In what will come as a surprise to no one, the Knicks will host LeBron James and the new-look 76ers to open the 2026-27 NBA season on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
Before the game against Philadelphia, the Knicks will raise their 2025-26 NBA championship banner to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Beyond signing James this offseason, the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown. Their starting lineup now features James, Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe.
It was also revealed on Tuesday that the Knicks will host the Spurs on Christmas Day in an NBA Finals rematch, in a game that will tip off at 12 p.m.
As the Knicks look to repeat as champions, they will return the same starting lineup that toppled San Antonio in the Finals -- Jalen Brunson,Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges.
The Detroit Tigers sit as a -117 home favorite tonight against the Cleveland Guardians, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET at Comerica Park.
My Guardians vs. Tigers predictions are backing the hosts behind their solid bullpen and surging offense.
Find out more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-121)
The Cleveland Guardians send Tanner Bibee to the mound tonight. He's been reliable overall, but his recent form is shakier, with a 4.78 FIP, 2.08 HR/9, and 12.1% barrel rate over his last few outings.
That is concerning against a Detroit Tigers lineup carrying a 120 wRC+ over its last six games.
The Tigers counter with Drew Anderson, who typically works only two or three innings, but that setup is easier to trust with Detroit’s bullpen dominating. Over its last 18 1/3 frames, the relief corps owns a 2.39 xERA.
I’ll back Detroit and play this pick to -140.
COVERS INTEL: Cleveland has been far less dangerous away from home, posting an 85 road wRC+ compared to a 103 mark at Progressive Field. That gives Detroit’s bullpen-heavy pitching plan more support.
Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)
The Under presents more value tonight. While I expect Detroit to score runs off Bibee, he rarely gets lit up, and Cleveland’s bullpen hasn’t been crushed by the long ball. They have a 4.85 xERA over the last week while surrendering 1.09 HR/9.
Detroit’s power isn’t terrific right now anyway, posting a .128 ISO in the last seven days.
As for the Guardians offense, their ISO sits at .093 over its previous six contests. That matters against a Tigers pen that is limiting damage right now.
This should be a low-scoring affair at Comerica Park. Play this pick to -130.
Guardians vs Tigers home run prediction: Dillon Dingler (+388)
Dillon Dingler is red-hot at the moment, going deep three times in the last week while posting a .385 ISO during that span. The slugger gets to face Bibee tonight, who has had recent issues with the long ball.
What also stands out to me in that matchup is Bibee's 47.1% fly ball rate over the last month. Dingler has put 45.5% of his contact in the air in his last six games, and Bibee's barrel rate is alarming at the moment.
Also, the Guardians pen isn't completely untouched when it comes to home runs, either. If Dingler gets some lift on a mistake, it could very well leave the yard.
Play this pick down to +300.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 47-57, -16.09 units
Over/Under bets: 57-44, +6.34 units
Guardians vs Tigers weather
Weather at Comerica Park looks humid and a bit unsettled tonight, with temperatures sitting in the mid-70s from first pitch through 9 p.m. ET. Winds are light around 5-6 mph, but rain chances are elevated early, peaking around 58% at 8 p.m. Conditions are playable, though a brief delay risk exists.
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Guardians +113 | Tigers -117
Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-178) | Tigers -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-104)
Guardians vs Tigers trend
The Tigers have hit the Under in 25 of their last 40 games at home (+9.75 Units / 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.
How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Guardians.TV, DSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Tanner Bibee (4-11, 3.85 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Drew Anderson (4-4, 4.01 ERA)
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Hagen Smith made it 14 MLB debuts this season for the White Sox. | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There is good news from last week, and there is bad news. The good news? The White Sox took two of three from the Cleveland Guardians at home this past weekend and snapped a four-game losing streak. The bad news? The Boston Red Sox are still playing very good baseball and have swept us in the season series, for the first time ever.
But wait, there’s more good news: Cleveland has been dealt with for now, and has been dropped to fourth place in the division. Second place belongs to … the Tigers and Twins? If you remember, a week ago Detroit’s front office deemed a 3 1/2-game deficit from a Wild Card spot not good enough, and it sold off both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Yet despite this, they have taken advantage of Chicago (5-5), Cleveland (3-7), and Minnesota (4-6) having a mediocre last 10 games. By this time next week, we could see the preseason favorite for the AL Central title claiming a playoff spot heading into the second half of August. With that being said, Max Clark and a healthy Troy Melton are not going to save that team, and the Tigers will run out of steam (sorry to my fiance).
