NBA Schedule in Pakistan Time 2026-27: NBA Cup, Christmas Games and League Pass
NBA games tip off at 5 am to 8:30 am PKT from November. See the NBA Cup dates, the five Christmas games in Pakistan time, key 2026-27 dates and League Pass.
NBA evening games tip off between 5:00 am and 8:30 am in Pakistan from November, because a 7:00 pm game in New York is 5:00 am PKT the next morning. The NBA Cup group stage starts on 30 October in the United States, the Cup final is on 11 December, and the five Christmas Day games run from 10:00 pm PKT on 25 December to 8:30 am on 26 December. Below are the key dates of the 2026-27 NBA season in Pakistan time, and what the NBA says about League Pass outside the US.
The 2026-27 regular season opened on 20 October. We read the NBA's key dates page, updated on 27 October 2026, and its League Pass pages on 28 October 2026. The NBA lists times in US Eastern Time (ET), so we converted each one to PKT ourselves.
NBA games start early in the morning in Pakistan
From Sunday 1 November, US Eastern Time is 10 hours behind Pakistan. So a 7:00 pm ET tip-off is 5:00 am PKT, and a 10:00 pm ET West Coast game is 8:00 am PKT. Before 1 November, the gap is nine hours.
| Tip-off in ET | PKT until 31 October | PKT from 1 November |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 pm | 9:00 pm | 10:00 pm |
| 7:00 pm | 4:00 am, next day | 5:00 am, next day |
| 7:30 pm | 4:30 am, next day | 5:30 am, next day |
| 8:00 pm | 5:00 am, next day | 6:00 am, next day |
| 10:00 pm | 7:00 am, next day | 8:00 am, next day |
The US changes its clocks on 1 November and again on 14 March 2027, when the gap goes back to nine hours. Pakistan does not change. So for a fan in Lahore or Karachi, the NBA is a breakfast sport for most of the season. Europe moved its clocks a week earlier, on 25 October, which is why football this weekend also starts an hour later in Pakistan.
The NBA Cup runs from 30 October to the final on 11 December
Group play in the Emirates NBA Cup starts on Friday 30 October in the US and ends on 27 November. The quarter-finals are on 4 and 5 December, the semi-finals on 8 and 9 December, and the final on 11 December at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
| NBA Cup stage | US date | In Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Group play starts | Friday 30 October | Saturday morning, 31 October |
| Group play ends | Friday 27 November | Saturday morning, 28 November |
| Quarter-finals | 4 and 5 December | Mornings of 5 and 6 December |
| Semi-finals | 8 and/or 9 December | Mornings of 9 and 10 December |
| Final | 11 December, Indianapolis | Morning of 12 December |
The NBA has not given a tip-off time for the final on the key dates page, so the Pakistan column assumes an evening game in the US. The West groups, in the NBA's previews, are Group A (Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, Jazz), Group B (Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies) and Group C (Spurs, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Kings).
Christmas Day games start at 10 pm PKT and run through the night
The NBA has five games on 25 December, all on ABC and ESPN in the US. The first, Spurs v Knicks, starts at 10:00 pm PKT on Friday 25 December. The last, Nuggets v Warriors, starts at 8:30 am PKT on Saturday 26 December.
| Game | US time (ET) | Pakistan time |
|---|---|---|
| Spurs v Knicks | 12:00 pm | Fri 25 Dec, 10:00 pm |
| Heat v Celtics | 2:30 pm | Sat 26 Dec, 12:30 am |
| 76ers v Lakers | 5:00 pm | Sat 26 Dec, 3:00 am |
| Thunder v Timberwolves | 8:00 pm | Sat 26 Dec, 6:00 am |
| Nuggets v Warriors | 10:30 pm | Sat 26 Dec, 8:30 am |
Christmas falls on Quaid-e-Azam Day, a public holiday in Pakistan, so the 10:00 pm opener is the rare NBA game you can watch at a normal hour. The Lakers game at 3:00 am is the one most local fans will ask about. Our pick of the day is the late double: Thunder v Timberwolves and then Nuggets v Warriors over breakfast.
Other NBA dates for 2026-27 in Pakistan
The NBA plays a Mexico City game on 7 November (Nuggets v Pacers) and two European games in January: Spurs v Pelicans in Paris on 14 January and in Manchester on 17 January. The trade deadline is 11 February and All-Star weekend is 19 to 21 February in Phoenix.
- 11 April 2027: the regular season ends, with all 30 teams playing.
- 13 to 16 April: the play-in tournament.
- 17 April: the playoffs begin.
- 27 August to 12 September 2027: the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar, listed on the same NBA page.
The European games will suit Pakistani viewers best. Paris is four hours behind Pakistan in January, so an evening game there lands late at night here. The NBA has not yet put times for those games on the key dates page.
League Pass is the NBA's own route, but it names no price for Pakistan
The NBA sells League Pass, its streaming package, outside the US. Its terms say the service can be used only from territories the NBA decides, and currently exclude mainland China. Pakistan is not named as excluded. We could not see a Pakistan price.
When we opened the League Pass page on 28 October, it showed season prices in a foreign currency for our location, not in rupees or a Pakistan-specific plan. The terms also warn that blackouts can apply depending on your location and local broadcast deals.
- Open nba.com and go to the League Pass page from Pakistan.
- Check which plans and prices it shows for your location.
- Read the blackout note before paying for a full season.
- Pay with a card enabled for international payments, inside the NBA app or site only.
- Test a live game at 5:00 am before relying on it for the Cup final or Christmas.
A JazzCash virtual card is one way to pay a foreign subscription if your bank card refuses. If mornings do not work for you, sport at a friendlier hour is in the UFC schedule in Pakistan time, whose Doha card starts at 11:00 pm PKT.
Common questions
What time do NBA games start in Pakistan?
US evening games, from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm ET, start between 5:00 am and 8:30 am PKT from 1 November.
When is the NBA Cup final 2026?
On 11 December 2026 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, which is the morning of 12 December in Pakistan.
What time are the NBA Christmas games in Pakistan?
From 10:00 pm PKT on 25 December (Spurs v Knicks) to 8:30 am PKT on 26 December (Nuggets v Warriors).
Is NBA League Pass available in Pakistan?
The NBA's terms do not list Pakistan as excluded, but we could not see a Pakistan price or plan. Check nba.com from Pakistan.
When do the 2027 NBA playoffs start?
On 17 April 2027, after the play-in tournament from 13 to 16 April.
Where is NBA All-Star 2027?
In Phoenix, Arizona, from 19 to 21 February 2027.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 28 October 2026. We read the NBA's key dates page (updated 27 October 2026), the NBA Cup group previews, the League Pass page and the League Pass terms for outside the US on nba.com on 28 October 2026. Pakistan times are our conversion from ET. The NBA's help centre page on country availability refused our connection, so we could not read its full list. We could not confirm a League Pass price for Pakistan.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
