NBA 2026-27 opening week in Malaysia time: champions Knicks host LeBron's 76ers, Spurs face Thunder
The NBA season tips off on 20 October (US time) with a tripleheader. Here is every opening-week national game converted to Malaysia time, plus the storylines to follow.
The 2026-27 NBA regular season starts on Tuesday, 20 October in the United States, which is the early hours of Wednesday, 21 October in Malaysia. Opening night is a tripleheader for the first time, with defending champions the New York Knicks raising their banner against a reshaped Philadelphia 76ers side featuring LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. The league's opening week has nine nationally televised games over four days, and most of them fall on Malaysian weekday mornings.
Opening night: Wednesday, 21 October (Malaysia time)
- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons – 3am. Last season's top two seeds in the East open the campaign.
- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks – 7am. The Knicks unveil their first championship banner at Madison Square Garden since 1973, with Finals MVP Jalen Brunson leading a starting five that returns intact.
- Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs – 9.30am. A rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals, which Victor Wembanyama's Spurs won in seven games against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder.
Rest of opening week (Malaysia time)
- Thursday, 22 October: Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat, 7.30am; Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers, 10am.
- Friday, 23 October: Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers, 7am; Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9.30am.
- Saturday, 24 October: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics, 7am; Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs, 9.30am.
All times have been converted from US Eastern Time, which is 12 hours behind Malaysia until US clocks change on 1 November.
New faces, new teams
The biggest talking point is in Philadelphia. The 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown from Boston and signed LeBron James, and both make their regular-season debuts for the club at Madison Square Garden. Their home opener follows against Donovan Mitchell's Cavaliers.
In Miami, Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his Heat debut against Anthony Edwards' Timberwolves, who have added LaMelo Ball. It is the first regular-season look at two new star pairings on the same night.
The Lakers, meanwhile, begin life after LeBron with Luka Doncic leading the team against Stephen Curry's Warriors. Coach JJ Redick has spoken confidently about his side's chances.
Rookies and other dates to note
The 2026 draft class gets its first real test as well. AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick, starts his career with the Washington Wizards, while No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson has impressed for the Utah Jazz in pre-season.
After opening week, the Emirates NBA Cup returns, with group play starting on 30 October (US time).
Key takeaways
- The NBA regular season starts on 20 October in the US, which is 21 October in Malaysia.
- Knicks against 76ers tips off at 7am Malaysia time on 21 October, as New York raise their championship banner.
- Spurs against Thunder, a Western Conference Finals rematch, starts at 9.30am Malaysia time the same day.
- LeBron James and Jaylen Brown debut for Philadelphia, and Giannis Antetokounmpo debuts for Miami.
- The Emirates NBA Cup group stage begins on 30 October (US time).
FAQ
When does the 2026-27 NBA season start in Malaysia? The first game, Celtics at Pistons, tips off at 3am on Wednesday, 21 October, Malaysia time.
Who are the NBA defending champions? The New York Knicks, who unveil their championship banner on opening night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
When does Giannis Antetokounmpo make his Miami Heat debut? Against the Minnesota Timberwolves on 21 October US time, which is 7.30am on Thursday, 22 October in Malaysia.
Sources: NBA.com, Bleacher Report, Wikipedia