NBA Christmas Day and Opening Night 2025: Thunder, Lakers, Warriors Lead Marquee Schedule
Key Takeaways
• Christmas Day features five marquee matchups with defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting San Antonio Spurs as the centerpiece
• Houston Rockets make their Christmas debut following their blockbuster Kevin Durant acquisition from Phoenix
• Boston Celtics notably absent from Christmas schedule for first time since 2015 despite being 2024 champions
• Opening Night returns to NBC after a 22-year absence with Rockets-Thunder and Lakers-Warriors doubleheader
• Western Conference heavily featured with four of five Christmas games involving West teams
Christmas Day Returns with Star Power
The NBA's 2025 Christmas Day schedule delivers compelling storylines across five games broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The slate begins with Cleveland Cavaliers visiting New York Knicks, followed by San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, and concludes with Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets.
Victor Wembanyama gets another Christmas showcase against the defending champions in Oklahoma City, while the newly formed Rockets with Kevin Durant visit the Lakers. The Lakers extend their remarkable Christmas Day streak to 27 consecutive years, while the Knicks make their 58th Christmas appearance, the most in NBA history.
The most notable absence comes from Boston, as the Celtics were dropped from Christmas Day after playing every year since 2016, with Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury and the team's gap year approach following trades of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis contributing to their exclusion.
Historic Opening Night on NBC
The NBA's return to NBC after a 22-year absence features Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets against defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by Stephen Curry's Warriors against LeBron James' Lakers. This doubleheader strategically showcases three of the league's biggest stars who dominated during NBC's previous absence.
Durant joined Houston in a blockbuster July trade that sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the No. 10 pick to Phoenix, positioning the Rockets as legitimate contenders after their first playoff appearance since 2020. The move represents a significant shift in Western Conference power dynamics, with Durant joining a young Houston core that finished 52-30 and second in the West behind Oklahoma City.