This begs the question, who will claim the top spot of the worst division in baseball? Right now, things are looking sunny for the White Sox.
You would not have thought so after getting steamrolled at Fenway. The series opener on Tuesday was a 14-2 beating. That doesn’t feel great after coming off a series win against Tampa. There was a theory that Davis Martin was tipping pitches (seemingly confirmed by the pitcher himself and Kyle Teel), but has anyone stopped to consider that the righty just really stinks on the road?
This season he is posting a 5.32 ERA in 12 road starts. His BB/9 is 3.41, his WHIP is 1.52, and batters are hitting .295. Now compare that to his 2.84 ERA at home over 11 starts. Home field advantage still very much exists, and it plays to Martin’s favor. In these starts his BB/9 is 2.05, his WHIP drops to 1.11, and batters facing him are hitting below league average at .231. I am not Zach Bove, I do not know how to fix this, but I do know that it should be fixed. Lucky for Martin, he is currently in the front of the rotation, and should the standings remain as they are he will probably have the opportunity to start a playoff game on his home mound.
Thursday was the most stressful game of the season thus far. It was giving playoff energy and, after dropping the second game of the three-game set 4-0 the night before, it felt like a must-win game for the White Sox. It went 13 innings, and the Good Guys lost. The team could get runs across the plate in extras with no problem, but the pitching struggled to keep the Red Sox from doing the same thing. Ultimately, Caleb Durbin walked it off with a single to center field. Erick Fedde, who conveniently moved to the bullpen after the Luis Castillo trade, got pegged with the loss.
You just got walloped by a team that nobody except its fans like, you head home to face your closest division rival, and what do you do? The correct answer is lose 8-2 in the series opener. It was at this point that I thought the season had struck midnight and the team turned into a pumpkin.
It was a Noah Schultz start. Or so it was until Bove went to the mound to talk with his pitcher and then Will Venable went out for a second mound visit with the lefty. Because there were two mound visits in the same inning with the same pitcher, Schultz was required to be removed from the game after a third of an inning of work. What could he have possibly done with that singular out of work? That answer is give up two earned runs. David Sandlin got tapped for clean-up duty and instead made an even bigger mess of the game, giving up six earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. At least Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami homered?
Saturday was the long-awaited Ozzie Guillén jersey retirement day. It was a magnificent day, celebrating a man who brought so much joy to the city of Chicago. I was in attendance for the celebrations, and it wasn’t until the pomp and circumstance was over that the realization hit me of just how much Ozzie did for this city. Plus, it was really cool to see all my childhood crushes in attendance (hey, Joe Crede!).
The White Sox did not embarrass dear Ozzie on his big day. The team went down, 2-0, in the top of the sixth inning but quickly answered with a five-run rally in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory. The club gifted the Guilléns a trip to Japan as part of the number retirement festivities, so it felt only fitting that Mune slugged his 26th dinger of the year to get the scoring going. Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Tristan Peters all came up with big RBIs in the victory as well.
Sunday’s rubber match was a wet one. There was only an inning of play before the Sodfather had to get the tarp out. Both starters surrendered runs in the inning, with Cleveland having the 2-1 edge heading into the 2:23 rain delay. What started as a standard Martin outing, resulted in a Hagen Smith MLB debut when the storms finally cleared and play was able to resume.
The No. 2 prospect challenged himself in his two innings of work. He allowed no runs, struck out three, and walked four. The lefty’s stuff looked nasty. The unfortunate part was his pitch count was elevated after walking the bases loaded in the third inning. He was done after 48 pitches. I have no doubt Smith went home with a handful of authenticated balls on Sunday, one of which denoted his first MLB win.
Colson played hero in yet another game this season, launching his 26th long ball of the season. This homer got him back a piece of the team lead with Mune. It also got the White Sox the lead they needed for the 5-3 victory.
This week, the other team from Ohio comes to town (the Reds). The Cincinnati squad seems like they will be much less of a threat than their friends to the north, but looks can always be deceiving. Chicago will need a solid series before they head back to the Motor City. Just because the Tigers sold at the deadline doesn’t mean they do not remain a threat in this ever-weakening division.
As Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “petting never turned a tiger into a kitten.”
