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The NBA's 2026-2027 season, the league's 81st, begins tomorrow with a single game as the Detroit Pistons host the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena at 10:00 p.m. Turkish time.

Three Turkish national team players will feature this season: Alperen Şengün with the Houston Rockets, Adem Bona with the Philadelphia 76ers and Tarık Biberovic with the Dallas Mavericks.

A single game to open the schedule

The NBA's 81st season gets under way tomorrow with one matchup on the opening day. The Detroit Pistons will face the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena, with tip-off set for 22:00 Turkish time.

Three Turkish players on the court

Alperen Şengün, Adem Bona and Tarık Biberovic will suit up for their respective NBA teams this season. Şengün enters the campaign with the Rockets aiming for another trip to the playoffs, having been selected as an All-Star twice.

Bona's 76ers will push their case with a strengthened roster that has added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Biberovic will play in the NBA for the first time, wearing a Dallas Mavericks jersey.

Şengün begins his sixth NBA season

The 24-year-old national player, who has established himself among the league's leading names, is entering his sixth year in the NBA. He finished last season with averages of 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks as the Rockets placed fifth in the Western Conference.

Last season Şengün became the first Turkish basketball player to be named an All-Star in consecutive years, and reached the playoffs with his team for a second time.

Thunder, Spurs and Knicks draw attention

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks are seen as leading title contenders this season. The Knicks, the defending champions, the Spurs led by French player Victor Wembanyama and the Thunder, who have shaped recent seasons, all open the year with championship ambitions.

LeBron James enters his 24th season

LeBron James will play for the Philadelphia 76ers this season after stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. The league's all-time leading scorer will extend his record by appearing in a 24th NBA season.

The 41-year-old has won four championships and has been named the regular-season and Finals Most Valuable Player four times each. He takes the court in pursuit of more records and another championship ring.

Season calendar

The regular season is scheduled to end on April 11, 2027. The final four playoff berths will be decided through a play-in tournament featuring the teams that finish seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth in each conference, with those games played from April 13 to April 16.

Playoff games will start on April 17. The All-Star Weekend events are set for February 19-21, 2027 in Phoenix.

Key takeaways

• The NBA's 2026-2027 season opens tomorrow with the Detroit Pistons hosting the Boston Celtics at 22:00 Turkish time.
• Alperen Şengün, Adem Bona and Tarık Biberovic will play this season for the Rockets, the 76ers and the Mavericks respectively.
• LeBron James begins his 24th NBA season with Philadelphia, extending his record, at the age of 41.
• The regular season ends April 11, 2027, with playoffs starting April 17 and All-Star Weekend in Phoenix on February 19-21.