NBA Eastern Conference best team
The Eastern Conference appears wide open, but which team will emerge as the best in 2025-26
After nearly four months off, men’s professional basketball at its highest level is returning this week with the 80th season of the NBA.
The 2025-26 season begins this week with a doubleheader featuring the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, taking on the Houston Rockets, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Golden State Warriors.
For Iowans eager to catch the NBA season opener, here’s how you can watch the two games and all the Iowa college basketball alums on NBA rosters.
When is the opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season?
The 2025-26 NBA season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 21, with the doubleheader on NBC. The Thunder-Rockets game tips off at 6:30 p.m. CT, followed by Lakers-Warriors at 9 p.m. Des Moines residents can watch both games on NBC affiliate WHO 13 or stream them on Peacock.
What Iowa college basketball alums are in the NBA?
There are six former Iowa college basketball players on NBA rosters to start the 2025-26 season. They are
Iowa State
Iowa
Northern Iowa
Half of the players listed enter the upcoming season on the injury report. Murray will miss at least four to six weeks of the season with a thumb injury, Niang is out two to three weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot and Haliburton is out for the entire season after the former Iowa State star tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Former Hawkeyes Garza and Murray tip off their NBA seasons on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Garza and the Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers, while Murray and the Trail Blazers face the Minnesota Timberwolves. UNI alumnus Green also begins his season Wednesday as the Bucks take on the Washington Wizards.
For more information on how to watch any of these games, visit USA TODAY Sports.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
