The NBA has been strategically rolling out the 2025-26 season schedule in an attempt to tantalize fans.
Announcements over the last couple of days have included selected nationally broadcast games on key dates like opening night, Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. However, amidst the excitement of marquee matchups and holiday showdowns, there’s a notable absence: the Utah Jazz.
But this absence should come as no surprise to Jazz faithful. The team has been tanking for better lottery odds and rebuilding for years, and based on the deals made this offseason along with the incredible youth of the team, the Jazz aren’t expected to draw much national interest until the 2026 lottery.
This year marks a significant shift in where and how NBA games will be viewed with the league now airing on NBC, Peacock and Amazon Prime, in addition to ESPN and ABC. Part of the slow tease of the schedule serves to remind fans where to look for games.
Though Utah will not be featured on major broadcast networks during the season’s most highly anticipated dates, there will be a ton of star power and intrigue to keep everyone engaged.
#### Opening Night — Oct. 21
* Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder (5:30 p.m. MST on NBC and Peacock)
* Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (8 p.m. MST on NBC and Peacock)
#### Christmas Day — Dec. 25
* Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks (10 a.m. MST on ESPN and ABC)
* Houston Rockets at L.A. Lakers (6 p.m. MST on ESPN and ABC)
#### Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Jan. 19
* Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks (11 a.m. MST on Peacock)
* Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers (12:30 p.m. MST on NBC and Peacock)
* Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks (3 p.m. MST on NBC and Peacock)
* Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (6 p.m. MST on NBC and Peacock)
Continuing the schedule rollout, on Wednesday the NBA also revealed the NBA Cup 2025 group play schedule, with each team playing four games, two at home and two on the road within their group. For the Jazz, despite their exclusion from the nationally televised spotlight, the NBA Cup West Group A presents a competitive lineup, including the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
#### Emirates NBA Cup 2025 — West Group A — Utah Jazz schedule
* Oct. 31 @ Phoenix (8 p.m. MST)
* Nov. 7 @ Minnesota (6 p.m. MST)
* Nov. 21 vs. Oklahoma City (8 p.m. MST)
* Nov. 28 vs. Sacramento (7:30 p.m. MST)
The entirety of the 2025-26 NBA schedule will be announced Thursday.
Former Jazz man Jeff Hornacek, President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge, General Manager Justin Zanik, and Head Coach Will Hardy Utah watch the action from the sidelines as the Jazz summer league team plays against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News