NBA
NBA Opening Day 2026: TV Guide, Betting Lines and Expected Starters
Watch all three NBA opening-day games on October 20, with Mountain Time starts, U.S. and Canadian TV listings, betting lines and expected starting lineups.
The NBA’s 2026–27 regular season opens Tuesday, October 20, with three games: Boston at Detroit at 1 p.m. MT, Philadelphia at New York at 5 p.m. MT and Oklahoma City at San Antonio at 7:30 p.m. MT.
In the United States, all three air on NBC and stream on Peacock. In Canada, Sportsnet confirms tripleheader coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. Check your provider’s channel guide for the local Sportsnet feed and your subscription’s access.
TV schedule · Betting lines · Expected starters
NBA opening-day schedule
All games are Tuesday, October 20. Times below are Mountain Time.
| Game | Tipoff (MT) | Venue | U.S. | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons | 1 p.m. | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit | NBC / Peacock | Sportsnet / Sportsnet+ |
| Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks | 5 p.m. | Madison Square Garden, New York | NBC / Peacock | Sportsnet One / Sportsnet+ |
| Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs | 7:30 p.m. | Frost Bank Center, San Antonio | NBC / Peacock | Sportsnet One / Sportsnet+ |
NBC’s announced schedule includes Knicks banner-raising coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. MT, ahead of the Philadelphia–New York game.
Watching in Canada and the United States
Peacock is the listed U.S. streaming route; Canadian viewers should use the Canadian broadcaster’s coverage. Sportsnet’s current team schedules list Boston–Detroit on Sportsnet, with Philadelphia–New York and Oklahoma City–San Antonio on Sportsnet One. Sportsnet+ carries all three games. Check your provider’s feed and subscription entitlements.
For the middle game’s viewing details and regional restrictions, see the LeBron James 76ers debut watch guide. Broadcast promotion does not confirm any player’s final availability.
Betting lines
DraftKings Sportsbook lines reported by DraftKings Network on October 20; source checked at 12:08 p.m. MT. The source gives no intraday odds timestamp. Lines and prices can change. Prices below use American odds.
| Game | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celtics at Pistons | BOS −1.5 (−110) DET +1.5 (−110) | BOS −122 DET +102 | 219.5 Over −108 / Under −112 |
| 76ers at Knicks | PHI +4.5 (−110) NYK −4.5 (−110) | PHI +150 NYK −180 | 232.5 Over −105 / Under −115 |
| Thunder at Spurs | OKC +1.5 (−118) SAS −1.5 (−102) | OKC −108 SAS −112 | 230.5 Over −110 / Under −110 |
Expected starting lineups
These are RotoWire’s projected starting fives for October 20, checked at 12:10 p.m. MT. They are not confirmed team announcements. Boston’s projected five differs across providers; its final lineup remains unconfirmed.
| Team | Expected starting five |
|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | PG: Derrick White SG: Paul George SF: Jayson Tatum PF: Jordan Walsh C: Mitchell Robinson |
| Detroit Pistons | PG: Cade Cunningham SG: Duncan Robinson SF: Ausar Thompson PF: John Collins C: Jalen Duren |
| Philadelphia 76ers | PG: Tyrese Maxey SG: VJ Edgecombe SF: Jaylen Brown PF: LeBron James C: Joel Embiid |
| New York Knicks | PG: Jalen Brunson SG: Mikal Bridges SF: Josh Hart PF: OG Anunoby C: Karl-Anthony Towns |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander SG: Cason Wallace SF: Jalen Williams PF: Chet Holmgren C: Isaiah Hartenstein |
| San Antonio Spurs | PG: De’Aaron Fox SG: Stephon Castle SF: Dylan Harper PF: Devin Vassell C: Victor Wembanyama |
The NBA’s noon MT injury report lists Detroit’s Taurean Prince out for personal reasons and San Antonio’s Tobias Harris out with a left calf strain. Expected starters can change before tipoff.
Sources and notes
- NBCUniversal announced opening-day schedule, October19,2026: https://www.nbcuniversal.com/article/jalen-brunson-and-defending-nba-champion-new-york-knicks-headline-nba-tipoff-tripleheader
- Sportsnet tripleheader coverage, October20,2026: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/six-pack-of-new-look-nba-teams-tip-off-season-with-triple-header/
- Schedule checked October20,2026, before the first tipoff. Mountain Time start times; broadcaster availability depends on country and subscription.
- DraftKings Network October20 published sportsbook snapshot, checked12:08p.m.MT; source gives no intraday quote timestamp: https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2026/10/20/nba-public-betting-trends-tuesday-october-20/
- RotoWire expected lineups forOctober20, checked12:10p.m.MT; projections, not confirmed team announcements: https://www.rotowire.com/basketball/nba-lineups.php
- OfficialNBA injuryreport issuednoonMT: https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2026-10-20_02_00PM.pdf
