If the impending return of NBA basketball to NBC and Peacock didn’t feel real before, well — it certainly feels real now. Fresh from NBC Sports and the NBA, we now know which four teams will be tipping off the new era of the NBA on NBC when the league’s new season begins this October… and let’s just say the first doubleheader of the year looks like a real (ahem) slam dunk.
As the opening salvo in a landmark TV and streaming agreement that puts the NBA back on NBC, Tip-Off 2025 is set for Tuesday, October 21, bundling in a pair of season-opening matchups that feature four of the league’s hottest teams all on opening night. The back-to-back action might seem like a tasty bit of fanfare to jumpstart the new season, but it actually sets the tone for what’s in store all season long: Every Tuesday from October onward, NBA doubleheaders will become a welcome weekly occurrence across both NBC and Peacock.
So… which teams will be ringing in the start of the new season? Keep scrolling for all the details!
RELATED: When Will NBA Games Air on NBC & Peacock This Fall? Everything to Know
When does the 2025 NBA season start on NBA on NBC?
The season tips off with a double header on Tuesday, October 21 on NBC and Peacock. The games will feature the Houston Rockets vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Golden State Warriors.
Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Right from the start, storylines are sure to abound as the reigning 2025 NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder tip off a new season by playing host to a new-look Houston Rockets. With league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in command, the Thunder won it all in the 2025 NBA championships, even as the Rockets bowed out early from the playoffs before snagging former MVP (and former OKC standout) Kevin Durant during the offseason.
Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock, featuring an hour-long on-site studio show live from Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will raise their championship banner and receive their championship rings just before the game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Studio coverage will be led by host Maria Taylor and analysts Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter, while Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Jamal Crawford (analyst), and Zora Stephenson (reporter) all will be on the call when the Rockets and Thunder tip off at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Talk about star power: LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will host Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the night’s second featured matchup on October 21, powering a west coast-themed contest from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
James, Luka Dončić, and the Lakers will play host as Curry, Jimmy Butler, and the Warriors make the trek down to Los Angeles to open the season with a Western Conference showdown that tips off on NBC and Peacock at 10 p.m. ET. Courtside and on the call will be Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Grant Hill (analyst), and Ashley ShahAhmadi (reporter), while host Ahmed Fareed and analyst Tracy McGrady will anchor studio coverage on site.
RELATED: The Premiere Dates for NBC’s Fall 2025 Shows, NBA on NBC, and Sunday Night Football
What to know about the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Throughout the 2025-2026 season, NBC Sports will present up to 100 regular season NBA games -— including five games each week for portions of the season — on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights, plus All-Star Weekend and the NBA Playoffs.
Following NBA Tip-Off on October 21, Coast 2 Coast Tuesday will begin on October 28, bringing weekly doubleheader action to both NBC and Peacock on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season. In keeping with the Coast 2 Coast theme, an 8 p.m. ET game will be presented on most Tuesdays to NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, while an 8 p.m. PT game will air on NBC stations in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock.
The weekly coverage doesn’t end there, though. Once the NFL season has ended, NBC’s Sunday Night Football will make way for Sunday Night Basketball beginning on Sunday, February 1 of 2026. Due to NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LX, the NBA All-Star Game, and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Sunday Night Basketball will pause on February 8 and February 15 before resuming on February 22 and continuing through April 5. Each week, a one-hour, on-site studio program will lead into game coverage across both NBC and Peacock… and on some Sunday nights, the presentation will even feature NBA doubleheaders.
Not a Peacock subscriber? Click here to get started!