Youssef Chermiti faces a long recovery from anterior cruciate ligament damage sustained shortly after Rangers turned down an offer for the striker.
The 22-year-old Portuguese was injured during Sunday's 2-1 home defeat to Hibernian as he collided with advertising boards following a jarring challenge.
A club announcement via social media states Chermiti "will be out of action for a significant period of time".
He moved to Ibrox from Everton in September 2025, reportedly becoming Rangers' most expensive purchase since Tore Andre Flo in 2000.
Capped at under-21 level by Portugal, the centre forward has made 43 Rangers appearances, 30 of them starts, scoring 15 goals.
Asked about reports that Turkish champions Galatasaray had made an approach for Chermiti, Rangers manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland prior to kick-off: "I'm led to believe the club's valuation of the player hasn't been met.
"It's no surprise that he's a player who's got a big (price) tag on him and he's got high potential, but thankfully he's our player and that will continue to be the case.
"We're trying to build a team here at the minute and we're trying to still bring additions to the team that helps us add to the good players that we've got, including Youssef.
"So it's not something we would encourage at any point."
The ultimate present for NBA fans will feature a host of the league's marquee teams. The matchups, announced on Tuesday, Aug. 11, are highlighted by LeBron James making his return to Los Angeles to face his former team, the Lakers.
🎁 Wemby, Spurs visit Brunson and the defending champion Knicks in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals 🎁 Tatum, Celtics host Giannis and the Heat in Beantown 🎁 LeBron returns to LA to face Luka and the Lakers 🎁 Shai and Ant go… pic.twitter.com/njuWV146ym
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 08: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees and David Weathers talk during the New York Yankees Old Timers' Day before the game against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium on August 8, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After three straight series against the Senior Circuit, the Yankees welcome the Mariners to the East Coast. The Bombers had an off day on Monday after dropping the series finale against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves. The Yankees continue to hold serve as they wait for reinforcements to arrive, posting a 5-5 mark over their last 10 games, including an even 3-3 record thus far on the homestand.
The Mariners dock in New York after being swept at home by the pesky and, at this point, must-be-declared-legit Tampa Bay Rays. Seattle’s season has not gone according to plan, as star catcher Cal Raleigh has struggled and the club enters play Tuesday sitting at 56-63. The Mariners have dropped four straight and are just 3-7 over their last 10 games.
This series features two night games before Thursday’s getaway game, currently scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into which Mariners will be manning the harpoons and which Yankees white whales will be hoping to avoid the trident.
Tuesday: Ryan Weathers vs. Bryan Woo (7:05 pm ET)
Weathers has had a bit of an up-and-down first season in the Bronx. After opening the year looking solid, the month of June was not kind to the left-hander. However, since the calendar flipped to July, Weathers has found his footing again. Weathers currently has a 5-7 record, 3.79 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP for the season.
Over his last three starts, he has thrown 18.2 innings while allowing just one earned run. That stretch includes six scoreless innings in his most recent outing against the Cardinals at home. Weathers has had his struggles in pinstripes this season, posting a 4.11 ERA at home compared to a 3.35 ERA on the road, but he will look to keep the ball in the yard and continue building on this recent momentum.
Woo is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, featuring a dominant four-seam fastball, excellent command, and the type of arm slot and tunneling that makes pitching nerds drool. The good news? Woo has been two very different pitchers this season.
At home, he owns an ace-like 7-0 record with a 1.96 ERA. On the road, however, Woo is 1-8 with a 6.71 ERA. That difference has held true recently as well. In his last two home starts, Woo has allowed just two earned runs across 13 innings. In his last two road starts, however, he has been roughed up for 10 earned runs in 10 innings. Those splits bring his overall season numbers to 8-8 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. Expect Aaron Boone to send as many left-handed hitters to the plate as possible, as Woo’s platoon splits also favor the lefties. Left-handed hitters have posted a .700 OPS against Woo this season compared to .585 from righties.
Wednesday: Will Warren vs. Bryce Miller (7:00 pm ET)
Much like Weathers, Warren has had his ups and downs throughout the 2026 season. Currently sitting at 8-6 with a 4.18 ERA, Warren’s season has felt a bit like a roller coaster. After starting the year in dominant fashion, he has struggled as the weather has warmed. In July, Warren went 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA.
