NBA Preseason Schedule 2026: Full Dates, Matchups and Tip-Off Times in PH Time

Full NBA Preseason Schedule by Date

The preseason typically runs for two weeks, ending a few days before the regular season starts Wednesday, October 21 (PH). Teams play between 3 and 6 games each, and the busiest days are Sunday, October 11 (8 games, including the second Macao game) and Saturday, October 17 (12 games, the final day).

Opening Week: Oct 4 – Oct 8

The preseason began with Miami in Quebec City on the road to Toronto, then the Warriors at the Clippers in Honolulu, and the Jazz at the Nuggets in Boulder. Then it is up to four games or eight games a day for the slate.

Mid-preseason

This includes the two NBA China games at Macau, the London Lions game at Portland, the Lakers-Warriors rematch at Vegas, and the Clippers-Raptors game at Vancouver.

Final preseason games

The 12-game preseason concludes on Saturday, October 17 (PH) with games from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM. These final games are where teams will be making rotations, so please refer to the injury report before tuning in.

After the preseason, the next dates to mark are at 3:00 AM on Wednesday, October 21 (PH), when Boston will face Detroit, at 7:00 AM when Philadelphia will take on New York and at 9:30 AM when Oklahoma City will play San Antonio. This is the time for deciding rotations, although the preseason doesn't count in the standings.

Biggest NBA Preseason Matchups to Watch

Not all the exhibits are created equal. These games are highlighted on the 2026 calendar.

• Rockets vs. Mavericks in Macao: two NBA China Games on Fri, Oct 9 at 8:00 PM PH and Sun, Oct 11 at 6:00 PM PH, both scheduled for NBA TV Philippines.
• Lakers vs. Warriors, twice: Wed, Oct 7 at 10:00 AM PH (in San Francisco; also on NBA TV Philippines), and Wed, Oct 14 at 10:00 AM PH (in Las Vegas; also on NBA TV Philippines).
• One-off game for the guest team against the London Lions at Portland on Tuesday, Oct 13 at 4:00 AM PH.
• Clippers at Raptors in Vancouver: Sun, Oct 11 at 6:30 AM PH, an NBA Canada Game.
• Final-day finale: Denver at the Lakers, Sat, Oct 17 at 10:30 AM PH, the last preseason game of the year.

How to Convert NBA Game Times to Philippine Time

The Philippines does not observe daylight saving time and is on Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8) throughout the year. The United States does, which is why the gap is a bit off in the spring and fall. In October, when it is still daylight time in the USA, use these conversions:

Two reminders: First, for Manila, the "next day" is the date indicated on the schedule, which can be different from the date in your location. Second, when daylight saving time ends in early November the breaks increase by one hour (13 for Eastern, 16 hours for Pacific). It really only has significance for the regular season but bear in mind for late pre-season.

Betting the NBA Preseason Schedule

Your betting strategy can be influenced by the schedule, since fatigue and rotation management is a more important factor than during the regular season.

Back-to-backs and travel spots

A second night back to back will keep the regulars in a team much more likely to rest. That can affect spreads and totals, player props, and starter minutes can be almost negligible. If your team is coming from another city check if they are coming and who the coach said will play.

Early games vs late games

Early preseason games may be the most creative and later games may resemble regular-season teams. If bettors take the time to consider each game, and they don't use the same strategy each game, they rarely get the worst of any month.

Looking for some number crunching fun? Check out our NBA odds for presale games, bet types and strategy guide.

How to follow the schedule day by day

1. Bookmark this page and the official league schedule and look for updates before game days.
2. Use the above table to convert tip-offs into Philippine time and set a phone reminder 30 minutes before.
3. Review injury report and starting lineup information about an hour prior to tip-off.
4. Watch the action on our daily page today for NBA preseason games.
5. Following the game, review scores and recaps to determine who played and how the game went.

The NBA Preseason Calendar Construction is explained

The regular season schedule is 82 games per team, but that does not apply to the preseason schedule. Teams will play three to 6 games in 2026, which will include both conference and non-conference opponents, and, in multiple instances, in fields outside the team's typical arenas, and will last somewhere between 10 and 14 days.

There are two distinguishing characteristics for 2026. The first is that many of these games are played outside the regular NBA game venues: Quebec City, Vancouver, Macao, Honolulu, Boulder, Ames, Tulsa and Las Vegas all host games, which can mean strange tip-off times in Manila. Second, the London Lions, a team of guests, plays one game in Portland.

The reason why game counts and dates change

The overall window is determined by the league, but each team's lineup is based on their own camp schedule. Each team could play 4 games or 5 games. Some play more than one night in a row, others get a long break in between games. Make sure you compare schedules assuming that two teams are equally prepared.

How to Watch NBA Preseason Games from the Philippines

The coverage of broadcasts in the preseason tends to be less than that of the regular season, so planning is key. These are the most popular options, however, availability varies from year to year — so check on what is offered before the tip-off.

• Official league app and subscription service: Includes a variety of pre-season games, depending on availability and blackout periods.
• Local sports channels and streaming partners: Rights holders can be found in the Philippines to air marquee preseason, particularly those featuring international matchups or big stars.
• Team and team social media sites: A lot of teams post highlights, and some stream selected games.
• Score & stat apps: Even if you don't watch, live box scores still let you know what's going on in terms of minutes, injuries and important plays.

In NBA.com's Philippines list, 15 of the remaining preseason games are marked as NBA TV Philippines and the regular season opener on Oct 21 (PH) is also included in the list as one of the games played by ONE Sports for Philadelphia in New York. Prime Video, Disney+ and League Pass are also available for the NBA.com filter in the Philippines. Availability may vary, check with your provider before going on the tip.

Preseason Schedule Checklist for Bettors

This is a handy checklist to follow before any wager is placed on a preseason game. It only takes about 5 minutes, and you'll avoid the most frequent errors.

A final tip: Remember that rotation and schedules are flexible, so do your checks as close to the tip-off as possible. In the Philippines a sensible line in the morning may be out of date by lunchtime.

The Schedule for Rest Patterns is read

A smart reader reads the calendar for dates and more. Rest patterns can give you a lot of information regarding how a team is going to use its stars. It's almost certain that a veteran team with three games in four nights will keep their key players in one game. If a young team or a team that has an extended rest period, then they may be able to play their starters for longer because they have the time.

• Expect rest for veterans, particularly the second game, if they play games back to back.
• Long periods between contests: Starters may be permitted more playtime than normal.
• Games following a long road trip: Teams may be using a shorter rotation, or the players are rested.
• Game prior to the big game: Some teams start all 13 or 14 players and some do not start any starters. The previous comments from the coach are the best guide.

Recognizing these trends early will enable you to decide what games to watch live, which games to catch as highlights, and which ones to avoid altogether.

Here Are Some Common Questions About The Schedule.

When can I see the final pre-season match-up?

The league has already posted it, and NBA.com is updated regularly, so please refer to their site for changes if any.

Are all teams getting started on the same day with the preseason?

No. The preseason began with one game on Sunday, October 4 PH, with most teams playing their first game between October 5 and October 7 PH. Other teams only play three games total, such as the Clippers and the Cavs.

Related NBA Preseason Pages

• Not sure when it all starts? See when the NBA preseason starts.
• Want today's slate only? Go to NBA preseason games today.
• Planning a bet? Browse our NBA preseason odds guide.

Frequently Asked Question