The NBA officially announced the complete schedule for the 2025-26 season on Thursday.
We’ve already gotten news regarding the Lakers’ schedule, including their Christmas Day matchup against the Rockets and their Opening Night game against the Warriors. We also have known who LA would play in the NBA Cup.
Now that all dates and opponents are known, here’s a look at the five games Lakers fans should be most excited for in the 2025-26 season.
Lakers vs. Mavericks, Jan. 24
With Luka’s new level of fitness and a full season as a Laker
underway, the first game LA will play at Dallas will be cinematic. Luka went for 45 points against Dallas last season and it’s entirely possible that number won’t stand for long.
Watching him trying to torch the Mavericks makes this a game every NBA fan should circle as a marquee matchup.
Lakers vs. Celtics, Dec. 5
With the Celtics clearly punting this season with Jayson Tatum out, this is a great opportunity to beat up on your rival in a down year. When LA heads to Boston, they’ll also be the added storyline of Marcus Smart making his first trip back after leaving the Celtics. It’ll be interesting to see how the crowd responds to his return.
Even when both teams aren’t good, Lakers-Celtics is always a fun time. It’s an even better experience when the Lakers are blowing them out, hopefully.
Lakers vs. Wolves, Oct. 24
The Lakers’ loss to the Wolves in five games in the playoffs was such a bitter end to last season. This game presents an opportunity for head coach JJ Redick and his team to demonstrate that they have indeed improved and are better than they were in that disappointing series.
Plenty of players, including Luka and Austin Reaves, underperformed against the Wolves. So, it’ll be interesting if they can get some revenge by dominating in this game. The first matchup against Minnesota will be a barometer for the Lakers on how much they’ve improved from last season.
Lakers vs. Clippers, Nov. 25
A clear sign that a matchup is a rivalry is when both sides claim that it isn’t, but also brag when they beat the opposing team. This might not have the prestige of Lakers-Celtics, but these are two neighbors who are annoyed about the existence of the other.
With the Lakers and Clippers both expected to be playoff teams, these games will have more importance than they typically do. And with many experts liking the Clippers over the Lakers, that’s only going to add a buzz in the stadium for their first matchup against each other.
Lakers vs. Thunder, Nov. 12
Right now, the Thunder run the NBA. If the Lakers want to get back to the top, then they have to be good enough to take down OKC. Last year, they had some good battles against the Thunder, and fans should expect these games to be intense with both teams wanting to prove they can dominate the other.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
