{"id":368237,"date":"2025-12-25T15:36:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T15:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/368237\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T15:36:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T15:36:20","slug":"starting-5-all-the-makings-of-a-christmas-classic-starting-at-noon-et-on-abc-espn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/368237\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: All The Makings Of A Christmas Classic, Starting At Noon ET on ABC & ESPN"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is poster jams for all to fear.<\/p>\n

Santa\u2019s delivering\u00a0five monster matchups for the hoops world to unwrap, with an epic NBA on Christmas Day<\/a>\u00a0just hours away.<\/p>\n

\"Santa<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

Dec. 25, 2025<\/p>\n

Cavs at Knicks: Top-5 scorers Brunson & Spida open up the day\u2019s first gift in MSG\u2019s 50th Christmas game<\/p>\n

Spurs at Thunder: One of the hottest rivalries in hoops. The ultimate holiday stage. San Antonio-OKC Round 3<\/p>\n

Mavs at Warriors: Cooper Flagg makes his Christmas debut against Steph\u2019s Dubs<\/p>\n

Rockets at Lakers: KD duels LeBron in a record showdown of all-time scorers. Plus some Luka Magic?<\/p>\n

Wolves at Nuggets: Christmas closes with familiar foes as Ant, Joker get into their bags<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

Ho, ho, hoops marathon\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Today's<\/p>\n

The 78th NBA on Christmas Day tips off at Noon ET on ABC & ESPN brimming with an East duel at MSG (plus a \u201cDunk The Halls<\/a>\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

Stocking Stuffer: In addition to the Christmas feast of marquee matchups, some of the league\u2019s brightest stars will be mic\u2019d for today\u2019s games. Check out who will be mic\u2019d up for each holiday duel below.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa4 Cavs-Knicks (Noon ET): Donovan Mitchell & Jalen Brunson
\n\ud83c\udfa4 Spurs-Thunder (2:30 ET): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
\n\ud83c\udfa4 Mavs-Warriors (5 ET): Cooper Flagg & Steph Curry
\n\ud83c\udfa4 Rockets-Lakers (8 ET): Alperen Sengun & Luka Don\u010di\u0107
\n\ud83c\udfa4 Wolves-Nuggets (10:30 ET): Anthony Edwards<\/p>\n

\"Today's<\/p>\n

3-for-1 Day: Your votes count 3x today in NBA All-Star voting for the 2026 starters. Don\u2019t miss this holiday special \u2013 make your picks now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cShot Ready,\u201d the exclusive new Steph Curry feature, is out now<\/a> \u2013 offering a behind-the-scenes look at the moments and people that shaped Curry\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n

1. CAVS AT KNICKS OPENS NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY AT MSG<\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, that\u2019s the marquee game in the NBA. There\u2019s nothing like going to The Garden at Noon,\u201d the Cavs\u2019 head coach said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing a heck of a Knicks team that\u2019s playing great. We\u2019re excited for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cavaliers at Knicks (Noon ET, ABC\/ESPN<\/a> | Tap To Watch<\/a>): 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.<\/p>\n

Following an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals \u2013 their deepest Playoff run in 25 years \u2013 the Knicks have early signs of progress toward their Finals goal.<\/p>\n

New Voice: Coach Mike Brown\u2019s 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
\nSupercharged: 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\u2019s paid off in the title of NBA Cup MVP
\nNew 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<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Al Bello\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Knicks are a sturdy 14-2 at home this season and winners of 11 of their last 14 games.<\/p>\n

Cleveland looks to turn those tables, led by Donovan Mitchell\u2019s career-high 30.6 ppg (4th-most) on 50 FG%.<\/p>\n

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
\nThe Close Coast: Cleveland is just 4 games back from New York for 2nd in a tight and varied Eastern Conference<\/p>\n

\"Dunk<\/p>\n

Disney & ESPN\u2019s coverage of Cavs-Knicks includes a special Stitch<\/a> as \u201cDunk The Halls\u201d returns for an alternate, live animation broadcast of the action from MSG, available on ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD and the new ESPN App.<\/p>\n

2. MERRY MATINEE: SPURS-THUNDER RIVALRY RUMBLE, ROUND 3<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

Round 1 delivered an instant classic in the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Round 2 on Tuesday saw 13 ties, 15 lead changes and a late Spurs surge for another win over OKC \u2013 this time in Texas.<\/p>\n

