Overview
- The 2025 schedule features five games: Cavaliers at Knicks (12 p.m. ET), Spurs at Thunder (2:30 p.m.), Mavericks at Warriors (5 p.m.), Rockets at Lakers (8 p.m.), and Timberwolves at Nuggets (10:30 p.m.).
- Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg are set for their first Christmas appearances; at 19, Flagg would be the fourth-youngest to play on the holiday if he suits up.
- LeBron James is poised for a 20th Christmas game with the Lakers, holding all-time holiday marks for games, points (507), wins (11) and field goals (180), with several other records within reach.
- The event remains a ratings and revenue engine, averaging about 5.25 million viewers across five games in 2024 as advertiser demand rose roughly 18% year over year, with Prime Video alongside ESPN and ABC.
- Legacy pull still matters, with the Knicks leading all-time appearances (57 through 2024) and the Lakers close behind, while this year’s slate skews West with eight of the ten teams from the conference.