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| The NBA has showcased special slates of Christmas games since 1947. |
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ESPN's tradition of delivering marquee NBA matchups on Christmas Day continues in 2025.�
The holiday action tips off with Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers taking on Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs then head to Oklahoma City to face reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Thunder.
Coverage continues when Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks visit Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. LeBron James, Luka Don i and Kevin Durant then headline a star-studded showdown in Tinseltown as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets.�
The Christmas slate concludes when Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves visit Nikola Joki and the Denver Nuggets.
Check out fun facts about NBA on Christmas Day below:�
� What is the 2025 schedule? *All times Eastern Thursday, Dec. 25 Noon: 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 How can fans watch? All five games will air exclusively on ESPN and ABC. Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NBA streaming hub. Who will play their first Christmas Day games in 2025?� Four 2025 NBA All-Stars are set to make their Christmas Day debuts: Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets. When did NBA Christmas games start?� The NBA began playing games on Christmas Day in 1947, one year after the league's inception. The New York Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers 89-75 at Madison Square Garden in the league's first Christmas Day game. Since then, the NBA has played games on Christmas Day every year except 1998, when a lockout canceled half of the 1998-99 season. Which team has played the most games on Christmas Day? The Knicks have played the most Christmas Day games with 57. Which team has the highest win percentage on Christmas Day? The Miami Heat have the highest win percentage among active teams on Christmas Day at .857 (12-2 record), which includes their current nine-game winning streak. The Heat are unbeaten on Christmas Day under head coach Erik Spoelstra (9-0). Which player has the most wins on Christmas Day? LeBron James has a record 11 victories on Christmas Day. Which coach has the most wins on Christmas Day? Phil Jackson and Jack Ramsay share the record for most victories as a head coach on Christmas Day with 11 apiece. Which player has scored the most points in a single Christmas Day game? Bernard King scored a Christmas Day-record 60 points for the Knicks in a 120-114 loss to the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden in 1984. How can fans access more NBA coverage from ESPN? Check out the ESPN NBA hub page for scores, stats, standings, schedules and more.