Round 3 takes center stage today in OKC, where the Thunder are 14-0 this season (2:30 ET, ABC\/ESPN<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying on Christmas Day in itself is a dream come true<\/a>,\u201d said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after OKC\u2019s second loss to San Antonio on Tuesday. \u201cI watched the NBA games growing up every single Christmas\u2026
\n\u201cI can\u2019t wait to experience that \u2013 and then against a really good basketball team who just [beat us badly]. So that\u2019ll be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SAS-OKC<\/p>\n

This budding rivalry has bloomed. It\u2019s not just a rising power taking swings at the defending champs \u2013 it\u2019s two teams at the top of the sport, fighting for the edge.<\/p>\n

Best Of The Best: Since Nov. 15, OKC and San Antonio are an identical, NBA-best 14-3 \u2013 ranking in the top-5 in scoring, plus-minus and clutch win percentage
\nUnguardable: In that span, SGA is averaging 32.4 ppg while shooting a scorching 59.1% from the floor and 52.9% from 3
\nUnrivaled: No other player with 55\/50+ shooting splits is averaging more than 14 ppg in that stretch
\nUnbelievable: 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 \u2013 numbers unmatched by any player over their last five outings<\/p>\n

\"Stephon<\/p>\n

The Difference: But this heavyweight matchup has been shaped by how the Spurs win \u2013 together, when it matters most.<\/p>\n

The Surge: Of the 11 teams that have played OKC twice, San Antonio leads the pack at 120.5 ppg \u2013 10.2 more than the next closest club
\nThe Scorers: That includes 13+ points from six different players, including guards Stephon Castle (23 ppg), Devin Vassell (20) and De\u2019Aaron Fox (14)
\nThe Speed: That trio has helped wear down OKC\u2019s top-rated defense, powering San Antonio to 68.5 2nd-half points in their two meetings \u2013 the most of any Thunder opponent this season
\nThe Stopper: Meanwhile, Wemby has cooled OKC\u2019s 2nd-half offense, holding it to just 55 ppg \u2013 nearly 5 points below its season average (59.6)<\/p>\n

The Result: In their two matchups, San Antonio has outscored OKC 137-110 in the 2nd half. It\u2019s now one victory shy of becoming the first team to win three straight games against the Thunder since the 2023-24 season.<\/p>\n

But the reigning champs will be ready \u2013 and Wemby knows it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are going to be locked in,\u201d said Wembanyama of OKC on today\u2019s Round 3 rematch. \u201cMore than anytime before, probably \u2026 but we\u2019re going to be there too<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. COOP MAKES CHRISTMAS DEBUT VS. STEPH\u2019S DUBS<\/p>\n

\"Cooper<\/p>\n

For some players, holiday hoops are familiar festivities. But for others, this Christmas marks the first time they\u2019re joining in on the fun.<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg is a newcomer himself. His wishlist is short.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just thinking about basketball,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cI just want to get some more wins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tonight (5 ET, ABC\/ESPN<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>), 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.<\/p>\n

Flagg Gets Festive: This month, the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged 24.1 ppg on 52.7% shooting \u2014 both up from his season averages \u2014 as well as 6.2 rpg and 4.5 apg
\nYuletide For Youth: At 19 years old, Flagg will become the youngest player to make his NBA Christmas debut since LeBron James in 2003
\nBrow 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<\/p>\n

\"Steph<\/p>\n

Thearon W. Henderson\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Eleven of these days have featured Stephen Curry. Last year, the four-time NBA Champion made history on the holly-jolly hardwood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like Christmas Day in the NBA,\u201d Curry said. \u201cGifts, good food and, of course, a great game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Snowing 3s: He scored a game-high 38 points on Dec. 25, 2024, against the Lakers while sinking eight 3-pointers \u2014 tying the Christmas Day record
\nSeason\u2019s 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
\nTidings Of Joy: Curry\u2019s numbers have been even better lately. Across his last five appearances, he\u2019s shot 41.8% from beyond the arc as well as 31.2 ppg
\nShot Ready: Peep the exclusive new feature on Curry, \u201cShot Ready<\/a>,\u201d as he reflects on his career, telling the stories of the people and moments that meant the most to him along his journey<\/p>\n

