How to Get Cheap NBA Tickets: When Prices Drop in 2026-27

Do NBA Tickets Get Cheaper Closer to the Game?

Sometimes. Resale prices for low-demand games tend to slip as game day nears, because sellers are running out of chances to sell. Popular games can go the other way as the good seats disappear. The research behind the first point comes from baseball, so treat it as a tendency, not a rule.

A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper on Major League Baseball resale tickets found that, for comparable seats, prices tend to fall as a game approaches. A 2023 study in Sport, Business and Management, also using MLB data, found a sharp drop on game day itself, though its authors caution that results may differ in other leagues, the NBA included.

When Waiting Usually Pays Off

Waiting works best for a game few people are chasing: a Monday-through-Thursday game, an opponent without a headline star, a losing stretch for the home team and an order of one or two seats. Decide the most you'll pay per ticket, check listings every day or two and buy when one reaches your number.

When Waiting Can Backfire

Some games get pricier as the date nears. Rivalry games, superstar visits, Christmas Day and late-season games with playoff spots on the line attract buyers who won't wait. This season's opener at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks against LeBron James and the 76ers, saw its cheapest seat more than double over the final three days, Field Level Media reported. For games like these, don't wait for a drop. Buy as soon as you find seats at a price you can live with.

Buy sooner, too, if you need four seats together, since those blocks get scarcer as game day nears, or if you're traveling and locked into one night.

Are NBA Tickets Cheaper the Day of the Game?

For low-demand games, day-of prices are often lower, but there's no guarantee. Injury news matters too. A paper presented at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference found that when several stars it studied, including Stephen Curry, missed games, the average resale price for those matchups fell by 7% to 25%, with a much smaller effect in large markets.

If you're going to see a specific player, check the latest injury report before you buy. If price is all that matters, a game where a star has been ruled out may be the better deal. Late buys also leave less time for delivery.

Best Time to Buy NBA Tickets in the 2026-27 Season

The best time to buy depends on where the game falls in the season. Two stretches lean cheaper: late February, after the trade deadline, and the last weeks of the season for teams out of the playoff race. Christmas Day, the Cup final and the playoffs lean pricier. These dates, from the NBA's schedule release and key dates page, are the ones most likely to move prices.

Late October to November: NBA Cup Group Nights

Emirates NBA Cup group games are played on Cup Nights every Friday from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27, plus Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25. They're regular-season games, so the opponent and the night still matter most, and the two midweek dates are your weeknight options. For group schedules, see our NBA Cup ticket guide.

December: NBA Cup Knockouts and Christmas Day

The Cup quarterfinals are Dec. 4 and 5, and the semifinals are slated for Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9, all in NBA team markets. Quarterfinal teams aren't set until group play ends Nov. 27, about a week ahead. The final is Friday, Dec. 11, at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, which holds 9,100 fans, so expect tight supply.

Christmas Day brings five games on Friday, Dec. 25, and demand for those runs high.

February: Trade Deadline and All-Star Weekend

The trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 11. Teams out of the playoff race often trade veterans before it, so a late-February weeknight game between two rebuilding teams is a good place to look for a cheap seat. All-Star Weekend runs Feb. 19–21 in Phoenix, with the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 21.

April: The Final Stretch, Play-In and Playoffs

The regular season ends Sunday, April 11. Late games for teams chasing a playoff spot can get pricier, while games between eliminated teams can get cheaper.

The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament runs April 13–16, and the 2027 NBA Playoffs start Saturday, April 17. Matchups are set only days ahead. Once a series is set, compare prices across its games rather than buying the first one you see. The Finals are set for June 2027, with dates not yet announced. For the full timeline, see when the NBA season ends.

Which NBA Games Are Cheapest? Pick the Game, Not Just the Date

Before you think about timing, pick the right game. The same seat's price swings with the opponent, the night and who's healthy.

Opponent and Star Power

Games against a team with a headline star or a longtime rival cost the most, while games against rebuilding teams tend to cost the least. A star's absence can flip that, as the MIT Sloan research above shows.

This season's example: LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in July, and Sixers tickets topped the league in price during opening week, Fox 29 reported. If you want to see James, expect to pay for it. If you just want a cheaper Sixers ticket, look for a night he's listed as out.

Weeknights vs. Weekends

A 2023 peer-reviewed study of NBA resale prices found that whether a game falls on a weekend affects resale listing prices, along with team quality, star players and arena age. For a cheaper night, start with Monday-through-Thursday games. A Tuesday game against a rebuilding team is about as low-demand as an NBA night gets.

Which NBA Team Has the Cheapest Tickets?

