• Christmas Day: Complete coverage
Below is a guide to the NBA on Christmas Day:
Cavaliers vs. Knicks | 12 ET ABC/ESPN
Tinsel Tidbits: Cleveland and New York meet on Christmas for the first time. … The Cavaliers make their first Christmas appearance since 2017. … The Knicks play their 50th Christmas home game. … Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson are top-10 scorers this season.
Spurs vs. Thunder | 2:30 ET ABC/ESPN
Tinsel Tidbits: San Antonio snapped OKC’s 16-game winning streak in the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals. … Victor Wembanyama had 42 points and 18 rebounds in his Christmas debut last year. … Reigning Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays his first Christmas game.
Mavericks vs. Warriors | 5 ET ABC/ESPN
Tinsel Tidbits: Cooper Flagg will be the youngest player to play on Christmas since LeBron James in 2003. … In 2024, Stephen Curry tied a Christmas record with eight threes and scored 38 points. … Klay Thompson makes his one visit to San Francisco this regular season.
Rockets vs. Lakers | 8 ET ABC/ESPN
Tinsel Tidbits: Kevin Durant and LeBron James meet on Dec. 25 for the first time since 2018. … The Rockets play on Christmas for the first time since 2019. … Luka Dončić plays his first Christmas game as a Laker. … Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson make Christmas debuts.
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets | 10:30 ET ABC/ESPN
Tinsel Tidbits: Minnesota and Denver meet on Christmas for the first time. … They split playoff series in 2023 and 2024. … Anthony Edwards scored 26 points in his Christmas debut last year. … Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets play on Christmas for the sixth time in seven years.
Below are some more Christmas Day quick facts:
- This year marks the 78th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day. The NBA began playing games on Christmas Day in 1947 in its second season.
- The NBA will have five games on Christmas Day for the 18th year in a row.
- The NBA on Christmas Day will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages.
- ABC and ESPN will air all five Christmas Day games in the United States, spanning more than 13 consecutive hours of coverage.
- Three games are first-time matchups on Christmas Day: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets.
- The New York Knicks will extend their record for most games played on Christmas Day to 58. An original NBA franchise, New York played its first Christmas game in 1947.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers will play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2017, the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2018 and the Houston Rockets since 2019.
- Four 2025 NBA All-Stars are set to make their Christmas Day debuts: reigning Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets. (Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, a 2025 NBA All-Star, has also never played on Christmas Day; the Cavaliers announced on Dec. 13 that he is expected to miss approximately 2–4 weeks with a calf injury.)
- The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is the Christmas Day career leader in points (507), games played (19), field goals made (180), three-pointers made (tied with James Harden with 31) and victories (11). James ranks second with 137 assists (eight behind Oscar Robertson, with 145) and 28 steals (two behind Russell Westbrook, with 30).
- Other Christmas Day career leaders include Bill Russell for rebounds (176), Shaquille O’Neal for blocked shots (25) and Oscar Robertson for free throws made (125).
- Bernard King scored a Christmas Day-record 60 points for the New York Knicks against the New Jersey Nets in 1984.
- Other Christmas Day single-game leaders include Wilt Chamberlain for rebounds (36 in 1961); Guy Rodgers and Nate “Tiny” Archibald for assists (18 in 1966 and 1972, respectively); DeAndre Jordan for blocked shots (eight in 2011); Kyrie Irving for steals (seven in 2016); and Patty Mills, Luka Dončić, Grayson Allen and Stephen Curry for three-pointers made (eight in 2021, 2023, 2023 and 2024, respectively).
- In 2023, Luka Dončić (50 points) became the fourth player to score 50 or more points in a Christmas Day game, joining Bernard King (60 in 1984), Wilt Chamberlain (59 in 1961) and Rick Barry (50 in 1966).
- Tracy McGrady has the highest career scoring average on Christmas Day at 43.3 points per game. He scored at least 40 points in each of his three games.
- Miami has the highest winning percentage among active teams on Christmas Day at .857 (12–2 record), which includes its current nine-game winning streak. The Heat is unbeaten on Christmas Day under current head coach Erik Spoelstra (9–0).
- Ten players have recorded a triple-double on Christmas Day: Oscar Robertson (four), John Havlicek, Billy Cunningham, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook (two), Draymond Green, Kemba Walker, James Harden, Nikola Jokić and Austin Reaves.
- The Lakers and Knicks are tied for the most team victories on Christmas Day with 25.
- Phil Jackson and Jack Ramsay share the record for most head coaching victories on Christmas Day with 11 each.
