The Holiday tradition of NBA basketball on Christmas Day comes back for the 76th time, and for the 16th season in a row, a full five-game slate of Christmas Day games will keep the hoops action rolling from morning until night.
For fans whose Christmas wish list contains watching NBA superstars, then this year’s lineup of matchups, will deliver that gift.
Seven of the nine players who have received the title of Kia MVP over the past 15 seasons will be in action for the Christmas Day games:
- Lakers’ LeBron James (2009, ‘10’, ‘12’, ‘13)
- Suns’ Kevin Durant (‘14)
- Warriors’ Stephen Curry (‘15, ‘16)
- 76ers’ James Harden (‘18) and Joel Embiid (‘23)
- Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (‘19, ‘20)
- Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (‘21, ‘22)
The defending Eastern Conference-champion Miami Heat head five other teams from their conference in the Christmas Day games, including the three teams they defeated to reach the NBA Finals:
Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics. The past four teams to win the NBA title – The Los Angeles Lakers (2020), Bucks (2021), Golden State Warriors (2022), and Denver Nuggets (2023) – play on Christmas, with the last two champions meeting in the nightcap.
December 25: Bucks Vs. Knicks (Noon ET, ESPN)
The Knicks will extend their record for Christmas Day appearances (56) and look to tie the record for most Christmas Day victories (24) when they host the Bucks, who swept them last season. Milwaukee has won six consecutive head-to-head meetings.
A potential game in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals was disrupted after Milwaukee was upset by Miami in the first round. New York reached the East semi-finals after it defeated Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round behind the stellar play of Jalen Brunson.
Decemeber 25: Warriors vs. Nuggets (2:30 ET, ABC & ESPN)
Christmas night is topped off with a game between the past two NBA champions: the 2022 Warriors won the Nuggets in the opening round on their way to their fourth title of this dynasty, with two-time Kia MVP, Steph Curry adding his first Finals MVP to his resume.
Last season, the Golden State were knocked out before a potential clash with Denver in the conference finals as the Nuggets reached the Finals and won their first NBA title in franchise history with another two-time Kia MVP earning his first Finals MVP in Jokic.
December 25: Celtics VS Lakers (5 ET, ABC & ESPN)
The most talked about rivarly in NBA history adds another chapter to its blossming history as James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers face Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics. Both sides enter the season with their eyes set on being the first team to reach 18 NBA championships.
Last season, both competitions between the Celtics and Lakers entered overtime, with Boston winning by four points each match. Overall, Boston leads the all-time regular season series 165-133 and 43-31 vs. the Lakers in the playoffs, too.
December 25: 76ers vs. Heat (8 ET, ESPN)
This showdown will pit Embiid (the reigning Kia MVP and two-time scoring champ) against the defending Eastern Conference champion Heat, headed by former Sixers star Jimmy Butler.
Miami won the 2022-23 season series, 2-1, with each team securing a 20-plus point blowou victory. Heat, howver, got win No.2 in the series off an incredible acrobatic reverse layup by Butler with 90 seconds to play.
December 25: Mavericks VS Suns (10:30 ET, ESPN)
The first time Durant and Kyrie met as opponents after their three-seasons as teammates delivered a classic overtime matchup between the Mavericks and Suns. In that match, four player scored 30 or higher (Durant had 37 and Devin Booker had 36 for Phoenix; Luka Doncic had 34 and Irving 30 for Dallas) in the Suns’ 130-126 win.
That game left NBA fans clamoring for a playoff matchup that never materalized, but as a consolation, fans get a rematch for Christmas.
Related NBA News:
NBA releases ‘The Gift of Game’ in new Christmas Day campaign.
