Sports

NBA schedule release: LeBron vs. Knicks on opening night, Lakers on Christmas

Published

1 hour ago

August 12, 2026

The NBA will tip off its 2026-27 season with a triple-header — and some big-time matchups.

The reigning champion New York Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 20 in the marquee event of Opening Day. LeBron James will make his debut with his new team at Madison Square Garden the same night the Knicks will (likely) receive their championship rings. James and the Sixers will also face his former team the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day, and Philadelphia’s first home game will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers — with whom James has a bit of history — on Oct. 22.

The San Antonio Spurs will host the Oklahoma City Thunder in a Western Conference finals rematch at 9:30 p.m. ET. Victor Wembanyama and the young Spurs defeated the 2025 NBA champions in a great seven-game series last spring.

The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics will start the day with an afternoon game at 3 p.m ET. All three games will air on NBC.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is scheduled to make his debut with the Miami Heat on Oct. 21 when the Heat host the Minnesota Timberwolves and their new point guard LaMelo Ball. The Golden State Warriors will visit the Los Angeles Lakers that night, too.

Tuesday’s unveiling of the season openers was the first of a weeklong schedule reveal by the league. The NBA also announced its Christmas Day slate, which will include (all times ET and all games to air on ABC/ESPN):

• Spurs at Knicks, noon

• Heat at Celtics, 2:30 p.m.

• 76ers at Lakers, 5 p.m.

• Thunder at Timberwolves, 8 p.m.

• Denver Nuggets at Warriors, 10:30 p.m.

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

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 11, 2026

The Christmas games begin with a rematch of last year’s finals between the Spurs and Knicks. James and the Sixers will square off against the Lakers, for whom James played from 2018 through last season. James will play on Christmas Day for a 20th straight year this season. He made his Christmas debut as an 18-year-old rookie.

The Timberwolves will host a Christmas Day game for the first time in franchise history.

The Knicks, 76ers, Spurs, Celtics and Thunder will all play twice on national TV during opening week.

The first four days of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will feature nine national games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime Video.

Fans can purchase tickets at https://t.co/kQADBA8FDD.

NBA Schedule Release presented by @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/0qep3dyAvw

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 11, 2026

The NBA Cup schedule will be released Wednesday, and full schedules for all 30 teams will be unveiled Thursday afternoon. A mid-August reveal is consistent with last year’s timeline, even though this summer brought some uncertainty surrounding one key free agent.

“Where LeBron (James) plays affects the schedule,” commissioner Adam Silver said July 16 while speaking on a panel at the CNBC/Boardroom Game Plan event at Fanatics Fest 2026. “I would like him to make his announcement already so we can finish the schedule, because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule. But it will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc.”

A week later, the 41-year-old James announced his intention to join the Philadelphia 76ers, and it seems like a near certainty that we’ll see James, Jaylen Brown and company featured prominently throughout the season.

Why Philly will be LeBron’s hardest test

David Aldridge and Johnny Sweet

This will mark the second year of an 11-year, $75 billion national television contract for the league. Last season was the first to feature a new partnership with Amazon and a reunion with NBC.

Longtime broadcast partners ESPN and ABC will carry the Christmas games as usual, but they will face stiff competition from the NFL, which has three games (Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks) scheduled for Christmas and one (Houston Texans vs. Philadelphia Eagles) planned for Christmas Eve.

The NBA already announced in June that NBA Cup group-play games will begin Oct. 30, with the championship game set for Dec. 11 at Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That will be the first in-season tournament title game not to be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The semifinals of the NBA Cup are also moving from Las Vegas to home sites. Those will take place Dec. 8 or Dec. 9.

This story will be updated.

Sports

Myles Lewis-Skelly transfer news: Chelsea and Man Utd turn down intermediary offer to sign Arsenal teenager – Paper Talk | Football News

Published

6 minutes ago

August 12, 2026

qasimgillani

The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday’s newspapers…

Myles Lewis-Skelly transfer news

Chelsea and Manchester United have turned down the chance to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly after they were contacted by an intermediary associated with the Arsenal left-back – Daily Telegraph

Myles Lewis-Skelly wants to stay at Arsenal and is fully focused on establishing himself in Mikel Arteta‘s first-team plans for the upcoming season – The Athletic

Manchester United are prepared to move for Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly but consider his valuation to be too high – The Sun

Transfer news

Newcastle are exploring a move for Benfica right-back Amar Dedic – Daily Mail

Aston Villa have reached a verbal agreement to sign Matteo Ruggeri from Atletico Madrid – Fabrizio Romano

Tottenham are interested in a move for AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun – who used to play for Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal – L’Equipe

Kyle Walker is a target for Everton – The Sun

Manchester City defender Max Alleyne is joining Burnley on a season loan – Daily Mail

Paul Pogba is set to leave Monaco by mutual agreement midway through his two-year contract, having made just six appearances for the club – The Athletic

Benfica are weighing up a move for Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis – Daily Mail

Premier League new-boys Hull City are in pole position to complete a swoop for Millwall winger Femi Azeez – The Sun

Solly March has spent time at the Crystal Palace training ground ahead of a potential free transfer – Daily Mail

The Jeff Bezos consortium deal that is on the brink of buying a £1.5bn stake in Liverpool could even be completed this week – Daily Telegraph

Celtic have been told they will need to stump up more than £8m to land Torino ace Gvidas Gineitis – Daily Record

Sports

Sharks 0-54 New Zealand | Highlights

Published

13 minutes ago

August 12, 2026

qasimgillani

Highlights of the Greatest Rivalry tour match between the Sharks and New Zealand in Durban.

Sports

NFL: New York Jets cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers taking to hospital after collapsing in joint practice with Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NFL News

Published

20 minutes ago

August 12, 2026

qasimgillani

New York Jets cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers was taken to a hospital by ambulance after he briefly lost consciousness during a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn said the 24-year-old was conscious and talking on the field before being put on a stretcher and taken for further examination. There was no immediate word on Stiggers’ condition, but Glenn indicated the cornerback was doing okay.

“He was able to talk and I want to make sure I go and see him after this, just to make sure I’m good with everything,” Glenn said. “But for the most part, he was good.”

The Jets and Buccaneers were in the middle of special-teams drills when Glenn said Stiggers came to the sideline.

“He actually fell out,” Glenn said. “The good thing is, he was conscious. Our guys did a hell of a job, just like most medical staffs around this league do in situations like that, and they took the necessary steps just to make sure that we do everything we can to be on board when it comes to those situations.”

It was a somewhat scary scene, though, as several Jets team-mates took a knee near the sideline and some formed a prayer circle.

After several minutes, Stiggers was placed on a stretcher with what appeared to be an IV and loaded into the ambulance as fans seated near the area clapped in support.

“It was very sad, very emotional,” Jets running back Breece Hall said. “You get on your knee and say a prayer for him and hope he’s okay.”

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips added: “What’s been shared to us is things are on the up and up.”

Practice resumed after being halted for more than 10 minutes while Stiggers was being attended to.

Stiggers was earlier involved in one of the handful of chippy moments during the practice when he had his helmet flung down the field by a Buccaneers player after players on both teams scuffled.

Stiggers is entering his third season with the Jets after being a fifth-round draft pick in 2024. He was one of that draft’s feelgood stories because he had no college football experience and was the first player drafted directly from the CFL, where he played for the Toronto Argonauts, since Miami took Jermaine Haley in 1999.

In 29 games, including five starts, with New York, Stiggers has 35 tackles, two fumble recoveries and three passes defended. He is also one of the Jets’ top special teams players.