Christmas Day is one of the NBA’s biggest annual stages, and the NBA Christmas Day games 2026 lineup keeps that tradition rolling with another five-game slate stacked top to bottom with superstars, rivalries and contenders. The league announced the full schedule Tuesday, and it’s not short on storylines: the defending champion New York Knicks, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James in a new uniform with the Philadelphia 76ers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, and Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors all get the holiday spotlight.
Five games, one full day, tip-off to midnight. That’s the format the NBA has leaned on for going on two decades now, and 2026 doesn’t mess with the formula.
2026 NBA Christmas Day Schedule
- San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks — 12 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
- Miami Heat at Boston Celtics — 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
- Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers — 5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves — 8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
- Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors — 10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
A Finals Rematch Opens the Day
Nothing subtle about starting the day with the two teams that just played for a championship. Wembanyama and the Spurs get a shot at revenge against Jalen Brunson and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the same building where New York hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy last spring. The stakes obviously aren’t the same in December, but a Christmas matinee at MSG against the reigning champs is about as marquee as the regular season gets.
Heat-Celtics Gets a New Wrinkle
This one’s been a fixture of NBA holiday scheduling for years, but it plays different in 2026. Both Miami and Boston chased Giannis Antetokounmpo hard in the offseason’s biggest trade, and Miami won that bidding war — meaning the two-time MVP now suits up for the Heat, not the Bucks, when this game tips at 2:30 p.m. Boston, for its part, pivoted by trading Jaylen Brown and retooling its depth elsewhere. Add in that red and green happen to be both teams’ primary colors, and it’s hard to script a better fit for the day.
LeBron James Sixers Christmas Day Storyline Headlines the Slate
Here’s the one everybody’s circling. James makes his return to Los Angeles for the first time since leaving the Lakers this summer, this time wearing Philadelphia colors alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The Lakers didn’t stand pat either — they brought in Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes to build around Luka Doncic. Whatever James’ 76ers tenure ends up looking like by Christmas, this is the game every NBA fan circled the day the schedule dropped.
Curry, Jokic and a Nightcap With History
Closing out the night, Curry and the Warriors host Jokic and the Nuggets at 10:30 p.m. ET — a matchup between two of the league’s most reliable holiday performers. This will be Curry’s 13th Christmas Day appearance against Jokic’s seventh, and last year’s version of this game wasn’t close to boring: Jokic put up 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists in a Denver win. If he’s anywhere near that form again, the Warriors have their hands full closing out the night.
FAQ
Q: What channel are the NBA Christmas Day games 2026 on?
A: All five games air nationally on ABC and stream on ESPN, marking the league’s continued partnership for its holiday slate.
Q: What time does the 2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule start?
A: The first game, Spurs at Knicks, tips off at 12 p.m. ET, with the final game, Nuggets at Warriors, starting at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Q: Is LeBron James playing on Christmas Day 2026?
A: Yes — the LeBron James Sixers Christmas Day matchup has Philadelphia visiting the Lakers at 5 p.m. ET, James’ first Christmas Day appearance against his former team.
Q: How many games are on the 2026 NBA Christmas Day schedule?
A: Five games are scheduled, continuing the NBA’s tradition of a five-game holiday slate for the 19th consecutive year.
