NBC introduces its legendary lineup of NBA analyst talent for season tip-off — while Thunder stars look on
The NBA comes home to NBC and Peacock on Oct. 21 — and our starting lineup of analysts can hang with anyone: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Reggie Miller, Grant Hill and Jamal Crawford.
In a clever new promo for the Oct. 21 NBA season opener on NBC and Peacock — on the night Oklahoma City will raise its first banner — Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren get their introductions interupped by the NBC crew (including lead play-by-play guy Mike Tirico).
A new team has entered the hardwood…
NBA Tip-Off, October 21 only on NBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/9aLcl0Vy4I
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) September 8, 2025
The NBA season tips off on Oct. 21 on NBC and Peacock with a must-watch double header.
First, the Oklahoma City Thunder get their championship rings from Adam Silver and then raise their championship banner — right in front of Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. It was a cold twist by the league schedulers to make Durant — arguably the greatest player ever to wear a Thunder jersey, but a guy who was unable to lift them to a title — the Thunder's foil for this game. This is also a showdown of two contenders and the top two seeds in the Western Conference last year (and they very well could finish 1-2 again this season).
In the second game of the night, the stars come out: Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors travel down the coast to take on LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers. This will be the 53rd time LeBron and Curry have faced off, and that includes some of the most memorable games of the last decade, including some NBA Finals showdowns. That said, more eyes may be on Luka Doncic, the Lakers' future and a player who went viral this summer after getting in the best shape of his career — consider it a break-up revenge body with the Mavericks after they questioned his commitment and conditioning on the way out the door last February — and has shown it off at EuroBasket, where he leads the tournament in scoring and has Slovenia into the quarterfinals.
It's a strong lineup of games — and NBC has the Hall of Fame lineup of analysts to break it all down.
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