AT A GLANCE
- NBA schedule for Christmas Day (times listed in ET): Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, noon; San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, 2:30 p.m.; Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, 5 p.m.; Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m.;Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m.
- The NFL will air three Christmas Day games on streaming platforms (times listed in ET): Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET (Netflix); Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET (Netflix); Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
Christmas Day Sports Schedule: NBA and NFL Matchups and Where to Watch
Christmas Day is no longer a quiet sports holiday. Between the NBA’s annual showcase and the NFL’s growing Christmas tradition, Dec. 25 has become a full-day lineup of marquee matchups, streaming exclusives, and nationally televised games stretching from early afternoon into the night.
Here’s what to know about watching both leagues on Christmas Day.
NBA Christmas Day Schedule: Five Games, All Day
The NBA once again headlines Christmas with its traditional five-game slate, featuring a mix of contenders, rising stars, and familiar holiday regulars. Games tip off at noon and run past midnight on the East Coast.
All times Eastern:
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks, noon ET
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder, 2:30 p.m. ET
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, 5 p.m. ET
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m. ET
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. ET
The Spurs–Thunder matchup anchors the afternoon window, giving Oklahoma City a Christmas spotlight after being left off the slate last year. For San Antonio, it marks the second Christmas appearance for Victor Wembanyama, who made his holiday debut last season with a 42-point, 18-rebound performance.
Later in the evening, the Lakers host the Rockets as LeBron James is set to make his 20th career Christmas Day appearance if he plays, extending his record for most holiday games in NBA history. The Warriors–Mavericks matchup also brings together some of the league’s most prolific shooters, while the Timberwolves and Nuggets close out the night in Denver.
NFL Christmas Day Schedule: Three Games, All Streaming
The NFL is also loading up Christmas Day with a tripleheader, leaning fully into streaming platforms to deliver holiday football.
All times Eastern:
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET (Netflix)
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET (Netflix)
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
The day begins with an NFC East matchup as Dallas travels to Washington. The middle game sends Detroit to Minnesota, a rematch that carried major playoff stakes a year ago but arrives this time with less on the line. Netflix plans a halftime show during the Lions–Vikings broadcast featuring Snoop Dogg, along with performances by Lainey Wilson and HUNTR/X from the film Kpop Demon Hunters.
The nightcap closes at Arrowhead Stadium, where Denver faces Kansas City. Denver is chasing its first AFC West title since 2015, while the Chiefs are navigating a rare Christmas game without postseason implications following Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL injury.
Between five NBA games and three NFL matchups, Christmas Day now features eight major professional sporting events spread across more than 12 hours.
The NBA’s slate leans heavily toward Western Conference teams, while the NFL doubles down on divisional rivalries and streaming-first broadcasts.
