NBA on Sky Sports: Dates, schedule, UK start times and how to watch or stream live regular season and playoff action

The 2026/27 NBA season is here and Sky Sports viewers have lots to look forward to.

With up to 130 live regular season games, plus matches from the playoffs including the Conference Finals and NBA Finals, there is a feast of live action heading your way.

All bases are covered with five live games on Christmas Day, plus coverage of All-Star Weekend and MLK Day, so with no further ado, here's your guide to some of the biggest moments this season…

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Opening Night

The most immediate - and perhaps the most unmissable - instalment of NBA on Sky is the league's opening night on Tuesday.

The Detroit Pistons - who topped the Eastern Conference last year with an impressive 60-22 record - play host to the 2024 champions Boston Celtics at 8pm on Sky Sports Mix. The Celtics are sporting a new-look side featuring Paul George after his arrival in a high-profile trade that facilitated the departure of last year's leading scorer Jaylen Brown.

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Later that evening, Brown joins up with LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and the rest of his new Philadelphia 76ers team-mates as they travel to Madison Square Garden to face the reigning champion New York Knicks.

The slate ends with yet another fascinating match-up: a rematch of last year's seven-game epic Western Conference Finals series between reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Oklahoma City Thunder and Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is already a staple in the NBA calendar - but this year in particular is a feast for UK fans, with five games across 12 hours of live basketball on Sky.

The day kicks off with a rematch of the 2026 Finals - Wembanyama's Spurs will look to exact their revenge on Jalen Brunson's Knicks in New York at 5pm, before Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami Heat visit the Celtics in Boston.

Later, LeBron returns to Los Angeles as an opposing player for the first time in eight years to take on the Lakers at Staples Center, with the Thunder playing Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets taking a trip to San Francisco to face Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors in the early hours of the morning.

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All-Star Weekend

All-Star weekend - the NBA's mid-season showpiece - will once again be shown live on Sky.

The NBA All-Star game on Sunday night headlines the weekend - but there are five other events for fans to get stuck into across the three-day event

The All-Star weekend kicks off with the Rising Stars game on Friday, with its own round robin featuring a draft selected by a plethora of honorary coaches and NBA legends to be selected closer to the time.

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The four teams are made up of players in their first and second years in the NBA - last year, the field was headlined by Mavericks No 1 pick Cooper Flagg, bar one team, which is made up entirely of players from the NBA's development affiliate, the G-League.

Saturday features the Shooting Stars contest, the three-point contest and the dunk contest.

If that wasn't enough, Friday's action finishes with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, before the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) classic takes place early on the next day.

Play-in tournament

The play-in tournament at the beginning of April - taking place just after the end of the regular season, but before the playoffs - represents one of the most emotional and consequential weekends of the NBA season.

While the teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot, the teams that finish Nos. 7-10 in the standings are entered into the play-in. These teams will battle for the seventh and eighth playoff seeds.

Here is the NBA's overview of how it works:

• Each conference's No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team.
  • The winners secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.
  • The losers will get another chance to earn a playoff spot.
• Each conference's No. 9 team in the standings will host the No. 10 team.
  • The winners will advance to the final stage of the Play-In Tournament.
  • The losers are eliminated.
• The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchups will host the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups.
  • The winners secure the No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs for its conference.
  • The losing teams are eliminated.

2027 NBA Finals

After 1,230 regular season games and a potential 98 playoff games - it will all come down to the 2027 NBA finals, which will be live on Sky Sports.

Last season's finals saw the Knicks only require five games to beat the Spurs and secure their first NBA championship in 54 years, prompting frenzied celebrations in America's biggest city that New York will be keen to recreate in 2026.

