The best way to spread Christmas cheer is poster jams for all to fear.
Santa’s delivering five monster matchups for the hoops world to unwrap, with an epic NBA on Christmas Day just hours away.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Dec. 25, 2025
Cavs at Knicks: Top-5 scorers Brunson & Spida open up the day’s first gift in MSG’s 50th Christmas game
Spurs at Thunder: One of the hottest rivalries in hoops. The ultimate holiday stage. San Antonio-OKC Round 3
Mavs at Warriors: Cooper Flagg makes his Christmas debut against Steph’s Dubs
Rockets at Lakers: KD duels LeBron in a record showdown of all-time scorers. Plus some Luka Magic?
Wolves at Nuggets: Christmas closes with familiar foes as Ant, Joker get into their bags
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Ho, ho, hoops marathon…
The 78th NBA on Christmas Day tips off at Noon ET on ABC & ESPN brimming with an East duel at MSG (plus a “Dunk The Halls” animated broadcast on Main Street, U.S.A.), a Spurs-Thunder Round 3 rematch, Coop & Klay against Steph in the Bay, LeBron vs. KD and a Nuggets-Wolves nightcap.
Stocking Stuffer: In addition to the Christmas feast of marquee matchups, some of the league’s brightest stars will be mic’d for today’s games. Check out who will be mic’d up for each holiday duel below.
🎤 Cavs-Knicks (Noon ET): Donovan Mitchell & Jalen Brunson
🎤 Spurs-Thunder (2:30 ET): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
🎤 Mavs-Warriors (5 ET): Cooper Flagg & Steph Curry
🎤 Rockets-Lakers (8 ET): Alperen Sengun & Luka Dončić
🎤 Wolves-Nuggets (10:30 ET): Anthony Edwards
3-for-1 Day: Your votes count 3x today in NBA All-Star voting for the 2026 starters. Don’t miss this holiday special – make your picks now.
“Shot Ready,” the exclusive new Steph Curry feature, is out now – offering a behind-the-scenes look at the moments and people that shaped Curry’s journey.
1. CAVS AT KNICKS OPENS NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY AT MSG
With the Cleveland Cavaliers coming to town, the Knicks are set to host an NBA on Christmas Day game for the 50th time, a holiday tradition not lost on Kenny Atkinson.
“To me, that’s the marquee game in the NBA. There’s nothing like going to The Garden at Noon,” the Cavs’ head coach said.
“We’re playing a heck of a Knicks team that’s playing great. We’re excited for it.”
Cavaliers at Knicks (Noon ET, ABC/ESPN | Tap To Watch): Before the last gift even leaves the tree, on-court Christmas tips off between these East contenders led by top-5 scorers, whose wish lists are similar and simple: improve on their Playoff promise of 2024.
Following an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals – their deepest Playoff run in 25 years – the Knicks have early signs of progress toward their Finals goal.
New Voice: Coach Mike Brown’s offensive improvements (franchise-best 120.1 ppg) have New York off to its best start in 2012, now including the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup title
Supercharged: The offensive tune-up has helped Jalen Brunson climb even higher, in a career-year of 29.1 ppg (5th-most) on 48.2% shooting and 6.6 apg. It’s paid off in the title of NBA Cup MVP
New York Five: Knicks starters this season have averaged 89.5 ppg (3rd-best), with 22.3 of those points (and 11.7 reb) coming from Karl-Anthony Towns
Al Bello/NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks are a sturdy 14-2 at home this season and winners of 11 of their last 14 games.
Cleveland looks to turn those tables, led by Donovan Mitchell’s career-high 30.6 ppg (4th-most) on 50 FG%.
Holiday Garland: Still just 15 games into his season, Darius Garland is also starting to find his groove, with three 25+ point games in his last five outings
The Close Coast: Cleveland is just 4 games back from New York for 2nd in a tight and varied Eastern Conference
Disney & ESPN’s coverage of Cavs-Knicks includes a special Stitch as “Dunk The Halls” returns for an alternate, live animation broadcast of the action from MSG, available on ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD and the new ESPN App.
2. MERRY MATINEE: SPURS-THUNDER RIVALRY RUMBLE, ROUND 3
Round 1 delivered an instant classic in the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals in Las Vegas.
Round 2 on Tuesday saw 13 ties, 15 lead changes and a late Spurs surge for another win over OKC – this time in Texas.
