The 2025-26 NBA season is just around the corner as the Los Angeles Lakers’ full regular season schedule was recently released.
As is normally the case, the Lakers were given a ton of high-profile games such as Opening Night against the Golden State Warriors and Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets. With Luka Doncic now on the team and LeBron James still playing at a high level, the league understandably wants a lot of eyes on the Lakers this season.
With that comes a lot of games to get excited for, and we recently ranked the top-10 on the Lakers’ schedule.
There are some under-the-radar games to look forward to as well though, and our staff picked out their favorites in the latest Lakers Nation Roundtable.
Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane):
Nov. 15 at Bucks: This game screams “scheduled loss.” It’s the second night of a road back-to-back after significant travel from New Orleans AND it’s the final game of a five-game road trip. Still, this will be one of our earliest indicators of how the team plans to manage fatigue through the season. Do we see players rest? What is LeBron’s workload in these situations in his age 41 season? Do players farther down the bench get opportunities to bring fresh legs into the mix? It’s a tough situation but also one that will reveal quite a bit about how JJ Redick intends to handle the season.
Dec. 30 vs. Pistons: The Lakers went 0-2 against Detroit last season, with the Pistons’ athleticism on the perimeter creating problems for L.A. while Jalen Duren was a problem in the paint. While both games last season took place before the arrival of Luka Doncic with the Lakers, the team still has similar weaknesses on paper. The last game of 2025 provies a chance to show that the Lakers can deal with quick-twitch athletes like Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson on the perimeter while providing Deandre Ayton with a physical challenge in the middle.
Feb. 5 vs. 76ers: Rather than being noteworthy for the game itself, the big question is what will the Lakers roster look like for this game that takes place just hours after the NBA trade deadline? Whether they’re going to make a big move or multiple smaller ones, Feb. 5 is their last chance to do it.
April 9 at Warriors: While the Opening Night tilt between these two sides will get most of the attention, it’s this late-season game that will likely be a major factor in Playoff seeding. It’s the final game of a critical four-game stretch for the Lakers. With how tight the West projects to be, this final matchup with the Warriors may see everything on the line.
Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand):
Nov. 5 vs. Spurs: There are a lot of interesting games on the Lakers’ schedule but one in particular that I’m looking forward to is the first matchup with the Spurs, who figure to be much-improved this year. With L.A.’s current personnel, stopping Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox will be a challenge for JJ Redick’s team. Considering Doncic is now on the Lakers and signed to a long-term extension, there may be a lot of battles between these two teams in the coming years.
Nov. 25 vs. Clippers: Matchups with the Clippers already have a little extra meaning behind them, but this one will as be part of the NBA Cup group stage. On paper, the Lakers and Clippers are the best two teams in their group, so the winner of this game may have a good chance of advancing to the knockout round.
Jan. 2 and 4 vs. Grizzlies: Ja Morant made it clear last season that he does not like the Lakers as these two teams have built a bit of a rivalry in recent years. That may come to a head when they play each other in back-to-back games at Crypto.com Arena early in 2026.
Matthew Peralta (@_MatthewPeralta):
Jan. 28 at Cavaliers: I don’t know if LeBron James returning home to play the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the same sort of intrigue as it used to, but I think this year might be notable if this is indeed his final season with Los Angeles. It’s no secret that the Cavaliers would be a clear title favorite if LeBron returned for one more stint and it could be a preferable outcome for the superstar come next summer given the state of the Eastern Conference.
Aside from the LeBron angle, I think Cleveland would be a great midseason test for the Lakers. They’re projected to challenge for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, so the Lakers could get a better sense of where they land in the contender conversation.
Ron Gutterman (@RonGutterman24):
Nov. 8 at Hawks: With so many great matchups in the Western Conference, I’m looking East for an under-the-radar game. And that’s on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks had, in my opinion, among the strongest offseasons in the NBA, and now have a deep and versatile roster. In many ways, they’re built somewhat similarly to L.A.: a lead guard who provides elite playmaking, a talented big man without significant depth at the position and a litany of wings.
But the Hawks are younger and faster. And I expect them to give the Lakers some trouble, even if I believe L.A. is a better overall team.
Corey Hansford (@TheeCoreyH):
Nov. 8 at Hawks and Feb. 24 vs. Magic: There are a pair of games that I am really looking forward to seeing that most aren’t talking about but should serve as a true test for the Lakers against two teams looking to take a leap in the 2025-26 season: the Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic.
On Nov. 8, the Lakers head to Atlanta to kick off a five-game road trip against the Hawks, where last year they lost an overtime heartbreaker on a late Trae Young 3-pointer. The Hawks added Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker this summer while rising star Jalen Johnson also returns from injury, leading many to view them as one of the big sleepers in the East. The Hawks have the defenders to potentially make things tough on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, so the Lakers will need to be clicking to come out with a victory.
The Lakers also face a tough test in the Magic, who traded for elite two-way guard Desmond Bane this offseason. Paolo Banchero is one of the best young stars in the NBA and Franz Wagner showed last year that he is not afraid of the big stage, putting on a ridiculous clutch performance at Crypto.com Arena last season. The Magic actually swept the Lakers last year and one of those games did come against a full strength squad with Doncic and James, so L.A. will need a good performance to show this young Orlando team doesn’t have their number.
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