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Live Updates: Bulls, Clippers, Grizzlies Victorious on Day After Christmas

Revisit the highlights and results as 18 teams competed on the Friday after Christmas.

NBA.com Staff

Coby White helps lift the Chicago Bulls over the Philadelphia 76ers on December, 26 2025 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE)

With Christmas 2025 is in the rear view, NBA action resumed Friday without missing a beat. A nine-game slate saw career-best performances, game winning shots, and winning streaks extended.

📝 What we know after Friday’s games:

  • Philadelphia ‘big three’ continues to struggle: The 76ers have only had Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid in the lineup together this season four times. They’ve yet to win a game when all three players are active after tonight’s loss to Chicago. Individually, they each had decent games and combined for 73 points. Down the stretch, however, the team went cold. The Bulls held Philadelphia scoreless when it mattered most, suggesting Philadelphia’s big three needs more reps in late game situations.

  • Clippers gain ground on Portland: Clippers fans didn’t forecast a 9-21 start to the season, but a win tonight is a big boost to team morale. The victory marks three-in-a-row for LA. Brook Lopez single-handedly kept the team afloat in the opening quarter, and the shooting touch never left him. He sank a career-best nine threes, while James Harden and Kawhi Leonard added 34 and 28 points respectively. A road win over the feisty Trail Blazers helps the Clippers goal of re-entering the playoff picture.

  • Keyonte George breakout confirmed: The shot that mattered most all night long happened in Utah. With the shot clock turned off and the game tied, Keyonte George managed to sink an isolation floater over three Piston defenders to take the lead and on the end win the game. He finished with 31 points, seven boards and eight assists. This marks his fourth 30-point game this December, and eight of the year. Detroit dealt with foul trouble to key players, nonetheless, the Jazz’s win is a sign of change for the better in Utah.

 

Final Scores 🚨

12:40 AM / December 27, 2025

Clips slam door on Blazers 🚪

The outcome was hardly in doubt down the stretch. Once LA took the lead there was no looking back. Momentum swund during the third quarter of this game, and Portland was not able to stop the snowball effect.

Brook Lopez had the best shooting night of his career, sinking nine-of-14 threes. He’ll be needed in the upcoming games as well while Ivica Zubac is expected to miss time with an ankle sprain. The Clippers defense held the Trail Blazers to just 41 second-half points.

12:20 AM / December 27, 2025

Kawhi scales Mt. Clingan 🗻🔨

We have a late submission for dunk of the night, and it’s a strong contender for the crown. Kawhi Leonard’s monster slam came as LA opened a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter over Portland.

12:12 AM / December 27, 2025

George stamps sensational performance with game-winner 🤌❄️

What a night from Keyonte George. He finished with 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and sank the game-winning shot over a crowd of defenders.

Lauri Markkanen was huge for Utah as well, scoring 30 points tonight. Detroit battled foul trouble which held Jalen Duren to only 22 minutes of play. Cade Cunningham was exceptional in defeat, as his last second heave to win the game missed the mark.

Another angle 🤳

12:04 AM / December 27, 2025

Clips 3Q comeback

The Clippers swung momentum entirely in the third quarter, using a 13-1 run to swing the lead before the final quarter. Brook Lopez is having a career night shooting the ball, as he has nine made threes with plenty of time remaining.

11:54 PM / December 26, 2025

NASTY Nurkic block 🤯

The Utah Jazz are a few minutes way from a huge potential win over the visiting Pistons, making this block from Jusuf Nurkić that much more impressive. This sequence forced a timeout, after back-to-back fastbreaking buckets from Utah.

11:40 PM / December 2

The Clippers are still chasing the Portland Trail Blazers, as this game nears the halfway point of the third quarter. Thankfully, Brook Lopez’s hot shooting from the first half has carried over.

11:14 PM December 26, 2025

Pistons on the road & on the ropes

Keyonte George has five threes so far tonight, and 27 points to lead all scorers. His teammate, Lauri Markkanen is right behind him with 25 of his own, as the Jazz attempt to bring a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter over Detroit.

For the Pistons, they’ve been without center Jalen Duren for much of the game due to foul trouble. With his team trailing, Cade Cunningham has stepped up big. He already has a double-double, with 17 points and 16 assists going into the fourth quarter.

