NBA schedule for fantasy basketball, Dec 28–Jan 3

Last updated October 27, 2026

52 NBA games from Monday, December 28 to Sunday, January 3, by US Eastern date. 16 teams play 4 games. Saturday is the busiest night with 10 games, and Monday the quietest with 4.

← Week of Dec 21 · Week of Jan 4 →

Games each night

Mon, Dec 28: 4 games
Tue, Dec 29: 9 games
Wed, Dec 30: 6 games
Thu, Dec 31: 9 games
Fri, Jan 1: 6 games
Sat, Jan 2: 10 games
Sun, Jan 3: 8 games

Games per team

4 games: BOS, CHA, CLE, DEN, HOU, LAC, LAL, MIL, MIN, NOP, OKC, ORL, PHX, SAC, SAS, TOR
3 games: ATL, BKN, CHI, DAL, DET, GSW, IND, MIA, NYK, PHI, UTA, WAS
2 games: MEM, POR

Back-to-backs

Teams that play two nights in a row. Coaches often rest older players on the second night.

BOS: Jan 1 and Jan 2
CHA: Jan 2 and Jan 3
CLE: Jan 2 and Jan 3
DEN: Jan 2 and Jan 3
HOU: Dec 29 and Dec 30
LAC: Dec 31 and Jan 1
LAL: Jan 2 and Jan 3
MIL: Dec 31 and Jan 1
MIN: Jan 2 and Jan 3
NOP: Dec 30 and Dec 31
OKC: Jan 2 and Jan 3
ORL: Dec 31 and Jan 1
PHX: Dec 30 and Dec 31
SAC: Jan 2 and Jan 3
SAS: Dec 31 and Jan 1
CHI: Dec 29 and Dec 30
DAL: Jan 1 and Jan 2
NYK: Dec 30 and Dec 31
PHI: Dec 29 and Dec 30
UTA: Jan 1 and Jan 2

Best night for top players

The top players by fantasy value this season, each game projected with Circled Hoops’ default scoring. The best night is the game with the highest projection.

Player	Games	Best night
Nikola Jokic (DEN)	Mon vs MIN, Thu at MIN, Sat vs NYK, Sun vs DET	Sat vs NYK, 51.4 projected
Victor Wembanyama (SAS)	Tue at MEM, Thu at CHA, Fri at WAS, Sun at MIN	Tue at MEM, 39.4 projected
Luka Doncic (LAL)	Tue vs HOU, Thu at NOP, Sat at CHI, Sun at TOR	Sat at CHI, 39.8 projected
Jalen Johnson (ATL)	Tue vs CHI, Thu vs MIL, Sat vs DAL	Tue vs CHI, 46.3 projected
Tyrese Haliburton (IND)	Tue vs LAC, Thu vs ORL, Sat vs MIN	Tue vs LAC, 42.7 projected
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	Tue vs MIL, Thu vs MIA, Sat vs UTA, Sun vs SAC	Sat vs UTA, 36.6 projected
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIA)	Tue at DAL, Thu at OKC, Sat at NOP	Tue at DAL, 38.0 projected
Cade Cunningham (DET)	Wed vs NOP, Fri vs ORL, Sun at DEN	Wed vs NOP, 37.0 projected
Alperen Sengun (HOU)	Tue at LAL, Wed at GSW, Fri vs DAL, Sun vs CLE	Fri vs DAL, 43.6 projected
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)	Tue at SAC, Wed at PHX, Fri at MIL	Fri at MIL, 37.6 projected
Walker Kessler (LAL)	Tue vs HOU, Thu at NOP, Sat at CHI, Sun at TOR	Thu at NOP, 40.8 projected
Scottie Barnes (TOR)	Mon vs NOP, Wed vs WAS, Fri vs LAC, Sun vs LAL	Mon vs NOP, 27.3 projected
Anthony Davis (WAS)	Wed at TOR, Fri vs SAS, Sun vs LAC	Fri vs SAS, 29.7 projected
Kawhi Leonard (TOR)	Mon vs NOP, Wed vs WAS, Fri vs LAC, Sun vs LAL	Wed vs WAS, 15.1 projected
Evan Mobley (CLE)	Mon at BOS, Thu vs LAC, Sat at CHA, Sun at HOU	Thu vs LAC, 33.5 projected
Domantas Sabonis (SAC)	Tue vs PHI, Thu vs BKN, Sat at PHX, Sun at OKC	Thu vs BKN, 50.6 projected
Jayson Tatum (BOS)	Mon vs CLE, Wed at CHI, Fri at UTA, Sat at POR	Mon vs CLE, 36.2 projected
Donovan Mitchell (CLE)	Mon at BOS, Thu vs LAC, Sat at CHA, Sun at HOU	Thu vs LAC, 37.9 projected
Amen Thompson (HOU)	Tue at LAL, Wed at GSW, Fri vs DAL, Sun vs CLE	Fri vs DAL, 32.2 projected
Jamal Murray (DEN)	Mon vs MIN, Thu at MIN, Sat vs NYK, Sun vs DET	Sat vs NYK, 32.3 projected
Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK)	Wed at UTA, Thu at PHX, Sat at DEN	Sat at DEN, 34.8 projected
Joel Embiid (PHI)	Tue at SAC, Wed at PHX, Fri at MIL	Tue at SAC, 16.4 projected
LeBron James (PHI)	Tue at SAC, Wed at PHX, Fri at MIL	Tue at SAC, 30.5 projected
Cooper Flagg (DAL)	Tue vs MIA, Fri at HOU, Sat at ATL	Tue vs MIA, 48.7 projected
Yaxel Lendeborg (GSW)	Mon at PHX, Wed vs HOU, Sat vs BKN	Sat vs BKN, 35.4 projected

Using this in Circled Hoops

In Circled Hoops you circle one game for each starter, and only that game counts. A team with four games gives you more nights to choose from, but no extra points, so the question is which night. Lineups lock Monday at 7 PM in your league’s time zone. How to play has the full rules, and you can start a free league.