Cleveland Cavaliers Announce 2026-27 Schedule

The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced their 2026-27 schedule.

They open the season on October 22 against LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Cleveland's current schedule features 80 regular-season games, including 17 weekend home dates comprised of two Friday games, nine Saturday games and six Sunday games.

Two additional games will be added at a later date pending the outcome of Emirates NBA Cup matchups to complete the 82-game regular-season slate.

The Cavaliers have 17 national television games. The Wine and Gold made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, losing to the New York Knicks in four games. 

The Cavaliers are currently scheduled to match up against each Eastern Conference opponent four times except Boston (one home, two away), Charlotte (one home, two away), Miami (two home, one away), Orlando (one home, two away), Philadelphia (two home, one away) and Washington (two home, one away).

Each Western Conference opponent will play the Cavaliers twice – once at Rocket Arena and once on the road. Additional games against opponents can be added pending Cleveland’s Emirates NBA Cup results.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson is expected to start James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next season. Strus could be replaced by Peyton Watson or Jonathan Kuminga if the Cavaliers acquire one of the forwards. 

It's been a tough offseason for the Wine and Gold, who lost Dean Wade to the 76ers, Keon Ellis to the Brooklyn Nets and Larry Nance Jr. to the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers did sign Mario Hezonja after LeBron went to the 76ers. 

Without LeBron, Cleveland's core remains the same: Harden, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen. We'll see if that core can get over the hump next season.

On paper, the Cavaliers' starting lineup looks really good, but championships are not won on paper. Harden and Mitchell have to be better in the playoffs and Mobley and Allen can't get soft when it matters most. 

The biggest move the Cavaliers made this summer was signing Mitchell to a massive extension. Mitchell agreed to a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension with Cleveland.  

The Cavaliers acquired Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in 2022. Mitchell is averaging 26.7 points per game in the regular season and 27.3 points per game in the playoffs in a Cleveland uniform.