Cleveland Cavaliers Game Schedule 2026: Key Dates

The Cleveland Cavaliers are ready for a big season. The Cleveland Cavaliers game schedule 2026 is out. It starts October 22 in Philadelphia. LeBron James is on the other side now. The home opener is October 24 against Brooklyn at Rocket Arena. The Cavs have 17 national TV games.

They play the champion Knicks twice before Christmas. LeBron comes back to Cleveland on November 6. The NBA Cup group games are in November. The season ends April 11 at home against Atlanta. Tickets are already on sale. The Cavs reached the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They want more this time. Here is everything you need to know about the schedule.

Season Opener and Home Opener

The Cavs start the season on the road. They face the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22 at 7:00 PM ET. The game airs on ESPN . This is a big one. LeBron James is now with the 76ers. He will face his former team on opening night .

The home opener is October 24 against the Brooklyn Nets. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM ET at Rocket Arena . This starts a three-game homestand. The Cavs also host Minnesota on October 26 and Washington on October 28 .

LeBron James playing for the Philadelphia 76ers against his former team

Key Matchups at Home

The Cavs have some big games at Rocket Arena this season.

New York Knicks: The defending champions visit twice. November 7 and December 21 . The Knicks swept the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals last season .
Philadelphia 76ers: LeBron comes to Cleveland on November 6 and March 1 .
Detroit Pistons: The Cavs host Detroit on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18. The game airs on NBC/Peacock .
San Antonio Spurs: The Western Conference champions visit on December 15 .
Boston Celtics: The Celtics come to Cleveland on April 1 .

Cleveland Cavaliers Game Schedule 2026 Time: National TV Games

The Cavs have 17 national television appearances this season .

Date	Opponent	Time	TV
Oct. 22	at Philadelphia	7:00 PM	ESPN
Nov. 2	vs. Oklahoma City	7:00 PM	Peacock
Nov. 6	vs. Philadelphia	7:30 PM	Prime Video
Nov. 11	at New York	7:00 PM	ESPN
Dec. 15	vs. San Antonio	8:00 PM	NBC
Dec. 21	vs. New York	7:00 PM	Peacock
Dec. 28	at Boston	TBD	NBC
Jan. 18	vs. Detroit	12:00 PM	NBC
Jan. 27	vs. Detroit	7:00 PM	ESPN
Jan. 29	at Toronto	7:00 PM	ESPN
Feb. 26	at Boston	TBD	ESPN
March 1	vs. Philadelphia	7:00 PM	Peacock
March 6	vs. Atlanta	5:30 PM	Prime Video
March 9	at Detroit	TBD	NBC
March 29	vs. Miami	7:00 PM	Peacock
April 1	vs. Boston	7:00 PM	Prime Video
April 7	at San Antonio	TBD	ESPN

Preseason Schedule

The Cavs play three preseason games .

October 8: vs. Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena
October 11: vs. Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena
October 13: at Orlando Magic

The team also holds training camp in Spain from September 30 to October 5 .

Emirates NBA Cup

The Cavs compete in East Group B of the Emirates NBA Cup . Their group play games are:

November 6: vs. Philadelphia
November 13: at Miami
November 20: vs. Indiana
November 25: at New York

The Cup championship is December 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis .

How Many Games Are on the Schedule?

The Cavs currently have 80 regular season games scheduled. Two more will be added later. Those extra games depend on the Emirates NBA Cup results. The final schedule will have 82 games .

The Cavs have 17 weekend home dates. That includes two Friday games, nine Saturday games, and six Sunday games .

Cleveland Cavaliers Game Schedule 2026 Tickets

Single-game tickets went on sale in August . Here is how to get them.

Presale: Cavs United members got first access on August 17. Cavs Rewards account holders could buy on August 18 .

General Public: Tickets went on sale August 18 at 9:00 AM .

Where to Buy: Tickets are available on the Cavaliers official website, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, and TicketNetwork .

Discount Codes :

SeatGeek: Save $5 on orders over $300 with code TAKE5
Vivid Seats: $20 off orders of $200+ with code CLEVELAND20
TicketNetwork: 15% off with code TIXDEAL15

You May Also Read: Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineup Predictions Today

Rocket Arena packed with fans during a Cleveland Cavaliers home game

What to Watch For?

The Cavs are all-in this season. They have a new starting five: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen . They reached the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They want more this time.

The schedule is tough. Opening night against LeBron. Two games against the champion Knicks before Christmas. A six-game road trip in March . But the Cavs have the talent to compete.

The season ends April 11 at home against Atlanta . Then the playoffs begin. The Cavs hope to be playing deep into June.

FAQs

1. When do the Cavs play their first game?

October 22. On the road in Philadelphia. Tip-off is 7 PM ET on ESPN. LeBron James is on the other side now. That makes it interesting.

2. When is the first home game?

October 24 against Brooklyn. 7:30 PM ET at Rocket Arena. Then Minnesota comes in. Then Washington. Three straight home games to start.

3. How many games are on the schedule?

80 for now. Two more get added later. It depends on the NBA Cup. The final count will be 82.

4. How many times will the Cavs be on national TV?

17 times. ESPN, NBC, Peacock, Prime Video. Opening night in Philly. Detroit on MLK Day. New York around Christmas. Plenty of big spots.

5. When do the Knicks come to town?

November 7 and December 21. Both at Rocket Arena. New York ended Cleveland's season last year. These two games will have a playoff feel.

6. When does LeBron return to Cleveland?

November 6. Then again on March 1. Both games are at Rocket Arena. He signed with Philly in the summer. Cavs fans have not forgotten.

7. Can I still get tickets?

Yes. They went on sale in August. Check the Cavs site, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, or TicketNetwork. There are discount codes floating around too.

8. What is the NBA Cup schedule?

Four group games. Philly on November 6. Miami on November 13. Indiana on November 20. New York on November 25. The final is December 11 in Indianapolis.