The Lakers have their 2026-27 NBA schedule — a ton of national TV games, a season-long seven-game road trip and a fairly light runway into the year.Here are quick reactions to the six Lakers games I’m most excited about this upcoming season:Lakers vs. Warriors, Oct. 21 in Los AngelesOpening night! Talk about two teams at totally different stages in their life cycles.In Los Angeles, this marks the start of a new stage, one where the organization is on Luka Dončić’s shoulders after the Lakers gave him a roster best suited to his strengths — well, as good as they could do considering who was available. Not only will it be the first time in eight years that the Lakers take the court without LeBron James on their roster, but it will also be the first look at Walker Kessler as a running mate for Dončić and Austin Reaves.And then there are the Warriors, left on the outside of the Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron pursuits, stuck in the place the Lakers were as recently as two seasons ago — trying to stay competitive for a superstar (Stephen Curry) while moving with caution as the future without that star gets closer every day.Lakers at Jazz, Oct. 25 in Salt Lake CityWalker Kessler and the Jazz appeared to be on a good path, but restricted free agency, particularly in a second-apron world, meant he had to leave the organization that drafted him to get the payday he wanted. The Jazz agreed, in part, because of the frontcourt depth they added when they traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. last season.Kessler and the Lakers get an early look at the Jazz — who should be a pretty good team this season — when they go to Utah for the first time.Lakers vs. 76ers, Dec. 25 in Los AngelesJames’ legacy with the Lakers is more complicated than it should be — he played eight years for the franchise, won an NBA championship and helped return the franchise to consistent playoff contention after years of losing.There’s a chunk of fans, however, who never fully embraced James — maybe because he didn’t begin his career with Los Angeles, maybe because he used to battle with Kobe Bryant, maybe because of the drama that inherently follows a player of his gravitas.Either way, he will be celebrated on Christmas Day. Time to see how the fans react.Why LeBron almost signed with the 76ers in 2018Dan Woike and Jeshua KiddLakers at Knicks, Jan. 30 in New YorkThis game used to always be about James and the Garden — and whether or not he’d ever be back. Now, the Lakers get to see how they stack up against the champs with a roster somewhat inspired by the Knicks.The current pathway to winning in the NBA seems to be to take your best player and build around him by highlighting his strengths and hiding his weaknesses. By the time the Lakers get to New York, they should have a decent idea of how well they’ve done that heading into the Feb. 11 trade deadline.Lakers at Mavericks, Feb. 28 in DallasWhile Dončić’s return to Dallas should get a little less emotional with each passing year, he was unable to play in his last game in Dallas — which happened right after he and Reaves were injured in Oklahoma City.This version of Dončić against Cooper Flagg, and hopefully a healthy Kyrie Irving, will be the first meeting between the franchises since Jason Kidd left the organization last May. Best bet — there will still be plenty of emotion.Lakers vs. Timberwolves, April 7 and April 9 in Los AngelesThe Lakers get a second two-game set with Minnesota this year, this one coming late in the season and a potential first-round playoff matchup.Of the best teams in the West, no one changed their identity as much as the Lakers and Timberwolves, and this final stretch of the regular season will have these two teams likely fighting one another for playoff position — in a matchup that could very easily be repeated once the playoffs get started a few weeks later.