Timberwolves open 2025-26 season in Portland, host Pacers in home opener

The NBA released its teams’ schedules for the upcoming season, and the Timberwolves will feature heavily in national television games as the league enters an era in which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon will broadcast multiple games per week.

In all, the Wolves will play 28 games across those three platforms. Included in that count is the Wolves’ previously announced Christmas Day matchup in Denver.

The new broadcast also means a wrinkle in tip times this season. On Feb. 24 against Portland and on March 10 against the Lakers, the Wolves will tip off at 10 p.m. Central time on NBC/Peacock.

Here are some more notes on the schedule:

The Wolves begin the season out west with a matchup at Portland on Oct. 22.

Following that game in Portland and another against the Lakers in Los Angeles Oct. 24, the Wolves come home for their home opener Oct. 26 against the Eastern Conference champion Pacers.

The Wolves will be off Feb. 12-19 before resuming play Feb. 20.

Oct. 24 at Los Angeles Lakers — A rematch of their first-round playoff series with Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Oct. 27 vs. Denver Nuggets — It’s usually fun when the Wolves and Nuggets meet, with the Wolves getting the best of Denver four times last season. The first meeting comes early next season.

Nov. 5 at New York Knicks — Renewing acquaintances with Karl-Anthony Towns at Madison Square Garden.

Nov. 17 vs. Dallas Mavericks — No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg comes to town for the first time.

Nov. 26 at Oklahoma City Thunder — First matchup against the team that knocked out the Wolves last season.

Dec. 23 vs. New York Knicks — Just before Christmas, Towns comes home for the second time since being traded.

Jan. 8-10, home and away vs. Cleveland Cavaliers — A good series that’ll test the Wolves with a team they weren’t competitive against in two meetings a season ago.

Jan. 16 at Houston Rockets — The Rockets, now with Kevin Durant, have championship aspirations. This will be the teams’ first meeting after Houston’s big moves this offseason.

Jan. 24-26 vs. Golden State Warriors — The Warriors return to Minnesota for two games after losing to the Wolves in the second round a season ago.

Feb. 9 vs. Atlanta Hawks — Fans can say thanks to Nickeil Alexander-Walker as he returns to Target Center for the first time with his new team.

The Wolves have four games at home before the All-Star break and then another two coming out of it, with those six consecutive games being their longest stretch at Target Center this season.

No trip is longer than four games, and that happens three times: Dec. 29-Jan. 4, Jan. 13-20 and March 10-15. The Wolves’ toughest road stretch might be at the end of the season. They finish the season with six of eight on the road. They have a three-game trip, come home for one game, then go back on the road for three more before finishing the season at home against New Orleans.

There are 13, with five being home-home, six away-away and two home-away. The Wolves had 14 last season.

The Wolves have four sets of games where they play the same opponent twice in a row: Dec. 2 and 4 at Pelicans, Jan. 8 vs. Cavaliers and Jan. 10 at Cavaliers, Jan. 24 and 26 vs. Warriors, Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 at Grizzlies. They also will play two games in New York against the Nets and Knicks Nov. 3 and 5 while playing two in Los Angeles against the Lakers and Clippers March 10 and 11.