Warren has looked better in his last two starts. Against the Cubs, he tossed 6.2 scoreless innings, and in his most recent turn against the Cardinals, he allowed three runs over 5.1 innings. As one of the backend guys in this rotation, you have to expect some turbulence with Warren, take the good with the bad, and hope he can grind his way to a quality start.
The Mariners will send another power right-hander to the mound on Wednesday, as Miller gets the ball opposite Warren. On the season, Miller sits at 4-6 with a 3.08 ERA. He features an upper-90s fastball that he pairs with a nasty splitter and sweeper. Miller primarily uses the splitter to attack lefties and the sweeper against righties, and both pitches have been effective enough to produce almost identical platoon splits. Left-handed hitters have posted a .630 OPS against Miller compared to .629 from righties.
The good news for the Yankees is that, much like Woo, Miller has struggled away from the Pacific Northwest this season. At home, he owns a 2.09 ERA, while that number balloons to 4.02 on the road. More good news? The summer months have also been less kind to Miller, who currently finds himself in his worst stretch of the season. He has not made it through the sixth inning of a start since July 2nd.
Thursday: Max Fried vs. Logan Gilbert (1:35 pm ET)
The Yankees sandwich Warren with lefties as Fried takes the ball in the series finale. Fried has been steadily building himself back up after missing about two months of the season. Since returning, he has picked up right where he left off and currently owns a 4-3 record to go along with a tidy 2.88 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.
With two August starts under his belt, Fried looks ready for the postseason push. On the first of the month, he tossed 78 pitches of one-run ball against the Cubs before reaching 90 pitches while throwing 6.1 scoreless innings against his former club, the Braves, in his most recent start. I expect the training wheels to come off soon, and might I add that having a left-handed ace take the ball every fifth day is such an awesome thing to get to watch.
While the Yankees show a little spice of life on the mound, the Mariners roll out their third straight hard-throwing righty in Gilbert for the final game. Seattle’s front office clearly has a type: tall right-handers who throw hard, get extension down the mound, and command all of their offerings. It is a good type, but with no real wrinkle from one day to the next, hopefully the Yankees’ bats can lock in and light up Gilbert.
Gilbert owns an 8-7 record with a 3.42 ERA and 1.00 WHIP on the season. Unlike his other companions, Gilbert has actually been better on the road this year, posting a 2.50 ERA away from home compared to a 4.01 ERA at T-Mobile Park. In his most recent start against the Rays, Gilbert went 6.2 innings and took a tough 2-1 loss after allowing a pair of solo home runs that proved to be the difference. Tampa Bay also worked four walks, a season high for Gilbert.
The Yankees took two of three when they visited Seattle back in late March and early April. Here’s hoping for more of the same this time around in the Bronx.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 10: Brett Baty #7 of the New York Mets reacts as he rounds third base after hitting a grand slam in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
A Brett Baty grand slam capped off a five-run first inning, and the Mets held on for an 8-5 win in the opening game of their three-game set against the Braves at Truist Park.
The Mets placed closer Devin Williams on the IL with a right shoulder strain.
The club won’t name a closer in his absence, and many different guys will get their shot in the ninth.
Kodai Senga picked up his first career save last night, but due to Carson Benge’s mistake of throwing the final out to a fan, he did not get to keep the ball.
Laura Albanese argued that this is the right time to try Senga out in the closer’s role.
Carson Benge’s breakout season can partially be attributed to his bat, and partially to his ‘big time’ outfield arm.
Chelsea Janes answered some fan questions related to the Amazins, including inquiries about the plan at first base in 2027 and whether innings limits could result in early ends to Scott and Thornton’s 2026 seasons.
Mitch Voit has been scorching hot since debuting for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, and he earned Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week.
Nicolas Carreño of the Brooklyn Cyclones was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week after throwing 5 2/3 hitless innings and striking out eight.
Billy Amick, one of the team’s newest prospects, is wasting no time making himself right at home with his recent power surge.
Around the National League East
This series between the Phillies and the Cardinals could have major playoff implications.
The Phillies held on to win the first game of the series, 6-5. Andrew Painter took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning for Philadelphia in the win.
Caleb Killian, whom Philadelphia acquired as part of the Luis Arraez trade, has been placed on the IL with a ‘moderate’ strain of his left oblique.
Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep have been cleared to begin throwing as they look to work their way back from their respective injuries.
