The NBA’s 2025 Christmas Day schedule, revealed by Shams Charania, features five matchups on ABC and ESPN.
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets set the stage for December 25.
Luka Doncic’s Lakers face the rising Houston Rockets with Kevin Durant on the roster. The Slovenian star’s 31-pound weight loss adds intrigue to this clash.
Houston clinched the Southwest Division in 2024-25 but fell to Golden State in a seven-game playoff series.
The Thunder, led by 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, host the Spurs after winning the 2025 NBA Finals.
San Antonio, under new coach Mitch Johnson, missed the 2025 playoffs. They’ll look to upset the Thunder on Oklahoma’s home court.
Cleveland’s 15-0 start last season and Central Division title fuel their Christmas clash with the Knicks. New York’s Eastern Conference Finals run adds intensity to this rivalry.
Golden State, bolstered by Jimmy Butler’s acquisition, faces Dallas, now led by Anthony Davis. The Warriors’ 2025 playoff run ended against Minnesota, while Dallas missed the postseason.
Minnesota, fresh off upsetting the Lakers in 2025, takes on Denver’s Nikola Jokic. The Timberwolves’ consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances signal their growing contender status.
Denver, despite a coaching shakeup, reached the 2025 Western Conference Semifinals. Jokic’s historic 30-20-20 game last season highlights his dominance.