11:01 PM December 26, 2025

Avdija-Lopez Battling 🤺

Portland took control of this game at the very beginning, thanks to strong play across the board from Deni Avdija. He sank his first six shots of the night, along with four free throws.

Brook Lopez had a similar hot start for the Clippers, preventing what could have been a disastrous start. Lopez scored the team’s first eight points of the night, and leads LA in scoring so far with 19 as halftime approaches.

10:51 PM / December 26, 2025

Booker, Williams fuel PHX W 🌵

The Phoenix Suns avoided falling victim to the New Orleans Pelicans, thanks to superb performances from Devin Booker and Mark Williams. Booker notched another 30-point outing while Williams posted  24 points and 13 rebounds. Collin Gillespie also gave New Orleans trouble, ending one assist shy of a double-double with 16 points.

10:25 PM / December 26, 2025

Looking ‘Sharpe’ in the sky 📸

Shaedon Sharpe highlights are coming in early tonight, as he converts this alley-oop off of the steal early against the Clippers.

10:11 PM / December 26, 2025

Bulls charge late, win 5th straight 😤

Chicago’s final push came at the perfect time, as the team shutout Philadelphia for the final 2:45 of the game to come from behind and win. A 10-nothing run from that point on sealed the Sixers’ fate, as they were outscored by 11 in the fourth quarter overall.

This victory extends the team’s current winning streak to five games. The Bulls had six double-digit scorers including Jalen Smith who scored 12, and finished with the most memorable dunk of the night.

Embiid put on poster 🫢

10:05 December 26, 2025

Grizz in control ⛹️

Memphis was slow out of the gate against Milwaukee, but haven’t looked back since turning the tide in the second quarter. Ja Morant is a pair of assists away from a double-double, while Jaren Jackson only needs two more rebounds to have one himself. Jackson also has five rejections on the night, leading to transition opportunities for Memphis.

10:00 PM / December 26, 2025

Trey Murphy soars 🚀 Pels-Suns 4Q begins

The Smoothie King Center erupted as Trey Murphy converts a transition highlight reel slam. Their relentless attack has translated to 29 free throw attempts on the night, helping them stay afloat despite shooting 22% from three. Murphy has 12 points to lead his team in scoring, as does Zion Williamson who came off the bench tonight.

9:48 PM / December 26, 2025

Buckle up 🎢

We’re in for a compelling final five minutes of play in Chicago. This one has seesawed throughout, with neither team gaining a large lead. The 76ers lead by one as this game enters the final six minutes.

9:35 PM / December 2025, 2026

Orlando goes cold against Charlotte 🥶

The Hornets took care of business against Orlando tonight, even with Kon Knueppel exiting the game in the second quarter. LaMelo Ball helped pick up the slack with a team-high 22 points along with seven rebounds and five assists.

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each struggled from the floor. Banchero finished with 13 points on 13 shot attempts while Bane mustered 15 points on 19 shots, failing to convert on all of his six tries from distance. Anthony Black shined, meanwhile, with a game-high 24 points while racking up two steals and a block on defense.

Final Scores 🚨

9:10 PM / December 26, 2025

Raptors down big late

The Wizards have been sharp all night long, getting the better of a Toronto squad without RJ Barrett in the lineup. Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley have 29 and 25 points respectively, but the team has had no answer for Washington’s uptempo play tonight.

Bilal Coulibaly is up to a seson-high 21 points tonight for the Wizards, while Bub Carrington has been finding open teammates throughout the fourth quarter.

9:02 PM / December 26, 2025

Sixers-Bulls resume ▶️

An eight-point unanswered run from Philadelphia forced a Chicago timeout early into the third quarter. The 76ers have not played many games this season with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George in the lineup, so each rep the group gets is valuable.

8:52 PM / December 26, 2025

Heat following Norman’s lead

Norman Powell has a team-high 17 points, after catching fire in the second quarter, but it has been a balanced scoring attack overall. Miami’s leads 98-87 with less than ten minutes to play against Atlanta.

8:40 PM / December 26, 2025

1Q check-ins: Booker, KPJ doing it all

The Suns are ahead 26-23 over the Pelicans tonight at the end of the first quarter. Devin Booker is in rhythm already, getting to his spots and either sinking the shot or finding the open man.

