Harden opens Year 18 as Cavaliers face 76ers Oct. 22

Pairs with Mitchell to start three-year deal

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 6h1 min read

Harden opens Year 18 vs. the 76ers on Thursday, Oct. 22 on ESPN! Via @NBA on X

What happened: Cleveland opens the 2026-27 season against Philadelphia on Thursday, Oct. 22, with the game slated for ESPN. It marks Harden's first regular-season game in Cleveland after agreeing to a three-year, $97M deal in August.

Why it matters: The opener pairs Harden with Donovan Mitchell to anchor a new backcourt for the 2026-27 campaign. A national-TV start against Philadelphia gives Cleveland an early measure of that fit before Cup play begins Oct. 30.

What to watch: Cleveland continues preseason camp before finalizing its opening-night rotation closer to Oct. 22.

Sources

@NBA 2026-10-14T15:55:27.828254+00:00

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