Sky Sports' 2026/27 NBA schedule

All times listed in GMT

• Tuesday 20 October - Boston Celtics @ Detroit Pistons - 8pm
• Wednesday 21 October - Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks - 12am
• Wednesday 21 October - Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs - 2.30am
• Saturday 24 October - Miami Heat @ Charlotte Hornets - 11pm
• Tuesday 27 October - Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets - 2am
• Wednesday 28 October - Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks - 12am
• Wednesday 28 October - Portland Trail Blazers @ Los Angeles Lakers - 3am
• Saturday 31 October - Portland Trail Blazers @ Utah Jazz - 7pm
• Tuesday 3 November - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 12am
• Thursday 5 November - Philadelphia 76ers @ Detroit Pistons - 12am
• Tuesday 10 November - Washington Wizards @ Detroit Pistons - 12am
• Wednesday 11 November - Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers - 1am
• Wednesday 11 November - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trail Blazers - 4am
• Friday 13 November - Toronto Raptors @ Philadelphia 76ers - 12am
• Tuesday 17 November - Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics - 12am
• Wednesday 18 November - Detroit Pistons @ San Antonio Spurs - 1am
• Wednesday 18 November - Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers - 4am
• Thursday 19 November - Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat - 12am
• Tuesday 24 November - Brooklyn Nets @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 12.30am
• Wednesday 25 November - Boston Celtics @ Washington Wizards - 1am
• Wednesday 25 November - Dallas Mavericks @ Denver Nuggets - 3am
• Wednesday 25 November - Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers - 10pm
• Saturday 28 November - Orlando Magic @ Washington Wizards - 10pm
• Tuesday 1 December - Los Angeles Lakers @ Houston Rockets - 12.30am
• Wednesday 2 December - New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls - 1am
• Wednesday 2 December - Utah Jazz @ Golden State Warriors - 4am
• Tuesday 8 December - TBC @ TBC - 12am
• Tuesday 15 December - Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic - 12am
• Wednesday 16 December - San Antonio Spurs @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 1am
• Wednesday 16 December - Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers - 4am
• Thursday 17 December - Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics - 12am
• Tuesday 22 December - New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 12am
• Wednesday 23 December - Detroit Pistons @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 1am
• Wednesday 23 December - Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors - 3.30am
• Friday 25 December - San Antonio Spurs @ New York Knicks - 5pm
• Friday 25 December - Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics - 7.30pm
• Friday 25 December - Philadelphia 76ers @ Los Angeles Lakers - 10pm
• Saturday 26 December - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 1am
• Saturday 26 December - Denver Nuggets @ Golden State Warriors - 3.30am
• Tuesday 29 December - Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics - 1am
• Tuesday 29 December - Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets - 3.30am
• Wednesday 30 December - Miami Heat @ Dallas Mavericks - 1am
• Wednesday 30 December - Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers - 3.30am
• Saturday 2 January - Cleveland Cavaliers @ Charlotte Hornets - 6pm
• Tuesday 5 January - Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers - 12am
• Wednesday 6 January - Minnesota Timberwolves @ Houston Rockets - 1am
• Wednesday 6 January - Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets - 3am
• Friday 8 January - Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers - 6pm
• Saturday 9 January - Denver Nuggets @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 10pm
• Tuesday 12 January - Denver Nuggets @ New York Knicks - 12.30am
• Tuesday 12 January - Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers - 3am
• Wednesday 13 January - Washington Wizards @ Philadelphia 76ers - 1am
• Wednesday 13 January - Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors - 4am
• Thursday 14 January - New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics - 12am
• Sunday 17 January - Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 8.30pm
• Monday 18 January - Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 5pm
• Monday 18 January - Philadelphia 76ers @ Atlanta Hawks - 7.30pm
• Monday 18 January - Minnesota Timberwolves @ New York Knicks - 10pm
• Tuesday 19 January - Houston Rockets @ Memphis Grizzlies - 12.30am
• Wednesday 20 January - Charlotte Hornets @ Dallas Mavericks - 1am
• Wednesday 20 January - Utah Jazz @ Denver Nuggets - 3am
• Thursday 21 January - Chicago Bulls @ Brooklyn Nets - 12am
• Monday 25 January - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Golden State Warriors - 1.30am
• Tuesday 26 January - Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics - 12am
• Tuesday 26 January - Sacramento Kings @ Denver Nuggets - 2.30am
• Wednesday 27 January - Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs - 1am
• Wednesday 27 January - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers - 4am
• Saturday 30 January - Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 8pm
• Saturday 30 January - San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors - 10.30pm
• Monday 1 February - Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks - 1.30am
• Tuesday 2 February - Miami Heat @ Indiana Pacers - 12.30am
• Tuesday 2 February - San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors - 3am
• Wednesday 3 February - Los Angeles Lakers @ Boston Celtics - 1am
• Wednesday 3 February - Minnesota Timberwolves @ Portland Trail Blazers - 4am
