How I Would Have Scheduled The NBA's Christmas Day Slate

The NBA playing games on Christmas Day is one of the few things I get to look forward to every year around the holidays. You can make the argument that there is no day on the NBA calendar more important than December 25th, as the league shows off their best players and teams on the day that many fans refer to as the "unofficial" start of the basketball season as football season begins to wind down.

However, the allure of NBA Christmas has declined a little bit in recent seasons as the NFL has forced its way onto our televisions, giving us admittedly more important games, as those late December matchups typically have playoff implications or seeding on the line.

Nevertheless, watching a full day of basketball while eating great food with friends and family never gets old and, as I have gotten older, always makes me feel nostalgic. 

Last week, the NBA announced this year's Christmas Day games, and I have to give them credit where it's due. For once, I honestly believe that the league got all ten of the teams correct this year. There is star power for both older and newer generations making great storylines, showcasing rivalries either years old or just beginning, as well as potential playoff previews.

This year’s slate tips off with the Cleveland Cavaliers visiting the New York Knicks, followed by Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs taking on the MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The evening window begins with the new-look Dallas Mavericks with Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and number one overall pick Cooper Flagg making the trip to Thompson's old stomping grounds in the Bay Area as they take on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The marquee game is where we see Kevin Durant and his new team, the Houston Rockets, travel to Los Angeles to face LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Lakers. The nightcap has Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves squaring off with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

While the teams playing, I believe, are correct, I can't help but feel that some of the actual matchups should be a bit different to give us the best day of basketball possible. 

What They Got Right: Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

On paper, there should be no question that the Knicks and Cavaliers are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference going into the 2025-26 season. Especially with contenders like the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers expected to be without stars in Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered torn Achilles in the NBA playoffs. This game puts the top two teams in the East, made up of star players in Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and Darius Garland, up against one another in what may well be a prelude to the Eastern Conference Finals. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden will be electrifying, and it seems like the perfect way to start the day. 

Second Game: Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder

For the day's second matchup, I personally would have gone with an MVP showdown between Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Especially since the Nuggets and Thunder faced off in a second-round series that went the distance this postseason, where OKC went on to win the NBA title. This off-season, the Nuggets made moves to upgrade their personnel to try and take down Oklahoma City, and both teams are among the handful of rosters that have a real chance at winning the 2026 championship. Don't be shocked if we see these two face off in the Western Conference Final, and I would have loved to see them face off for the first time this season on Christmas Day.

Third Game: Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

After making the move of the summer by acquiring Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets are ready to compete for a title this season. This would not only allow us to see Durant go up against his former team, which always adds a level of drama, but also the rivalry these franchises have built over the last decade with many playoff matchups where the Warriors have gotten the best of the Rockets, including just last season when Golden State came out on top in their seven-game first-round series. After the loss, the Rockets saw they needed to make a bold move to take that next step to establish themselves as a legitimate contender. Enter trading for Durant. The Rockets would now have an opportunity to prove to Curry and the Warriors that things might turn out differently this time around should they meet in the playoffs yet again.

Fourth Game: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks

To be honest, I'm shocked the league didn't schedule this for Christmas. Perhaps it's because the Lakers and Mavericks have already faced off on Christmas twice since 2020, but let's just say that things have changed for these Western Conference foes.

After the shocking trade in February, Luka Doncic now wears the purple and gold, and I think it only made sense that Doncic, LeBron James, and the Lakers would travel to Dallas to take on Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg, and the Mavericks in what would have been must-see television. Doncic and Flagg will be compared for years to come, and I think it only would have made sense for their first battle to be on the NBA's biggest regular season game stage. Luka scored a staggering 45 points in his first game back in Dallas in April, and the story of him coming back to Dallas will be something to watch in the NBA for years to come.

Night Game: San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves

In my opinion, the league should have chosen to end the day with a battle between two of the game's brightest stars in Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards. Both Edwards and Wembanyama have the potential to be the faces of the NBA in the not-so-distant future, and both the Spurs and the Timberwolves have exciting supporting casts and entertaining playing styles, which makes this matchup not just reliant on their star players. It would have been a perfect way to conclude Christmas with a glimpse into the NBA's future.