Round 3 takes center stage today in OKC, where the Thunder are 14-0 this season (2:30 ET, ABC/ESPN | Tap to Watch).
“Playing on Christmas Day in itself is a dream come true,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after OKC’s second loss to San Antonio on Tuesday. “I watched the NBA games growing up every single Christmas…
“I can’t wait to experience that – and then against a really good basketball team who just [beat us badly]. So that’ll be fun.”
This budding rivalry has bloomed. It’s not just a rising power taking swings at the defending champs – it’s two teams at the top of the sport, fighting for the edge.
Best Of The Best: Since Nov. 15, OKC and San Antonio are an identical, NBA-best 14-3 – ranking in the top-5 in scoring, plus-minus and clutch win percentage
Unguardable: In that span, SGA is averaging 32.4 ppg while shooting a scorching 59.1% from the floor and 52.9% from 3
Unrivaled: No other player with 55/50+ shooting splits is averaging more than 14 ppg in that stretch
Unbelievable: Victor Wembanyama has been just as efficient since returning for the Cup Semis, averaging 17.8 pts, 9.2 reb and 2 blk in just 20.8 minutes per game – numbers unmatched by any player over their last five outings
The Difference: But this heavyweight matchup has been shaped by how the Spurs win – together, when it matters most.
The Surge: Of the 11 teams that have played OKC twice, San Antonio leads the pack at 120.5 ppg – 10.2 more than the next closest club
The Scorers: That includes 13+ points from six different players, including guards Stephon Castle (23 ppg), Devin Vassell (20) and De’Aaron Fox (14)
The Speed: That trio has helped wear down OKC’s top-rated defense, powering San Antonio to 68.5 2nd-half points in their two meetings – the most of any Thunder opponent this season
The Stopper: Meanwhile, Wemby has cooled OKC’s 2nd-half offense, holding it to just 55 ppg – nearly 5 points below its season average (59.6)
The Result: In their two matchups, San Antonio has outscored OKC 137-110 in the 2nd half. It’s now one victory shy of becoming the first team to win three straight games against the Thunder since the 2023-24 season.
But the reigning champs will be ready – and Wemby knows it.
“They are going to be locked in,” said Wembanyama of OKC on today’s Round 3 rematch. “More than anytime before, probably … but we’re going to be there too.”
3. COOP MAKES CHRISTMAS DEBUT VS. STEPH’S DUBS
For some players, holiday hoops are familiar festivities. But for others, this Christmas marks the first time they’re joining in on the fun.
Cooper Flagg is a newcomer himself. His wishlist is short.
“I’m just thinking about basketball,” Flagg said. “I just want to get some more wins.”
Tonight (5 ET, ABC/ESPN | Tap to Watch), the Mavericks pay a visit to the Warriors, giving the gift of basketball to households across the world. Golden State sits at .500 with two wins in a row, while Dallas enters with seven victories in its last 11 outings.
Flagg Gets Festive: This month, the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged 24.1 ppg on 52.7% shooting — both up from his season averages — as well as 6.2 rpg and 4.5 apg
Yuletide For Youth: At 19 years old, Flagg will become the youngest player to make his NBA Christmas debut since LeBron James in 2003
Brow Rings The Bells: Anthony Davis, meanwhile, will play in his sixth Christmas Day game, and has averaged 24.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists over his previous five
Thearon W. Henderson/NBAE via Getty Images
Eleven of these days have featured Stephen Curry. Last year, the four-time NBA Champion made history on the holly-jolly hardwood.
“There’s nothing like Christmas Day in the NBA,” Curry said. “Gifts, good food and, of course, a great game.”
Snowing 3s: He scored a game-high 38 points on Dec. 25, 2024, against the Lakers while sinking eight 3-pointers — tying the Christmas Day record
Season’s Greetings: With 4.9 3s per contest in 2025-26, the veteran guard has put up 28.7 ppg, representing his highest scoring average since 2022-23
Tidings Of Joy: Curry’s numbers have been even better lately. Across his last five appearances, he’s shot 41.8% from beyond the arc as well as 31.2 ppg
Shot Ready: Peep the exclusive new feature on Curry, “Shot Ready,” as he reflects on his career, telling the stories of the people and moments that meant the most to him along his journey
When families gather ‘round the fireplace and turn on the TV, they can also watch a premier defense take on an emergent offense.
