The NBA on Christmas Day has been an annual tradition for nearly as long as the league’s existence, and, once again, the league is giving us the gift of a slate of marquee matchups between budding rivals and conference powerhouses.
Some of the NBA’s best teams and biggest stars will step into the national spotlight in the league’s biggest regular season lineup of the year. You can watch all the NBA Christmas Day action on ESPN (Channel 206) or on your local ABC channel.
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2025 NBA Christmas Day Games
Here’s a complete overview of all of the NBA Christmas Day games scheduled for Dec. 25, 2025.
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
Watch Info: 12:00 p.m. ET | ABC & ESPN
New York Knicks
The first game on the Christmas Day slate is a matchup between two of the preseason favorites in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks have absolutely lived up to the bill. They’re second overall in the Eastern Conference at 18-7, and they’re 13-1 at home. They lead the Eastern Conference in point differential, they are second in points per game and offensive rating at 122.11 and they own the fourth-best overall net rating.
Karl-Anthony Towns has led the way, averaging 22 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, which is good for second in the NBA. Jalen Brunson once again leads the team in points per game with 28.8 and assists per game with 6.4.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges on the wings are each averaging about 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals per game. They’re also both shooting 40% from three.
In a down year for the Eastern Conference, the stars seem to be aligning for the Knicks as they seek their first NBA Finals appearance in 26 years.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are experiencing a rockier start to the season. Though they’re the eighth seed and within the NBA Play-In at 15-12, they’re not where everyone thought they’d be at this point in the season.
Overall, Cleveland is 10th in offensive rating and 8th in defensive rating, which suggests they’re playing better than their record indicated, but Cleveland is 22nd in true shooting percentage at just 57%.
Donovan Mitchell leads the team and is fourth in the NBA with 30.7 points per game. Mitchell has been lighting it up from the three especially.
What was meant to be a breakout year for Evan Mobley might not see him play on Christmas as he battles a calf injury. On the year, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year was averaging 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and 1.6 blocks per game on 55% from the field.
There’s still plenty of time for Cleveland to turn it around. Jarrett Allen has been limited to just 16 games. Darius Garland has only played 11 games this season, he’s shooting just 36% from the field and 28% from three.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Watch Info: 2:30 p.m. ET | ABC & ESPN
This is a rare case where the opener is the actual headliner. San Antonio and the Oklahoma City Thunder are shaping up to be one of the best new rivalries in the NBA, headlined by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Oklahoma City and Victor Wembanyama on the Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs
It’s not just the two stars that make this matchup so intriguing. It’s all of the secondary players as well.
San Antonio has a stockpile of athletic young guards including Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, who’s not shooting terribly well from three at 28% but is averaging 18.6 rebounds and nearly seven assists per game.
Rookie Dylan Harper is averaging 13 points, three rebounds and three assists in just 21 minutes.
De’Aaron Fox looks himself averaging 24 points and 6 assists on the year.
But the ceiling of the Spurs is raised by the towering presence of Wemebanyama. He missed a handful of games with a calf injury, but in a return to action against Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinal, he completely changed the game and helped San Antonio pull off the upset win.
On the year, Wembanyama is averaging 26 points, 12.6 rebounds, four assists, a steal and an absurd 3.5 blocks per game. All that on 50% from the field and 35% from three.
It’s unclear if this is the year for San Antonio to leapfrog Oklahoma City and become one of the dominant forces in the Western Conference.
But it is looking like the year that they make some legitimate noise and pose plenty of problems for whichever unfortunate team gets them in the playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
On the other side are the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who are off to one of the greatest starts in NBA history at 24-2.
They were surprisingly eliminated from the NBA Cup by the Spurs, but they lead the league in net rating (nearly double the second-place Houston Rockets), they’re the best defensive team in the league, they have one of the lowest turnover percentages and they haven’t even been fully healthy.
All-star forward Jalen Williams has missed nearly all of the season thus far with a knee injury. But that’s okay when you have Shai.
After a sensational year that earned him the MVP, his third straight All-Star game and third straight First Team All-NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander is picking up right where he left off.
He’s averaging 32 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He’s even reducing his turnovers and personal fouls.
He’s shooting 43% from three point land and 60% from inside the arc. If Oklahoma City is able to cap this historic start with a historic finish, Gilgeous-Alexander might run away with a second straight MVP.
Chet Holmgren, who himself has a lifelong feud with Victor Wembanyama dating back to their teenage years, is off to his best start as a pro, averaging 18 points, eight rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He’s also shooting 57% from the field, including nearly 40% from three.
There’s a lot to like about the NBA Christmas slate, but for many fans, this is the matchup to watch.
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
Watch Info: 5:00 p.m. ET | ABC & ESPN
Dallas Mavericks
The biggest news of the season thus far for Dallas has been the firing of GM Nico Harrison, who conducted the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade. Now, they’re 10th in the Western Conference which is good enough to earn a play-in bid, but not good enough to inspire confidence.
Davis, who they traded away Doncic for last year, has missed much of the season thus far. When he has played, he’s led the team with 20 points per game, 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
Cooper Flagg, the rookie sensation, has had a solid start to his career, averaging 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
His three-point shooting still has some ways to go (he’s shooting just 25% from behind the arc), but he’s already started to flash the potential that made him such an exciting prospect. Flashes like a 35-point outing against the Clippers in late November and 29 against the Pelicans the week before.
Flagg will have turned 19 just a few days prior to Christmas Day and might have a chance to break LeBron’s record for 20-plus games before turning 19.
Dallas has won six of their last 10 and might be just rounding into form. The Mavs are 28th in offensive rating but seventh in defensive rating. If they can get Anthony Davis healthy and if Kyrie Irving can return, more offensive firepower combined with this defensive performance all of a sudden makes Dallas a serious contender.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is largely still driven by Steph Curry. Curry has missed some games due to injury but still averages 29 points per game.
Curry has now passed Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after turning 30. Thus far, Curry is shooting more threes per game than he has since the 2020 season and making them at a better clip than any point since the 2022 campaign. In his 17th season, the game-changing guard has yet to lose a step as he tries to keep Golden State in contention.
Jimmy Butler, in his first full season with the Warriors, has made for a capable running mate, averaging 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal per game.
Adding to the excitement for Golden State has been Pat Spencer, the 29-year-old former lacrosse player who has stepped in to deliver big games while Curry has missed time, including 19 points and seven assists in a road win against Cleveland.
Christmas Day will be a chance for the rest of the country to see his compelling story continue.
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Watch Info: 8:00 p.m. ET | ABC & ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers
A regular fixture on the NBA Christmas Day slate is the Los Angeles Lakers. That’s just what happens when you are competitive almost non-stop for the entirety of your franchise’s history.
But this year is a little different as it will be the first with Luka Doncic in the purple and gold. In his first full season in LA, Luka leads the NBA in points per game, field goal attempts and free throw attempts. He’s averaging nearly a triple-double with 8.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game to go along with his 34 points per game.
LeBron James only just returned from injury but in his stead stepped Austin Reaves.
For the last few years, Reaves has served as the team’s third offensive option, but was thrust into a more prominent role with James sidelined. He’s responded by averaging a career-best 27.8 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Already on the season, Reaves has eight 30-plus point games, including two 40-point games and a 51-point, 11 rebound, nine assist performance early in the season against Sacramento.
The two guards are the highest-scoring backcourt in the NBA and are largely the reason why the Lakers have the 4th seed in the Western Conference.
The question LA come on defense. They’re 20th in defensive rating and while Reaves and Doncic are excellent scorers, they’re average defenders at best. This matchup will be a test of how the legitimacy of this team.
Houston Rockets
Houston entered the season as one of the most compelling teams in the NBA, and they have lived up to it.
Second in the league in defensive rating and net rating and third in the Western Conference at 16-6, Houston looks even better than it did a year ago when it surged to take the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The addition of Kevin Durant has unlocked the Rockets offensively and is leading to career years for Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
Sengun is averaging 23 points, 9.5 rebounds and seven assists a game. Durant is averaging 25 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists per game.
Amen Thompson, who finished First team All-Defense and a finalist for Defensive Player, is averaging 17.5 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal and a half per game.
In total, the top six players for the Rockets are averaging double figures. If they can stay healthy, the Rockets have all the makings of a team ready for a deep playoff run.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Watch Info: 10:30 p.m. ET | ABC & ESPN
The Nuggets and Timberwolves are no strangers, having met multiple times in the playoffs over the last few years, including a seven-game Western Conference semifinal in 2024.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves have made it to the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years and are hoping this is the year they can finally break through to the Finals.
Minnesota ranks in the top 10 for offensive and defensive rating. Anthony Edwards is off to his best start of his career, averaging 28.7 points, five rebounds and nearly four assists per game. He’s shooting a career-best 41% from three and 50% from the floor.
Julius Randle is right behind him at 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jaden McDaniels has finally begun to show offensive prowess, averaging 16 points a game on 41% shooting from three-point range.
Minnesota’s top six players are averaging double figures. This is a team that should find itself once again in the mix for supremacy in the Western Conference.
Denver Nuggets
On the other side is Denver and possible four-time MVP, Nikola Jokić.
It’s hard to properly contextualize how good Jokić has been without bordering on hyperbole. But this year, he’s leading the league in total rebounds and total assists. He’s fifth in scoring at 29.5 points per game. He has a triple-double in nearly half of Denver’s games.
He’s also having his best shooting season from three (42%) and a near career-best 62% from the field.
Beyond Jokić, Jamal Murray is having a bounce-back campaign, averaging 24 points and seven assists per game.
But currently, Denver is shorthanded. They missing both Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon to ankle and hamstring injuries respectively that will keep them out for a few more weeks which might include the Christmas Day game.
Still, Denver is 7-3 over their last 10 game. They’re the number one offensive team in the league and third in net rating. They’re top 10 in assist percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio, rebound percentage and turnover percentage.
As long as Jokić is on the court, Denver will be competing for a Western Conference title.
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You can catch all of the Christmas Day games and the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season on DIRECTV. Sign up today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What NBA teams are playing on Christmas day in 2025?
Teams playing on Christmas include Cavs vs. Knicks, Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Rockets vs. Lakers, Spurs vs. Thunder and Mavericks vs. Warriors.
Where can I watch NBA games on Christmas day?
Fans can watch all the Christmas day NBA games on either ESPN (channel 206) or ABC (check local listings).
How many NBA games are being played on New Year's Eve 2023?
Six games will take place on New Years Eve ranging from 3 p.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET. The teams playing are Hawks vs. Wizards, Lakers vs. Pelicans, Nets vs. Thunder, Celtics vs. Spurs, Kings vs. Grizzlies and Magic vs. Suns.
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