Most Memorable NBA Christmas Day Matchups
The Best Time of the Year
There was a time, and not that long ago, when Christmas meant basketball. Right after Santa, gifts, the tree, and maybe (if not sacrilegious) even church.
It was the NBA’s unofficial coming-out party, though the season actually begins in late October.
That was before the NFL stuck out its tentacles, with a tripleheader in 2025 (though none of the games on traditional over-the-air networks). Now, the NBA has been relegated to second fiddle. That doesn’t mean pro basketball is dismissed here, as the league does its best to showcase marquee players and teams (except last season, when the eventual Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers were not scheduled).
There’s a history of great NBA Christmas games, ironically, the best performances coming in losing efforts. Back in the day, Bernard King was a scoring machine with the New York Knicks. It was George Orwell’s 1984 when the Knicks hosted the then-New Jersey Nets. The final score was Nets 120, Knicks 114, King 60.
King had 40 points in the first half, which was the franchise single-game record.
We can’t mention any NBA feats without a nod to Wilt Chamberlain. In his third season (1961-62) as a pro and The Stilt was compiling obnoxious numbers (he ended averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game).
Chamberlain (59 points and 36 rebounds) and his Philadelphia Warriors were at that era’s version of the Garden. Philly lost by a point (double-overtime) to the Knicks
Those two are considered the best individual performances during the NBA’s Christmas games.
NBA championship futures usually see the needle move right around Christmas Day, since a fair number of games have been played to examine (horse-racing parlance) past performance.
It’s never too early to get a handle on which teams have what it takes to make the NBA Finals.
Here’s a bit of a primer on Santa Claus and the NBA…
When Was the First NBA Christmas Game?
Those Christmas NBA scores date back to 1947, the dearly departed Providence Steamrollers at the old Madison Square Garden. Providence lost to the New York Knickerbockers, 89-75.
What Teams Are Scheduled to Play in the NBA Christmas 2025?
NBA news once again finds a quintet of NBA Christmas Day games 2025. The pairings (chronologically) include the Cleveland Cavaliers at the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs at champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets.
It’s no surprise that a number of the 10 teams are favored in NBA championship futures.
Why wait to invest? There are early lines of New York -2½, OKC -9½, Golden State -4½, Lakers -1½, and Denver -4½.
By the way, the Miami Heat are a league-best 12-2 playing Christmas games. Ironically, neither they nor the 14-4 Portland Trail Blazers, the 6-2 Utah Jazz, or the 16-7 Washington Wizards are included in this Christmas schedule (it’s a holiday the Charlotte Hornets have never played).
Does BetUS Offer Constant Updates on NBA Championship Betting Lines?
Indeed. There are a plethora of odds and props available throughout the regular and postseason around individual games, individual awards, and anything a bettor might desire.
Those NBA championship odds include that popular ‘pick the next champ’ future wager as well.
As the 2025-26 NBA schedule begins in earnest in late October, it’s the job of the bettor (serious or casual) to do his/her homework.
Start with the information and NBA rumors coming out of training camp and during the preseason. Monitor the rosters, injuries, and transactions throughout the entire league to try and gain any advantage.
Any Final Thoughts?
Anyone who pays even marginal attention to NBA game odds and NBA betting odds has Christmas circled. Those five games on the slate mean plenty of action on which to wager.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
