NBA Announces Exciting Schedule with Major Player Returns

NEW YORK, NY – The NBA revealed its 2025-26 schedule Thursday, featuring significant player returns and exciting matchups. Two major returns will take place in November, as former stars rejoin their old teams.

On November 24, Kevin Durant will return to Phoenix for the first time since being traded to the Houston Rockets in June. Just four days later, Anthony Davis will come back to Los Angeles to face the Lakers as part of an NBA Cup group game.

All 30 teams now know 80 of the 82 games they will play this season. The complete schedule was released during ESPN’s ‘NBA Today’ segment. This season also marks the NBA’s fresh broadcasting partnerships with NBC/Comcast and Amazon, alongside ESPN/ABC retaining the rights to the NBA Finals.

The Lakers will meet the Mavericks on three occasions this year, starting with a January 24 matchup in Dallas. They will also play on February 12 in Los Angeles and April 5 in Dallas.

On February 1, 2025, the Lakers will take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, exactly one year after the trade that sent Doncic to the Mavericks, further heightening anticipation for these matchups.

The defending champion Nuggets will also have numerous notable games, including Durant and the Rockets’ visit to Oklahoma City for ring night on October 21. In addition, Houston’s visit to Oklahoma City is set for February 7.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Denver Nuggets, who were their opponents in last season’s Western Conference finals, on November 26, with a rematch scheduled for March 15. They will also challenge the Thunder in Minnesota on December 19 and again on January 29.

Fans can expect all four encounters between Thunder star and three-time MVP throughout February and March, providing ample opportunity for MVP discussions as the season progresses.

The Thunder will also play against Eastern Conference favorites, including the Cavaliers and Knicks, multiple times late in the season, adding to the intensity of the playoff push.

Additional noteworthy player returns include Domantas Sabonis, who will head back to Indiana on November 3, and new center Brook Lopez, who will return to Milwaukee on March 29. The Memphis Grizzlies will also see key players visit after significant trades made earlier this year.