What happened: Tuesday's opening-night doubleheader on NBC and Peacock featuring the Philadelphia 76ers against the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder against the San Antonio Spurs ranked as the most-watched opening night in league history, per NBA PR. The two-game broadcast and streaming slate averaged 6.41 million viewers, with the 76ers-Knicks opener standing as the most-watched primetime opening-night game on record.

Why it matters: The milestone marks an immediate audience surge for the league's national broadcast return to NBC and Peacock to open the 2026-27 regular season. Pairing an Eastern Conference rivalry between Philadelphia and New York with the Western Conference matchup of Oklahoma City and San Antonio drew sustained national viewership across both broadcast windows.

What to watch: The 76ers, Knicks, Thunder, and Spurs continue their opening-week schedules as the 2026-27 NBA regular season progresses.