The NBA is set to present its annual festive tradition this Thursday with the 78th edition of Christmas Day games. This year, five games will air consecutively over 13 hours on ABC and ESPN, starting at noon and continuing until after midnight. Four of the last six NBA champions—the Lakers (2020), Warriors (2022), Nuggets (2023), and Thunder (2025)—will be featured in the lineup.
The full schedule for Christmas Day 2025 is as follows (all times Eastern):
– Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks at noon on ABC and ESPN
– San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at 2:30 PM on ABC and ESPN
– Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors at 5 PM on ABC and ESPN
– Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers at 8 PM on ABC and ESPN
– Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets at 10:30 PM on ABC and ESPN
The tradition of NBA games on Christmas dates back to the league’s second season in 1947. The New York Knicks hold the record for most Christmas Day appearances with 57 games, while both the Knicks and Lakers share the top spot for most wins with 25 each. Notable players with 11 or more Christmas Day starts include LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry.
Bernard King holds the record for most points scored on Christmas Day, dropping 60 points in 1984, followed closely by Wilt Chamberlain’s 59 points in 1961, Luka Doncic’s 50 points in 2023, and Rick Barry’s 50 points in 1966.
LeBron James has multiple Christmas Day records, including most points scored (507) and most games played (19). He surpassed Dwyane Wade’s previous record during last year’s games, marking his 11th win on Christmas Day with a team record of 11-8.
For the 2025-26 season, NBC will broadcast NBA games with options to stream on Peacock. Monday night games and Tuesday Coast 2 Coast games will be featured, with live streams available nationwide via Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball will debut on February 1, 2026, on NBC and Peacock. Fans can sign up for Peacock to access live sports, documentaries, classic games, original programming, movies, and TV shows on various supported devices.
Fan Take: The NBA’s Christmas Day tradition is more than just holiday entertainment—it’s a showcase of the league’s brightest stars and biggest rivalries that energize fans worldwide. This extensive broadcast schedule accentuates how the NBA continues to grow its audience by blending historic moments with modern-day excitement, solidifying Christmas Day as a pivotal date in the basketball calendar.