Game Of Goodwill: The Warriors boast a 111.0 DefRtg this season — 3rd-best in the Association — while in December, the Mavericks’ 117.1 OffRtg qualifies as 10th-best
Chase Center Cheer: Klay Thompson has played a part in that scoring spree. After 11 seasons with Golden State, he returns again, having averaged 20.7 ppg there in 2024-25
4. LEBRON & KD DUEL AS LAKERS HOST ROCKETS IN PRIMETIME
When you’re handed the aux on Christmas, you have one job: play the hits.
The same goes for Christmas Day hoops, as today marks the ninth time that Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are all playing on the holiday.
The latter two legends – ranked 1st and 8th on the all-time scoring list, respectively – will face off for the fifth time on Christmas Day, as the Lakers host the Rockets under the Hollywood lights (8 ET, ABC/ESPN | Tap To Watch).
Santa Staples: James is playing in his 20th Christmas Day game, while Durant suits up for his 11th. However, the two haven’t faced off on Dec. 25 since 2018
Holiday Head-To-Head: KD has the scoring edge in their four previous Christmas meetings (28.8 ppg), but LeBron’s all-around impact (24.3 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 apg) has been the difference, giving him a 3-1 series edge
James and Durant first faced off on Christmas Day in 2012, with James in Miami and KD in OKC. Since then, they’ve combined for two Kia MVPs, four NBA championships and 25 All-Star selections
Now, they meet again in the highest-scoring matchup in NBA history, as no two opposing players have ever entered a game with more combined career points.
And while the names are the same, their games aren’t. Take a look at how their shot diets have evolved from that 2012-13 season to now – extending their primes like a pair of timeless Christmas tunes.
The star power doesn’t stop there. James and Durant guide a pair of three-headed monsters, with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves meshing alongside LeBron, while Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson blossom behind KD.
Luka Magic: In his first full season with Los Angeles, Dončić has delivered and then some – posting a career-high and NBA-best 34.1 ppg, along with 8.6 reb and 8.8 ast
Luka Status: After missing Tuesday’s game with a leg contusion, Dončić is listed as questionable for tonight. Should he play, Luka’s impact goes beyond the box score, as the Lakers are 15-6 when he’s in the lineup
Reaves Revelation: Austin Reaves continues to shine alongside Luka (on and off the court), ranking 12th in the league in scoring with a career-best 27.3 ppg
Sengun’s Next Step: After his first All-Star appearance last season, Sengun’s been even better this year, posting career-highs in ppg (23) and apg (6.9) while bringing in 9.3 boards a night
Amen Ignition: Thompson is also averaging a career-best in points (17.6) and assists (5.3), feeding off Sengun while his burst and bounce pop night after night
Melissa Majchrzak + Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Now, the star trios collide in a marquee West duel, with No. 6 Houston just 1.5 games back of No. 4 Los Angeles – and the whole hoops world watching in primetime.
5. WOLVES FACE NUGGETS TO WRAP UP NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY
On a day of rivalries, the nightcap features one of the best of the 2020s.
Wolves at Nuggets (10:30 ET, ABC/ESPN | Tap to Watch): Winners of 10 of its last 12, Minnesota joined the 20-win club Tuesday night on its way to 5th place in the West. Next up: a familiar foe in Denver, who enter the matchup 1.5 games ahead.
Gauntlet Games: After convincing wins this week against OKC and New York, Minnesota shoots for a third win against a top-5 team in its last four games
Summiting: The Wolves are the only team in the West with a winning record against the Nuggets since 2020-21 (11-10) – Ant Edwards’ rookie season – boasting a signature win in Game 7 of the 2024 Western Conference semis
Key Then & Now: Ant’s impact has only increased in this career-best year and stretch, posting 29.9 ppg on 51.4 FG% and 42.6 3P% in his last nine games
“For me to be playing on Christmas Day this year is super incredible,” Edwards said.
Minny rolls into Denver catching the 21-8 Nuggets, coming off their second loss in the last three games following a six-game win streak. But they’ve yet to lose back-to-back games this season.
Joker & Jamal: Nikola Jokić (28.9 ppg) is tracking to be the first player since Wilt to lead the league in both rebounds (12.0) and assists (10.9), while Murray’s having his own career year with 25.1 ppg and 6.9 apg