There's no single answer, because prices move with each matchup. The cheapest tickets tend to belong to smaller-market teams, rebuilding teams and teams without a star. If your team is pricey at home, catch it on the road in those markets.

The top end is steadier. Knicks tickets at Madison Square Garden have long been among the most expensive in the NBA, the New York Post noted, and this season the Knicks are also the defending champions.

Where to Sit for Less

Upper-level seats are the cheapest way into any NBA arena, and within each level, corners and seats behind the baskets tend to cost less than center court. Smaller orders also have more listings to choose from.

How to Find Cheaper Courtside Seats

Courtside seats are the most expensive in the building, and no trick makes them cheap. The cheapest NBA courtside tickets turn up on the same low-demand nights covered above, especially when a star has been ruled out.

Team Box Office or Resale: Which Is Cheaper?

Buying from the team can be cheaper, mostly for games that haven't sold out and when you buy early. For popular games, resale is often the only way in.

NBATickets.com is the NBA's official ticket hub. Ticketmaster is the league's official ticketing partner and handles sales for most teams, but each team chooses its own partner. The Minnesota Timberwolves, for example, use Jump. Start with your team's official site.

Team prices aren't fixed, either. In September 2026, Madison Square Garden paused Knicks single-game sales over what it called "a mistake in our pricing" and said it would roll prices back to last season's levels plus an average 12% increase and refund the difference to fans who had already bought, KSL reported. Some teams also sell discounted seats directly, such as the Phoenix Suns' Student Rush for college students.

For resale site comparisons, see TickPick vs. StubHub, Gametime vs. StubHub and StubHub vs. SeatGeek.

Whichever site you use, compare prices with every fee included, not just the first number on a listing.

On TicketX, NBA tickets are listed with no hidden fees. The listed price is the final price. You can also check current TicketX promo codes before you buy, and when you've narrowed your list, compare upcoming NBA games on TicketX.

How to Buy Last-Minute NBA Tickets Safely

Last-minute NBA tickets can be the cheapest way into a low-demand game, but they leave little time to fix a problem. Before you pay, check when and how the tickets will be delivered. If they come as a mobile transfer, accept it right away and confirm the tickets show up in your account before you leave.

TicketX's Buyer Guarantee covers tickets that are fake or invalid or don't arrive in time, and events that are canceled and not rescheduled. Depending on the case, TicketX sends replacement tickets or refunds you.

For more on buying resale safely, see what verified resale means and whether TicketX is legit. When you're ready, find last-minute NBA tickets on TicketX.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are NBA Tickets So Expensive?

Supply is fixed, and demand isn't. Each team plays about half of its 82 games at home in an arena with a set number of seats, while the number of people who want in changes every night. When more buyers than seats chase a game, resale prices rise until enough buyers drop out.

Headline averages in the news can also get pulled up by the priciest games, such as marquee matchups, holiday games and the playoffs. An upper-level seat for a quiet midweek game usually sits below those averages.

Do NBA Teams Offer Student or Discount Tickets?

Some do, but the offers come from individual teams, so what's available depends on where you live. The Phoenix Suns' Student Rush is one example. College students with a valid .edu email address can sign up, and on game days with seats available, the team sends a text that morning.

The seats are in the upper level for select games, tickets arrive in a Ticketmaster account and they can't be resold. Terms can change by season, so check the team's current page before counting on it.

Can You Buy NBA Tickets at the Arena Box Office on Game Day?

It depends on the team and the game. Box office hours, payment options and whether any seats remain all vary by arena, and a sold-out game may have nothing left at the window. Check the ticket or arena page on your team's official site for game-day details before you make the trip.

If the game is sold out, resale is the realistic option. Buy before you leave home, not at the gate: check injury news, compare the amount you'll pay and confirm delivery.

Are NBA Tickets Refundable?

It depends on who sold them. Tickets bought from a team or its ticketing partner follow that seller's refund policy, so read it before you check out. On TicketX, the Buyer Guarantee covers the problem cases described above, such as a game that's canceled and not rescheduled, with replacement tickets or a refund depending on the case.

If you bought on TicketX and the game is postponed, there's no refund, but your tickets usually stay valid for the new date. If you can't make it, you can relist them for sale on TicketX.

When Do NBA Tickets Go on Sale for Next Season?

Single-game tickets go on sale after the NBA releases its schedule, which tends to come in late summer. For 2026-27, the league announced the schedule on Aug. 13, 2026, and teams opened single-game sales in the weeks that followed.

Teams often hold presales before the general sale, so join your team's email list early. The on-sale is your best shot at face value for a big game, but for an ordinary weeknight game, there's less reason to rush. For more on timing, see whether presale tickets are cheaper.