When families gather \u2018round the fireplace and turn on the TV, they can also watch a premier defense take on an emergent offense.<\/p>\n

Game Of Goodwill: The Warriors boast a 111.0 DefRtg this season \u2014 3rd-best in the Association \u2014 while in December, the Mavericks\u2019 117.1 OffRtg qualifies as 10th-best
\nChase 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<\/p>\n

4. LEBRON & KD DUEL AS LAKERS HOST ROCKETS IN PRIMETIME<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re handed the aux on Christmas, you have one job: play the hits.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The latter two legends \u2013 ranked 1st and 8th on the all-time scoring list, respectively \u2013 will face off for the fifth time on Christmas Day, as the Lakers host the Rockets under the Hollywood lights (8 ET, ABC\/ESPN<\/a> | Tap To Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Santa Staples: James is playing in his 20th Christmas Day game, while Durant suits up for his 11th. However, the two haven\u2019t faced off on Dec. 25 since 2018
\nHoliday Head-To-Head: KD has the scoring edge in their four previous Christmas meetings (28.8 ppg), but LeBron\u2019s all-around impact (24.3 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 apg) has been the difference, giving him a 3-1 series edge<\/p>\n

James and Durant first faced off on Christmas Day in 2012, with James in Miami and KD in OKC. Since then, they\u2019ve combined for two Kia MVPs, four NBA championships and 25 All-Star selections<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

And while the names are the same, their games aren\u2019t. Take a look at how their shot diets have evolved from that 2012-13 season to now \u2013 extending their primes like a pair of timeless Christmas tunes.<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

The star power doesn\u2019t stop there. James and Durant guide a pair of three-headed monsters, with Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves meshing alongside LeBron, while Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson blossom behind KD.<\/p>\n

Luka Magic: In his first full season with Los Angeles, Don\u010di\u0107 has delivered and then some \u2013 posting a career-high and NBA-best 34.1 ppg, along with 8.6 reb and 8.8 ast
\nLuka Status: After missing Tuesday\u2019s game with a leg contusion, Don\u010di\u0107 is listed as questionable for tonight. Should he play, Luka\u2019s impact goes beyond the box score, as the Lakers are 15-6 when he\u2019s in the lineup
\nReaves Revelation: Austin Reaves continues to shine alongside Luka (on and off the court<\/a>), ranking 12th in the league in scoring with a career-best 27.3 ppg
\nSengun\u2019s Next Step: After his first All-Star appearance last season, Sengun\u2019s been even better this year, posting career-highs in ppg (23) and apg (6.9) while bringing in 9.3 boards a night
\nAmen Ignition: Thompson is also averaging a career-best in points (17.6) and assists (5.3), feeding off Sengun <\/a>while his burst and bounce pop<\/a> night after night<\/p>\n

\"Luka<\/p>\n

Melissa Majchrzak + Rocky Widner\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Now, the star trios collide in a marquee West duel, with No. 6 Houston just 1.5 games back of No. 4 Los Angeles \u2013 and the whole hoops world watching in primetime.<\/p>\n

5. WOLVES FACE NUGGETS TO WRAP UP NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

On a day of rivalries,\u00a0the nightcap features one of the best of the 2020s.<\/p>\n

Wolves at Nuggets (10:30 ET, ABC\/ESPN<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>): 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.<\/p>\n

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
\nSummiting: The Wolves are the only team in the West with a winning record against the Nuggets since 2020-21 (11-10) \u2013 Ant Edwards\u2019 rookie season \u2013 boasting a signature win in Game 7 of the 2024 Western Conference semis
\nKey Then & Now: Ant\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me to be playing on Christmas Day this year is super incredible,\u201d Edwards said.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ve yet to lose back-to-back games this season.<\/p>\n

Joker & Jamal: Nikola Joki\u0107 (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\u2019s having his own career year with 25.1 ppg and 6.9 apg<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is poster jams for all to fear. Santa\u2019s delivering\u00a0five monster matchups…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":368238,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[975,49,48,157656,157655,459,97887,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-368237","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-975","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-christmas-day-nba-games-preview","12":"tag-dec-25","13":"tag-nba","14":"tag-nba-starting-5-newsletter","15":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}