When Will the NBA Drop the 2026-27 Chicago Bulls Schedule?

Some big-time NBA games for the 2026-27 season have started to trickle out.

On Tuesday, fans were greeted with the schedule for both Opening Night and Christmas Day. The former will take place on Oct. 20, 2026, and feature a triple-header that is headlined by the reigning champion New York Knicks hosting the new-look Philadelphia 76ers with LeBron James.

For what it's worth, this means the league will begin the season one day earlier than it did a year ago and actually serve as the earliest Opening Day since the 2022 season.

NBA Opening Night Schedule

Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons – 2:00 p.m. CT
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks – 6:00 p.m. CT
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs – 8:30 p.m. CT

The biggest opening day shock is easily the fact that it features a mid-afternoon tip-off in the Midwest. It's a highly unusual move for the NBA, although it's a matchup that should undoubtedly draw some eyes. Boston is trying to prove it can stay in the mix after moving on from Jaylen Brown, while the Pistons remain one of the league's most exciting young teams. The squads finished as the Top 2 teams in the East last year.

As for the Christmas slate, it will be as star-studded as expected. Not only will fans get a Finals rematch, but they will see Giannis Antetokounmpo take on Jayson Tatum, LeBron James return to Los Angeles, and a classic battle between Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry.

NBA Christmas Day Schedule

San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks – 11:00 a.m. CT
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics – 1:30 p.m. CT
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers – 4:00 p.m. CT
Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves – 7:00 p.m. CT
Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors – 9:30 p.m. CT

I know what you're thinking ... where the heck are the Chicago Bulls!? How did Caleb Wilson get snubbed from the NBA's two biggest days!?

The last time the Bulls appeared on opening night was during the 2015-16 season, when they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center. They ended up winning 97-95, only to go on and finish the year 9th in the East and outside the playoff picture.

The Christmas Day hiatus has been slightly shorter ... but not by much. The Three Alphas team of Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, and Rajon Rondo was scheduled for December 25 during the 2016-17 season. They would lose to the Spurs 119-100 on the road.

Bulls Schedule Release Date & More

Dec 31, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) celebrates with forward Matas Buzelis (14) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In all seriousness, long-time NBA reporter Marc Stein did share earlier this week that the full NBA schedule will be released this Thursday.

The expectation should be that the Bulls begin their season on Oct. 22, as typically every team suits up over a two-day span at the beginning of a new year. As for who the matchup will be against, we can probably assume it will not be either the Pistons or Thunder. Why is that notable? They have opened their season against one of the two in two of the last three seasons.

One has to wonder if they could look to immediately pit newcomer Caleb Wilson against one of his fellow 2026 lottery picks. There is no question this would get some extra eyeballs on opening night for the rebuilding Bulls.

Speaking of which, don't be surprised if Wilson's presence also earns the Bulls more nationally televised games than last season. They came into last year with only three games originally scheduled in front of a national audience. This included not a single game on NBC in their first year back as a main NBA partner (the Bulls did appear on their streaming service, Peacock).

Does any of this mean we should expect the Bulls to be dominating the airwaves? Of course not. They will still sit near the bottom of the league in this department. But Caleb Wilson is expected to be a highlight machine, and he certainly feels like the kind of face the NBA will go out of its way to market.

Anyway, we're only days away from finding out! Keep an eye out for the Bulls schedule at 2:00 p.m. CT this Thursday!

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