NEW YORK —The 2025-26 NBA schedule has dropped, delivering a thrilling lineup of must-see games filled with high stakes, emotional reunions and budding rivalries.

From Kevin Durant’s Oklahoma City homecoming on opening night to a star-packed Christmas Day clash between the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, here are 10 standout matchups to mark on your calendar as the regular season approaches.

Oct. 21: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder

This opening night matchup is a must-watch. Durant, who left Oklahoma City as a free agent in 2016 and was traded to the Rockets from the Suns in a blockbuster deal this June, returns to where his career began. He’s chasing a third NBA title, facing a Thunder team fresh off their first-ever championship. Oklahoma City enters the 2025-26 season as the Western Conference’s team to beat. Durant will face his former team as they raise their championship banner at Paycom Center, which should fuel him as the season continues.

Oct. 22: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks

Beyond the Mavs-Spurs rivalry, this matchup sells itself. Top overall pick Cooper Flagg takes on No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in 2023, in a clash of rising stars. Kyrie Irving remains sidelined from his ACL tear, but Wembanyama returns after a blood clot limited him to 46 games last season. The Mavericks’ revamped roster, led by Flagg, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, will test the Spurs’ dynamic young core of Wembanyama, Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.

Oct. 23: Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers

This NBA Finals rematch would be even more compelling with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton, but the Pacers’ star tore his Achilles early in Game 7 and is expected to miss most of the season. Regardless, expect intensity from both teams in this championship grudge match. Without Haliburton and Myles Turner, who signed a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, can the Pacers’ retooled roster compete with Oklahoma City’s dynamic championship core?

Oct. 24: Cleveland Cavaliers at Nets

The Nets had to make this list. Despite a modest 20.5-win total over/under from FanDuel Sportsbook, Brooklyn’s historic five-rookie class could turn heads if developed well. They face an early test against a Cavaliers team that dominated the Eastern Conference regular season last year. The Nets went 0-4 against Cleveland in 2024-25 and will be looking to steal their first game at Barclays Center, where they won just 12 games a year ago.

Nov. 24: Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns

Durant faces another reunion, this time against his former Suns squad. By this point in the 2025-26 season, the Rockets’ identity should be clear, but the revamped Suns, led by Devin Booker, may still be finding their footing. History shows Durant rises to the occasion in these situations. He scored 34 points in his Oklahoma City return, 20 points in his Golden State return and 33 points in his Brooklyn return.

Dec. 25: Cleveland Cavaliers at Knicks

With several Eastern Conference stars sidelined by injuries, the Cavaliers and Knicks are poised to chase titles in the upcoming season, setting the stage for an electrifying Christmas Day showdown. Featuring Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, this star-packed game promises a thrilling gift for NBA fans everywhere.

Dec. 27: Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs

Rutgers fans won’t want to miss this matchup, as Harper clashes with former teammate Ace Bailey, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft. Flagg is the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year at -190 odds, per FanDuel Sportsbook, with Ace Bailey second at +850 and Dylan Harper fourth at +1200. This game may not be the most thrilling, but for Harper and Bailey, it could prove pivotal in the Rookie of the Year race.

Jan. 17: Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics

The Hawks are viewed as a team on the rise after making a series of significant offseason acquisitions, including a trade for former Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis. Meanwhile, Boston faces challenges without Jayson Tatum for most of the 2025-26 season because of injury, having traded Jrue Holiday to Portland and with Jaylen Brown returning from arthroscopic surgery for a partially torn right meniscus. If Atlanta aims to claim a top seed in the Eastern Conference, they can prove it in Boston on Jan.17.

Jan. 19: Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers

This game pits the top-seeded Cavaliers and Thunder against each other in a battle of contrasting strengths, with Cleveland boasting the NBA’s best offense and Oklahoma City leading in defensive efficiency last season. Their stylistic clash delivered a thrilling 2024-25 regular-season showdown, with the Cavaliers edging out a 129-122 home victory. Yet a week later, the Thunder answered with a decisive 20-point victory, showing this matchup could swing either way.

Feb. 1: Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Nikola Jokic. A battle between the league’s most recent MVPs. Gilgeous-Alexander topped the league with 32.7 points per game last season, edging out Jokic for the MVP and halting his bid for a fourth award. Together, these stars have claimed four of the last five MVP honors, and both will be looking to claim another in 2025-26.

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