New York Knicks fans can finally plot their way back to the NBA's final four: and potentially beyond.
With the NBA schedule fully released this week, the Knicks' follow-up schedule to last year's Eastern Conference Finals run has been fully revealed. The campaign opens on Oct. 22 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and will run through April 12 in a regular season finale with the Charlotte Hornets. Two games/opponents on the Knicks schedule have yet to be determined, as such outliers are dependent on results of the NBA Cup slate.
With most of last year's group, headlined by All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, still residing in Manhattan, the Knicks are packed to the brim with storylines entering the 2025-26 campaign.
National television partners, which features newcomers Amazon and NBC Sports joining the fold alongside Disney's ABC/ESPN package, obviously took note: the Knicks will appear on national airwaves and streaming on 34 occasions, including a combined 14 times on broadcast networks ABC and NBC. An additional seven games will be on ESPN while 13 more will appear on streaming services Peacock and Prime Video. Locally games will continue to air on MSG Network.
Their schedule features several gems in that regard, the shiniest couple being a Christmas clash against the Cavaliers, who also serve as the Knicks' opening night opponent. Both high-profile matches will be staged at Madison Square Garden.
The showdown featuring longtime Knicks target Donovan Mitchell showcases what many premature predictors envision as the top two teams in the East. New York also hired former Cavs boss Mike Brown to succeed the ousted Tom Thibodeau in the same spot, nearly two decades after he guided the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals showing in 2007. In addition to tip-off and Yuletide battle, the Knicks and Cavs will also face off on Feb. 24 in Cleveland.
A lengthy playoff trip affords plenty of opportunities for rematches: the Knicks will face the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 5, Feb. 6, and Feb. 19 and the Boston Celtics on Oct. 24, Dec. 2, Feb. 8, and April 9 after vanquishing their championship hopes last spring before getting a chance at revenge against the Tyrese Haliburton-less Indiana Pacers on Dec. 18, Feb. 10, and March 13
Early in the season, the Knicks have a chance to continue their uncanny, if not lasting, success in the NBA Cup. New York will face Chicago (Oct. 31), Miami (Nov. 14), Charlotte (Nov. 26) and defending champion Milwaukee (Nov. 28) in East Group C on the road to Las Vegas. Alongside the defending champion Bucks, New York is one of two teams to reach the knockout portion of the in-season tournament over its first two editions.
Other landmarks on the ledger include two tilts with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on March 4 and 29. Free agent acquisitions Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson will play in front of their respective former adoring publics in Philadelphia Jan. 24 and Utah (Mar. 11) while newly-minted head coach Brown will return to his former post in Sacramento on Jan. 14.
View the full 2025-26 regular season slate below:
(All Times ET/TV Info Subject to Change)
(NBA Cup Games in BOLD)
22—Cleveland, 7 p.m., ESPN
24—Boston, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
26—@ Miami, 6 p.m., MSG
28—@ Milwaukee, 8 p.m., NBC
31—@ Chicago, 8 p.m., MSG
2—Chicago, 7 p.m., MSG
3—Washington, 7:30 p.m., MSG
5—Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
9—Brooklyn, 6 p.m., MSG
11—Memphis, 7:30 p.m., MSG
12—Orlando, 7 p.m., ESPN
14—Miami, 7 p.m., Prime Video
17—@ Miami, 7:30 p.m., MSG
19—@ Dallas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
22—@ Orlando, 5 p.m., MSG
24—@ Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., MSG
26—@ Charlotte, 7 p.m., MSG
28—Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
30—Toronto, 6 p.m., MSG
2—@ Boston, 8 p.m., NBC
3—Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., MSG
5—Utah, 7:30 p.m., MSG
7—Orlando, 12 p.m., MSG
9—15: TBD
18—@ Indiana, 7 p.m., MSG
19—Philadelphia, 7 p.m., Prime Video
21—Miami, 6 p.m., MSG
23—@ Minnesota, 8 p.m., MSG
25—Cleveland, 12 p.m., ABC/ESPN
27—@ Atlanta, 8 p.m., MSG
29—@ New Orleans, 8 p.m., MSG
31—@ San Antonio, 7 p.m., MSG
2—Atlanta, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
3—Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., MSG
5—@ Detroit, 7 p.m., Peacock
9—@ Phoenix, 9 p.m., MSG
11—@ Portland, 6 p.m., MSG
14—@ Sacramento, 10 p.m., MSG
15—@ Golden State, 10 p.m., Prime Video
17—Phoenix, 7:30 p.m., MSG
19—Dallas, 5 p.m., NBC
21—Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. MSG
24—@ Philadelphia, 3 p.m., ABC
27—Sacramento—7:30 p.m., MSG
28—@ Toronto, 7:30 p.m., MSG
30—Portland, 7:30 p.m., MSG
1—LA Lakers, 7 p.m., NBC
3—@ Washington, 7 p.m., MSG
4—Denver, 7 p.m., ESPN
6—@ Detroit, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
8—@ Boston, 12:30 p.m., ABC
10—Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
11—@ Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
19—Detroit, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
21—Houston, 8:30 p.m., ABC
22—@ Chicago, 8 p.m., MSG
24—@ Cleveland, 8 p.m., NBC
27—@ Milwaukee, 8 p.m, MSG
1—San Antonio, 1 p.m., ABC
3—@ Toronto, 7:30 p.m., MSG
4—Oklahoma City, 7 p.m., ESPN
6—@ Denver, 9 p.m., MSG
8—@ LA Lakers, 3:30 p.m., ABC
9—@ LA Clippers, 10 p.m., Peacock
11—@ Utah, 9 p.m., MSG
13—@ Indiana, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
15—Golden State, 8 p.m., NBC
17—Indiana, 7:30 p.m., MSG
18—@ Memphis, 8 p.m., MSG
20—@ Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m., MSG
22—Washington, 7:30 p.m., MSG
24—New Orleans, 7:30 p.m., MSG
26—@ Charlotte, 7 p.m., MSG
29—@ Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m., NBC
31—@ Houston, 8 p.m., NBC
3—Chicago, 7:30 p.m., MSG
6—@ Atlanta, 7 p.m., Peacock
9—Boston, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video
10—Toronto, 7:30 p.m., MSG
12—Charlotte, 6 p.m., MSG
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!