Overview
- The 2026–27 NBA season began on Tuesday with a three‑game opening slate that included the marquee matchup of the defending New York Knicks visiting the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.
- LeBron James left the Lakers to join the 76ers and accepted a steep pay cut to play alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and newly acquired Jaylen Brown, creating one of the East’s most talent‑dense rosters.
- Bookmakers now list Philadelphia among the favorites in the Eastern Conference, a shift that puts pressure on the Knicks’ attempt to become the first team since 2018 to win back‑to‑back titles.
- The Western Conference remains led by the San Antonio Spurs with Victor Wembanyama and the Oklahoma City Thunder with Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, who are widely viewed as the early favorites out West.
- The season also spotlights greater international representation—including five Spaniards on rosters and Mexico‑born rookie Karim López set to debut with the Memphis Grizzlies—and features schedule changes such as the NBA Cup final moving to Indianapolis and regular‑season games planned in Paris and Manchester.