• Monday 8 February - Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers - 12am
• Monday 8 February - New York Knicks @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 2.30am
• Tuesday 9 February - Miami Heat @ Atlanta Hawks - 12am
• Tuesday 9 February - Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns - 2.30am
• Wednesday 10 February - San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks - 1am
• Wednesday 10 February - Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz - 3am
• Monday 15 February - Minnesota Timberwolves @ Charlotte Hornets - 5pm
• Monday 15 February - Philadelphia 76ers @ Dallas Mavericks - 7.30pm
• Monday 15 February - San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat - 10pm
• Tuesday 16 February - Indiana Pacers @ Golden State Warriors - 12.30am
• Wednesday 17 February - Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks - 1am
• Wednesday 17 February - Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Clippers - 4am
• Saturday 20 February - Rising Stars - 2am
• Saturday 20 February - HBCU Classic - 9pm
• Sunday 21 February - All-Star Saturday - 1am
• Monday 22 February - NBA All-Star Game - 1am
• Sunday 28 February - Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks - 8.30pm
• Monday 1 March - Boston Celtics @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 12am
• Monday 1 March - Miami Heat @ Houston Rockets - 2.30am
• Tuesday 2 March - Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 12am
• Tuesday 2 March - Washington Wizards @ Phoenix Suns - 2.30am
• Wednesday 3 March - Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 1am
• Wednesday 3 March - Los Angeles Clippers @ Portland Trail Blazers - 4am
• Saturday 6 March - Boston Celtics @ Detroit Pistons - 12am
• Monday 8 March - New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs - 12.30am
• Monday 8 March - Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors - 3am
• Tuesday 9 March - Charlotte Hornets @ Indiana Pacers - 12am
• Tuesday 9 March - Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 2.30am
• Wednesday 10 March - Cleveland Cavaliers @ Detroit Pistons - 1am
• Wednesday 10 March - Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors - 4am
• Thursday 11 March - Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat - 12am
• Sunday 14 March - Miami Heat @ Denver Nuggets - 11.30pm
• Monday 15 March - Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers - 2am
• Monday 15 March - Toronto Raptors @ Philadelphia 76ers - 11pm
• Tuesday 16 March - Atlanta Hawks @ Dallas Mavericks - 1.30am
• Wednesday 17 March - Detroit Pistons @ Indiana Pacers - 12am
• Wednesday 17 March - Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers - 3am
• Sunday 21 March - New Orleans Pelicans @ Boston Celtics - 7pm
• Sunday 21 March - San Antonio Spurs @ Philadelphia 76ers - 11.30pm
• Monday 22 March - Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers - 2am
• Monday 22 March - Indiana Pacers @ Orlando Magic - 11pm
• Tuesday 23 March - Detroit Pistons @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 1.30am
• Wednesday 24 March - Los Angeles Lakers @ Miami Heat - 12am
• Wednesday 24 March - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Phoenix Suns - 3am
• Thursday 25 March - San Antonio Spurs @ Boston Celtics - 12.30am
• Monday 29 March - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 12.30am
• Monday 29 March - Philadelphia 76ers @ Denver Nuggets - 3am
• Tuesday 30 March - Miami Heat @ Cleveland Cavaliers - 12am
• Tuesday 30 March - Phoenix Suns @ San Antonio Spurs - 2.30am
• Wednesday 31 March - New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic - 1am
• Wednesday 31 March - Houston Rockets @ Portland Trail Blazers - 4am
• Thursday 1 April - Golden State Warriors @ Philadelphia 76ers - 12am
• Saturday 3 April - New Orleans Pelicans @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 10pm
• Sunday 4 April - Indiana Pacers @ Toronto Raptors - 8.30pm
• Monday 5 April - Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks - 12.30am
• Monday 5 April - San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers - 3am
• Tuesday 6 April - Miami Heat @ Orlando Magic - 12am
• Wednesday 7 April - New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks - 1am
• Wednesday 7 April - Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors - 4am
• Playoffs - TBC

And there's more...

Sky Sports On Demand offers a wide range of NBA documentaries as well as 10 of the best games from the 2025/26 season - including every Finals Game between Knicks and Spurs.

We also have 20 of the greatest games in the history of basketball, including classic All-Stars & Finals and epic moments from Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson and many other NBA legends.

How to watch or stream the NBA in the UK and Ireland

Got Sky?

TV: Sky Customers can watch all of our scheduled matches live on Sky Sports

App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app.

Not got Sky?

Stream: Non-Sky Customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass

How to watch the NBA on mobile with the Sky Sports app

Sky Sports Subscribers can:

1. Download or open the Sky Sports app
2. Head to the 'Live' section when a match is scheduled
3. Tap on the appropriate Sky Sports channel
4. Sign in with your Sky iD (*you'll only need to do this once)

*Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD

What is NOW?

NOW is an instant streaming service offering access to all 12 Sky Sports channels, every Sky Sports+ stream, and much more.

It's an app, so customers can sign up and stream instantly across over 60 devices. It offers contract-free membership options, so customers can cancel anytime!

You can choose between a Month or Day Membership. See the latest NOW membership prices.

More information about NOW can be found here.