The Nationals are baseball’s highest-scoring offense, and are doing so by being historically young (seriously, the team only has one plate appearance all season by someone over the age of 29).
The Blue Jays narrowly beat the Red Sox 2-1. It wasn’t all good news for Toronto, who lost starter Jameson Taillon, who was making his Toronto home debut, to right forearm discomfort after just four innings.
The Twins scored five in the seventh and then held on to beat the Orioles 9-5.
The Rangers scored three in the 10th to beat the Angels 4-1.
The Astros, like their Texas counterparts, also put up a three-spot in extras to beat the Giants, 6-3 in 10 innings.
The Diamondbacks blanked the Rockies 9-0.
The Rays used an eight-run eighth to secure their seventh straight win as they topped the Athletics 10-6.
The Padres beat the MLB-best Brewers 3-2. The win was aided by Jackson Merrill, who hit his third home run in as many games.
The Dodgers defeated the Royals 6-5 in Tarik Skubal’s home debut. Skubal discussed feeling the nerves in an outing that he said was ‘special’ to him.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Brian Salvatore previewed the team’s three-game series against the Braves.
Gary Carter, who hit career home run 299 in mid-May, finally connected with career home run number 300 (and ended a career-worst 63-game stretch without a dinger) on this date in 1988.
They’ll host the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 21 in both team’s season opener as part of ESPN’s opening-week doubleheader on the second day of the regular season.
The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. PT tipoff.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers is double-teamed by Gary Payton II and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 28, 2026. Getty Images
The matchup will also mark the first time since the 2018-19 season, James’ first season with the franchise, that the Lakers weren’t featured on the league’s Opening Night.
Celtics at Pistons, 76ers at Knicks and Thunder at Spurs are scheduled for Oct. 20 as part of a NBC/Peacock Opening Night triple-header.
Lakers-Warriors will be proceeded by Timberwolves at Heat in the team debuts for LaMelo Ball (Minnesota) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami) to kick off the ESPN doubleheader.
This season will mark the second straight season and the fourth time in the last six years the Lakers and Warriors played each other for their season openers.
The Warriors won each of the previous three season-opening matchups.
This will mark the seventh time in eight seasons the Lakers will play their first game of the season in California, with their Opening Night matchup against the Nuggets in 2023 being the lone exception.
The league will release the NBA Cup Group Play schedule on Wednesday before announcing the entire schedule at noon on Thursday.
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on February 26, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics will tip off the 2026-2027 NBA season on the road against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET, the NBA has announced.
It’s the first in a three-game slate, followed by games at the Philadelphia 76ers visiting the New York Knicks at 7pm ET and the Oklahoma City Thunder visiting the San Antonio Spurs at 9:30pm ET. That means Boston will take part in the first official game of the regular season.
The Celtics will then host the Knicks on Friday, October 23rd at 7pm ET for their home opener.
The first four days of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will feature nine national games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime Video.
The Celtics will host the Miami Heat on Christmas Day
The NBA also announced the league’s Christmas Day schedule, and the Celtics will host the new-look Miami Heat in the second game of the day, at 2:30pm ET. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, and the rest of the squad will face Jayson Tatum and the Celtics at TD Garden.
The rest of the slate includes San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks at 12pm ET, Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers at 5pm ET, Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves at 8pm ET, and Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors at 10:30pm ET.
The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.
Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense on Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The two biggest regular season games of the defending champion New York Knicks’ schedule have been released, as the NBA revealed Tuesday morning on Good Morning America that the Knicks would open their season by raising the banner on October 20th against the Philadelphia 76ers before squaring off with the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA Finals rematch at MSG on Christmas Day.
The Ring Night matchup against the Sixers was not something that many saw coming after the season concluded, but Philly’s two blockbuster moves to acquire Jaylen Brown and LeBron James moved them to the front of the line to open their season at the World’s Most Famous Arena with their new-look roster.
Weirdly, they will not be the first game of the NBA season, as the league decided to put Pistons-Celtics at 3pm on a Tuesday for some reason, marking the first time since 2022-23 the defending champions weren’t playing the first game of the league calendar.
As for Christmas, it’s the juiciest possible matchup between the two teams with probably the best inter-conference rivalry in basketball (Celtics-Lakers hasn’t had that feel in a while). Classic matchups the last three years that included Brunson’s 60-point game, Wembanyama’s 40-20, a Christmas 2024 clash, Champagnie’s barrage of threes on NYE 2025, the 2025 NBA Cup Final, and of course, the 2026 NBA Finals, the most viewed finals since Michael Jordan still roamed.
