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The NBA’s decades-old tradition of delivering marquee matchups on Christmas Day is back for the 2025 holiday. This year, fans can look forward to five basketball games. The action tips off at noon ET with the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the New York Knicks, followed by a battle between Eastern Conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
Later in the day, we’ll get a Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors matchup and a Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers game, before the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets cap things off.
At a Glance: How to Watch Christmas NBA Games
Don’t have a way to watch the Christmas NBA games? Read on. Ahead is a full guide on where to livestream every NBA game airing on Christmas this year, including ways to watch for free.
How to Watch Christmas NBA Games Online
All of the Christmas NBA games are airing on ESPN and ESPN on ABC. If you don’t have a cable subscription, the best way to watch Christmas NBA games is to get a live TV streaming service that carries either channel. Here are four of the best options:
editor’s Pick
DirecTV
➤ $39.99/month
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 185+ channels
DirecTV carries both ESPN and ABC in a few packages, and all of them start with a five-day free trial. The most affordable option is DirecTV’s MyNews Genre Pack, which delivers ABC and 10+ other channels for $39.99 a month (after the free trial).
Fubo
➤ $55.99/month
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 300+ channels
Another one of our favorite live TV streaming services is Fubo, which carries ESPN and ABC in all of its packages. Plans start at $55.99 a month, but you get a five-day free trial and a discount on your first month.
Sling
➤ $45.99/month
➤ Short-term passes available
➤ Up to 46 channels
Sling carries ABC in a few of its packages and ESPN in its Orange plan. The cheapest way to watch Christmas NBA games on Sling is to get a one-day pass to Sling Orange, which costs just $4.99. Monthly plans start at $19.99.
Hulu + Live TV
➤ $89.99/month
➤ Three-day free trial
➤ 95+ channels
Hulu + Live TV also carries ESPN and ABC, and it offers a three-day free trial to start. After the free trial, Hulu + Live TV costs $89.99 a month. It’s pricey, but it’s a huge package with more than 95 channels, Disney+, and Hulu’s on-demand library all included.
Stream Christmas NBA Games for Free
If you’re looking for a free livestream of the Christmas NBA games, get a free trial to DirecTV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV.
Christmas NBA Schedule 2025
Here’s the 2025 NBA on Christmas Day schedule:
12 p.m. — Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
2:30 p.m. — San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
5 p.m. — Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
7:30 p.m. — Inside the NBA
8 p.m. — Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
10:30 p.m. — Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets