Overview

• The NBA officially announced its 2025-26 Christmas Day schedule with five nationally televised games on ABC and ESPN.
• Only the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks represent the Eastern Conference, both slated in the earliest time slot on Dec. 25.
• The remaining eight teams all hail from the Western Conference, featuring high-profile matchups such as Rockets vs. Lakers and Mavericks vs. Warriors.
• Social media users criticized the minimal Eastern representation, calling out the conference’s limited presence in prime holiday windows.
• Injuries to Eastern stars like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton reduced the conference’s draw, influencing the league’s decision to load its Christmas slate with Western games for higher TV ratings.