NBA Christmas Day games for 2024-25 season revealed: Teams, matchups, schedule & more
The 2024-25 NBA season doesn’t start until Oct. 22 this year but the league has already released key dates for basketball fans to monitor. Like last year, there will be an In-Season Tournament, now called the Emirates Cup, that will end in mid-December. After that event, the highly anticipated Christmas games will roll in.
Christmas Day games have been one of the most viewed slates in league history. For this reason, the commissioner has always tried to showcase mouthwatering matchups to cater to fan demands. Adam Silver hopes this year’s version will be just as successful if not more so than the 2023 edition.
Shams Charania reported the matchups for the 2024 NBA Christmas Day games on X, formerly Twitter:
“Spurs at Knicks
"Timberwolves at Mavericks
"76ers at Celtics
"Lakers at Warriors
“Nuggets at Suns”
In 2023, the marquee matchup on Dec. 25 was between the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics. This time, the Lakers-Warriors duel might be the one most basketball fans will be tuning in. Steph Curry against LeBron James is still as highly anticipated as ever.
Two teams that played in the 2023 NBA Christmas Day aren’t on the schedule this year. The Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks have been replaced by the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama might be staples in future Dec. 25 games.
Wembanyama’s debut in the said marquee matchups is interesting. The Spurs won just 22 games last season and failed to make the playoffs. Many have already reacted that the Milwaukee Bucks, featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, should have been on the card. “Wemby” at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks might be something the league thought was the bigger attraction.
The 2024 NBA Christmas Day games are already highly anticipated
The NBA Christmas Day games open with a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. New York added Mikal Bridges to a roster that had a deep playoff run despite not having Julius Randle. They will host the Spurs who will have an even better Victor Wembanyama, the Rookie of the Year. San Antonio will also bring Stephon Castle the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft.
A rematch of the Western Conference Finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks will be mouthwatering. Dallas, which lost in the NBA Finals, has Klay Thompson on the roster. Luka Doncic versus Anthony Edwards is must-see TV.
TD Garden will be rocking when the defending champion Celtics host the retooled Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey now have Paul George to help them. It’s only the regular season but this game will likely have a playoff-like atmosphere.
The Lakers versus Warriors has to be the matchup most basketball fans will be circling in their calendars. LeBron James against Steph Curry is still the top draw in the NBA. Add Bronny James’ name to the cast playing a role in the game and the script couldn’t be any better.
Almost like an afterthought in the slate of games on Dec. 25 will be the duel between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets. The game will not lack star power as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are expected to play if healthy. They can put on a show as well as any of the matchups that day.