Kevin Porter Jr. has been all over the court in the first quarter, helping the Bucks take a 35-25 lead over the Grizzlies. Tune in on NBA League Pass to see the action resume in the second.

8:34 PM / December 26, 2025

2H Underway

  • Wizards holding lead over Raptors
  • Hawks trail at home to Miami
  • Hornets up double-digits on Orlando

8:22 PM / December 26, 2025

Knueppel ruled out ⚠️

This is a bummer. Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel needed help leaving the court after appearing to roll his ankle in the second quarter. He’ll finish the night with 16 points, all of which coming in the first frame.

8:15 PM / December 26, 2025

Scipt flipped, C’s score 47 Q2 points 🙃☘️

Perhaps the most surprising start to a game of the night, now resembles the contest many imagined coming in given the teams’ standings in the East. The Celtics trailed by as many as 15 early, but have reversed course and hold 14-point lead at halftime.

8:09 PM / December 26, 2025

Circus Shot from LaMelo 🎪

Already being guarded beyond the three-point line, LaMelo Ball strings together a slick combo before stepping-back for a super deep triple that ripped the net.

Charlotte shot the lights out in the first quarter, scoring 38 points as a team. The tempo slowed overall in the second, where the two teams scored 39 points combined. Orlando will try to regroup in the second half.

8:00 PM / December 26, 2025

Joel and-1 💪

It’s nice to see Joel Embiid active and in a groove. The former MVP is for just his 13th game of the season, but he’s coming off of a 27-point effort in the team’s last game against Brooklyn.

7:51 PM / December 26 2025

A fun one in D.C. 👀

Scottie Barnes took flight and finished with authority to give his team a jolt of adrenaline in the second quarter. So far, Washington has come to play. It’s been a high-paced game with the Wizards leading 49-47 midway through the frame.

7:45 PM / December 26 2025

C’s erase double-digit deficit

It has been a tale of two quarters in Indianapolis. The Pacers grabbed an early lead and went into the second quarter leading Boston by 11. Very quickly Boston turned things around, as they’ve outscored Indiana 14-5 to open the second quarter after the Pacers led by as many as 15 points.

7:31 PM / December 26, 2025

Call for backup ☎️

Kon Knueppel had quite the first quarter. The rookie sharpshooter is up to 16 points and has made all four of his three-point attempts. He’s the biggest reason why Charlotte is leading Orlando at the end of the first quarter.

See the highlights of his hot start below.

7:25 PM / December 26, 2025

Heating up early ♨️

Miami is leading the Hawks so far. Kel’el Ware has been having a breakout season and it’s easy to see why as he finishes this alley-oop with ease.

7:10 PM / December 26, 2025

Cast your vote 🗳️

The NBA is mixing things up this year for the All-Star Game format. While tonight’s games are unfolding, keep in mind that All-Star voting is underway.

7:00 PM / December 26, 2025

Behind the scenes in Boston 🎥

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to play for the Boston Celtics, this practice video will give an idea. The players share what’s motivating them as the team prepares for the rest of the season.

6:50 PM / December 26, 2025

First Four 📋

These two teams enter this matchup with nearly identical records. Miami holds a half-game edge over Atlanta to claim the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Trae Young is playing in his fourth game since returning from a knee injury that forced him to miss 22 games. Jalen Johnson has been masterful in Young’s absence, averaging career bests nearly across the board this year.

The Hornets are without rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner tonight, so Moussa Diabate will start inside. LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges round out their first unit. Meanwhile the Magic will be without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs tonight.

Team statistics for this one aren’t very different, but the two teams’ records certainly are. Toronto, 18-13, hold the fourth spot in the East coming into tonight while the Wizards are in last at 5-23.

The Pacers are in the same boat as the Washington Wizards, looking up at the rest of the Eastern Conference with a 6-24 record entering tonight’s game. The Boston Celtics haven’t skipped a beat this year, even without Jayson Tatum, who is sidelined due to a torn achilles suffered in last year’s playoffs.

Friday Night NBA Action 🏀🎬

Immediately following a terrific lineup on Christmas Day, the NBA is back with nine games and more storylines to follow. The Eastern Conference is in the spotlight, with 12 of the 18 teams competing representing the East. The night wraps up out West, where the surging Portland Trail Blazers look to halt the LA Clippers’ recent momentum.

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