It’s the sixth consecutive year the Knicks will be playing at Madison Square Garden on Christmas, expanding their lead on all-time appearances to 59. It’s the 11th consecutive time they’ll be playing at MSG, dating back to a clash at Staples Center with the Lakers in 2012-13. Before that, the last time the Knicks spent Christmas on the road was 1999 against Indiana. It will also likely be the 10th consecutive noon appearance for the Knicks, because let’s be real.
It’s also a return of something that a lot of fans clamor for every year. It’s the first time since 2018 that Christmas features an NBA Finals rematch, something not seen since the Cavs and Warriors did it three straight years. The lack of true juice in the Finals can contribute to that feeling, but we definitely have a rivalry here to sink our teeth into.
The other matchups on these two nights include the Western Conference champion Spurs hosting the 2025 NBA champion OKC Thunder on Opening Night. On Christmas, it’s Giannis and the Heat heading to Boston to face Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, LeBron returning to Los Angeles to play his former team, the Thunder visiting Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, and Nikola Jokic squaring off with Steph Curry in the Bay Area.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks plays defense during the game against Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With Jaylen Brown and LeBron James joining a talented Philadelphia 76ers core that now has legitimate championship aspirations, attention around this Sixers season is going to be ratcheted up to the maximum. We already heard they’ll be slated for the maximum allotted nationally televised games during the upcoming 2026-27 regular season. Tuesday morning, we received news of a few of those high-profile events.
The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule is headlined by LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers visiting Los Angeles to face the Luka Dončić-led Lakers and a Spurs-at-Knicks NBA Finals rematch.
The Sixers will open the season on Tuesday, October 20 at Madison Square Garden against the defending champion New York Knicks. While I don’t relish the idea of seeing a banner-raising ceremony in front of a cheering arena of Knicks fans, a Sixers win to kick off this new era would provide a small measure of consolation. Some are calling this one the Ariel Hukporti revenge game.
Philadelphia’s home opener will be on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 pm ET against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Jaylen Brown and LeBron James taking the court in Philadelphia for the first time as Sixers (not counting possible preseason appearances), those tickets are sure to be sold out and highly sought after on the secondary markets. James Harden in the building should provide some interesting Sliding Doors-like thoughts to run through our heads.
Later, the Sixers will make their return to Christmas Day action as they head west to take on the Lakers in Los Angeles. It will be LeBron’s first time playing against the Lakers since the 2017-18 season during his second stint with the Cavaliers. I would imagine this game will be at or near the beginning of Philadelphia’s annual Disney on Ice road trip. Seeing the Sixers square up against Luka Doncic should be one fun final present to unwrap that day.
The only surprise is not seeing the Sixers up against the Boston Celtics in one of these slates for the Jaylen Brown return narrative. Regardless, I’m sure the league will have at least a couple juicy viewing windows across the four meetings between the clubs this season, and these already announced games have plenty of fun star power and storylines. Basketball is nearly back!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 10: Sean Murphy #12 and Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves converse during the first inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on August 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves have to be ready to escape this New York Part of the schedule. After some struggles against the Yankees over the weekend, the Braves once again could not figure out the Mets in an 8-5 loss on Monday. A bizarre first inning led to 5 runs allowed by Bryce Elder, and was just too big of a hole for the Braves to climb out of. With a tough part of the schedule upcoming, it would be nice if the Braves could win one or both of the next few games.
Braves News
Both Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep will start throwing exercises in the near future. It does not seem to change their outlook for this season that much, as Weiss implied neither should be counted on to contribute this year.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during a game against the New York Knicks on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Getty Images North America)
The Lakers will face off against a familiar face for their Christmas Day matchup.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during a game against the New York Knicks on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Getty Images
It’ll be James’ lone visit to Crypto.com Arena as an opposing player during the 2026-27 season after spending eight seasons with the franchise.
The matchup will tip off at 2 p.m. PT, with ABC (Ch. 7) and ESPN televising every Christmas Day game.
The Lakers have played on Christmas every year since 1999, and have played the second-most games on the holiday (52) behind the Knicks (58).
