and the specific tournament calendar announced Wednesday, NBA fans now have a clear picture of the early season through late December.
