In what’s become a familiar holiday tradition like unwrapping presents from under the tree, the NBA will deliver its annual gift Thursday — a full slate of Christmas Day games for the 78th edition.
Starting with a noon tipoff and running until after midnight, there are five games on Christmas Day 2025 over more than 13 consecutive hours of coverage on ABC and ESPN.
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Four of the past six NBA champions will be in action: the Lakers (2020), Warriors (2022), Nuggets (2023) and Thunder (2025).
Here’s the rundown of the NBA on Christmas Day, past and present (and a look at the future on NBC and Peacock):
NBA Christmas Day 2025 full schedule and how to watch
*All times listed are ET
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Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
Time: Noon. TV: ABC, ESPN -
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
Time: 2:30 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN -
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
Time: 5 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN -
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Time: 8 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN -
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
Time: 10:30 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN
How long has the NBA played on Christmas Day?
The tradition dates to the league’s second season in 1947.
Which NBA team has played the most times on Christmas Day?
The New York Knicks have played a record 57 games on Christmas Day. The Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are tied for most Christmas Day victories with 25 apiece.
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There are seven players in NBA history with at least 11 Christmas Day starts: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
Who holds the record for most points scored on Christmas Day?
Bernard King scored 60 points for the New York Knicks in a 120-114 defeat to the New Jersey Nets on Dec. 25, 1984.
Three other players have scored more than 50: Wilt Chamberlain (59 for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 136-135 double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 25, 1961), Luka Doncic (50 for the Dallas Mavericks in a 128-114 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 25, 2023) and Rick Barry (50 points for the San Francisco Warriors in a 124-112 victory over the Cincinnati Royals on Dec. 25, 1966).
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LeBron James on Christmas Day history:
LeBron James holds multiple NBA records for points (507) and games played (19) on Christmas Day. James surpassed former teammate Dwyane Wade with his record 11th victory on Christmas Day last year (his teams are 11-8 on Dec. 25).
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
How to watch NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
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Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
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What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.