James (20) has appeared in the most Christmas Day games. The league’s all-time leading scorer has also scored the most points on Christmas.
The NBA announced the league’s Christmas Day slate as part of a release of marquee games.
The five-game Christmas schedule will also feature the Spurs-Knicks NBA Finals rematch at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics hosting Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat, the Timberwolves hosting the Thunder and the Warriors hosting the Nuggets.
The league will release the NBA Cup Group Play schedule on Wednesday before announcing the entire schedule at noon on Thursday.
Knicks celebrate championship win over Spurs on June 13, 2026.
The Knicks are firmly the main attraction.
The NBA placed its defending champions front and center, as the Knicks will be showcased on both opening night and Christmas Day.
They will face off with LeBron James and the 76ers on Opening Night at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, where they will raise their championship banner and collect their rings in front of the King and his new team. It will be LeBron and Jaylen Brown’s debuts with Philadelphia after the team’s blockbuster moves this offseason.
LeBron James signed with the 76ers this offseason. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It will be the first time the Knicks raise a championship banner since 1973 – their last title.
The game – at 7 p.m. ET on NBC – will be the second of a triple-header slate on the network, sandwiched between a Celtics-Pistons matchup and Thunder-Spurs showdown.
Knicks celebrate championship win over Spurs on June 13, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
On Christmas Day, the Knicks will host Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs at MSG in a Finals rematch – the first meeting between the two teams since Game 5, when the Knicks secured the championship.
The two teams similarly played each other on Christmas Day two years ago in 2024, providing an exhilarating preview of what they would deliver a year later. Mikal Bridges memorably erupted for 41 points in a 117-114 Knicks win. Wemby put on a show with 42 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs.
This year’s matchup will kick off the league’s Christmas Day slate, at noon on ABC/ESPN. Later in the day, LeBron will return to Los Angeles as the 76ers square off with the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Heat-Celtics, Thunder-Timberwolves and Thunder-Warriors are the other Christmas Day matchups.
And the Knicks will travel to Boston to play the Celtics as part of Amazon Prime’s first Friday night doubleheader on Oct. 23 – at 7 p.m. ET. before Rockets-Spurs later in the night.
It will be the second nationally televised game the Knicks play in the first week of the season and the first time they will play against Mitchell Robinson, who signed with the Celtics this offseason after eight years in New York.
The Knicks have a long history of playing on Christmas, with more games (58), wins (26) and losses (32) than any other team. Last year, they delivered another memorable win – overcoming a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit (a taste of what would come later in the postseason) to come back and beat the Cavs 126-124 at MSG. Jalen Brunson poured in 34 points while Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson had huge games off the bench.
It was a role reversal the last time the Knicks played on the league’s Opening Night two years ago – against the Celtics at TD Garden for Boston’s banner and ring night after their 2024 title. The Knicks were blown out 132-109.
This time, though, it will be their coronation in front of a national audience. Their banner entering immortality. Their rings sliding onto their fingers.
The New York Knicks will begin their defense of their NBA Championship when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers to open the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.
The day begins with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons, tipping off at 3 p.m. ET. Both teams suffered epic flameouts in the playoffs last season. Boston lost in seven games in the first round to the 76ers, and Detroit, as the East's No. 1 seed, also lost in seven games but in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks will hold their championship banner ceremony before tipping off their title defense against the Sixers and new addition LeBron James at 7 p.m. ET. The nightcap will pit the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Spurs in San Antonio.
New York expects to bring back its starting five of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl Anthony Towns for a chance at back-to-back championships. There have been eight different NBA champions in the last eight seasons, with the Golden State Warriors being the last to repeat in 2017 and 2018.
Philadelphia, which hasn't won an NBA title since 1983, brings star power that could challenge the Knicks in the Eastern Conference with the acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and the signing of James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, who will turn 42 in December. Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season, and oft-injured former MVP Joel Embiid provide the 76ers with a top-heavy roster that hopes to compete for a title.
A CAN'T-MISS TRIPLEHEADER TO OPEN THE SEASON.
🍿 Jayson Tatum, Paul George and the Celtics visit Cade Cunningham and last year's top-seeded Pistons
🍿 LeBron James and Jaylen Brown make Sixers debuts vs. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks on their championship banner raising night at… pic.twitter.com/jazcOOP8PB
COVERS INTEL: Cleveland has been far less dangerous away from home, 
