The 2025/2026 NBA regular season will experience a special Christmas round this Thursday, December 25 with five carefully selected matches. It is one of the most traditional and anticipated dates on the calendar, bringing together important clashes both in terms of history and the moment of franchises and stars on the field.
The day begins at 2 p.m. (Argentine time) with New York Knicks x Cleveland Cavaliers, at Madison Square Garden, an emblematic scene which hosts an NBA game every year at Christmas. Next, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, faces Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.
Later, Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors host the Dallas Mavericks. Then, the Los Angeles Lakers of LeBron James and Luka Dončić face the Houston Rockets.
The final duel will take place in the early morning of Friday, December 26 (due to time difference), with Denver Nuggets x Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver’s team has Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.
Thursday December 25
•2 p.m.: New York Knicks x Cleveland Cavaliers
•4:30 p.m.: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs
• 7 p.m.: Golden State Warriors x Dallas Mavericks
•10 p.m.: Los Angeles Lakers x Houston Rockets
Friday December 26
• 12:30 a.m.: Denver Nuggets x Minnesota Timberwolves
All games will be broadcast live on ESPN, with online options through Flow, DGO and Telecentro Play, in addition to the Disney+ (Premium plan) and NBA League Pass platforms.
Since 1947, the NBA has maintained December 25 as one of the most important dates of the regular season. The tradition was only interrupted in 1998, when the league went into a lockout and the championship did not begin until February.
For teams and players, playing on a holiday is no contest. On the contrary: Christmas matches usually bring together the main franchises and athletes of the championship, attracting large audiences in sports halls and significant audiences on television and digital platforms around the world.
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