The 2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule features five nationally televised games on Friday, Dec. 25, beginning at noon ET and continuing through the late-night window. The slate includes a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals, LeBron James’s record 21st Christmas appearance and several of the league’s leading contenders.
2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule and TV times
- San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks — 12 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
- Miami Heat at Boston Celtics — 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
- Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers — 5 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves — 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
- Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors — 10:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
All five games will be shown nationally on both ABC and ESPN. The schedule moves across four time zones, from Madison Square Garden in New York to Chase Center in San Francisco.
Spurs at Knicks opens the day
San Antonio and New York start the Christmas schedule at noon. The matchup brings Victor Wembanyama to Madison Square Garden and puts the Spurs against the reigning champions in the holiday opener.
New York enters the season with Jalen Brunson at the center of its title defense, while San Antonio continues building around Wembanyama and a young backcourt. The game offers a high-profile test for a Spurs team seeking to turn its talent into a consistent place among Western Conference contenders.
Heat and Celtics renew an Eastern rivalry
Miami visits Boston in the 2:30 p.m. window. The teams have repeatedly met in high-stakes postseason series, and their Christmas game adds another national stage to one of the Eastern Conference’s most familiar rivalries.
The Heat’s reworked roster will be measured against a Celtics team accustomed to playing deep into the postseason. With both clubs trying to establish their place in a crowded conference, the matchup should provide an early-season indication of how their rotations compare.
76ers at Lakers puts stars in the spotlight
Philadelphia and Los Angeles meet at 5 p.m. ET. The game is scheduled to be LeBron James’s 21st Christmas appearance, extending his NBA record and adding another holiday milestone to his career.
The Lakers will also face a Philadelphia team whose outlook depends heavily on the availability and form of its leading players. Because the game sits in the middle of the five-game slate, it occupies one of the day’s most visible television windows.
Thunder and Timberwolves meet in a Finals rematch
Oklahoma City travels to Minnesota for the 8 p.m. game in a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals. That recent history gives the matchup the clearest direct connection to the previous postseason.
The game also brings together two teams built around elite two-way talent and deep rotations. Regular-season results in December cannot settle a postseason argument, but this meeting will show how both teams have adjusted since the Finals and where their rivalry stands early in the new campaign.
Nuggets and Warriors close the schedule
Denver visits Golden State at 10:30 p.m. ET in the final game. Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry give the nightcap two former MVPs whose contrasting styles have shaped the league’s recent era.
Denver’s size and half-court execution will meet Golden State’s movement and perimeter shooting. For viewers in the Eastern time zone, the late start takes the schedule past midnight; on the West Coast, it provides a prime-time finish.
What the Christmas slate tells us
The 2026 schedule balances established television draws with teams that have recently reached the league’s biggest stage. New York carries the visibility of a defending champion, Minnesota and Oklahoma City revisit the Finals, and the closing game features two of the most accomplished players of their generation.
It also gives San Antonio a prominent opening slot as its young core develops. That mix makes the slate useful as more than a collection of marquee names: it offers five distinct checkpoints for teams with championship ambitions.
Christmas Day falls after the Emirates NBA Cup championship and before the calendar turns toward the trade deadline and All-Star break. For the broader timeline, see NBA Trending’s complete 2026-27 NBA season key-dates guide.
Frequently asked questions
What time do the 2026 NBA Christmas games start?
The first game begins at 12 p.m. ET. The remaining start times are 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET.
What channels carry the games?
All five games are scheduled for national coverage on ABC and ESPN.
Which Christmas game is the 2026 NBA Finals rematch?
The Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves game at 8 p.m. ET is the rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals.