NBA Christmas games 2025: Where to watch all the festive fixtures in the UK on TV and streaming

The NBA Christmas games tradition continues in 2025 with five blockbuster matchups featuring the league’s biggest superstars.

From Victor Wembanyama’s Christmas debut to a classic California clash between Steph Curry and the Mavericks, the NBA’s festive slate will be a marathon for basketball fans this year.

Watch every festive fixture with an NBA League Pass, £16.99 (month pass)

Kicking things off, we have the Cleveland Cavaliers at the New York Knicks.

A classic Eastern Conference battle at the world-famous Madison Square Garden, this game will tip off at 5pm UK time.

Following this, the San Antonio Spurs visit the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30pm.

This matchup is a must-watch as the game’s brightest young star, Victor Wembanyama, looks to topple the reigning Western Conference powerhouse.

The action continues into the night as the Dallas Mavericks travel to face the Golden State Warriors, starting at 10pm in the UK.

For the night owls, the Houston Rockets visit the Los Angeles Lakers, which will be shown at 1am, and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Denver Nuggets will tip off at 3:30am.

While Amazon Prime shows 86 NBA games, the Christmas Day games aren’t included in that, so keep reading to find out how you can watch these five marquee matchups.

Where to watch the NBA Christmas games in the UK?

Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks is the perfect curtain-raiser, bringing the atmosphere of a packed Madison Square Garden to your living room.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 5pm and will be available to watch directly on Sky Sports NBA or with the NBA League Pass.

You will need a subscription for either service to watch this game, but the NBA League Pass is an excellent option if you want to follow every team across the league.

For Sky Sports, you can add it to an existing package for £20 PCM or get a new essential TV package including Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix for £35 PCM.

• Watch Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks with NBA League Pass – buy here
• Watch Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks with Sky Sports

San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

Almost immediately following the end of the Knicks game, the San Antonio Spurs will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Last year’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, takes on the lofty challenge of the 21-year-old, 7ft 5in centre, Victor Wembanyama, providing the first superstar clash of the day.

To watch this game, basketball fans will need either an active Sky Sports subscription or an NBA League Pass.

• Watch San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder with NBA League Pass – buy here
• Watch San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder with Sky Sports – buy here

Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

At 10pm, the focus shifts to the West Coast for Mavericks at Warriors.

This is arguably the most exciting matchup of the day, pitting two of the league’s most elite scorers against one another.

Warriors’ Steph Curry, who is approaching his 38th birthday, will be tested by the skills of 18-year-old Cooper Flagg, who was this year’s No 1 draft pick.

This game will also be available to watch watch on Sky Sports and via the NBA League Pass.

• Watch Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors with NBA League Pass – buy here
• Watch Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors with Sky Sports – buy here

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Watch NBA Christmas games with NBA League Pass, £16.99 (month pass)

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

The fourth game of Christmas Day comes in the form of the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers.

This game will kick off at 1am for us Brits, meaning it’s technically an early start on Boxing Day.

It’s worth staying up for if you’d like to see the OGs in action with 40-year-old LeBron James’ Lakers facing off against the Rockets led by Kevin Durant, who is now 37.

All of the action can be caught via Sky Sports or with an NBA League Pass.

• Watch Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers with NBA League Pass – buy here
• Watch Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers with Sky Sports – buy here

Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

The final game of the marathon sees the Timberwolves visit the Nuggets.

Like the Gilgeous-Alexander v Wembanyama matchup earlier in the day, this game features two of the NBA’s biggest current talents in Nikola Jokić and Anthony Edwards. 

This game kicks off at 3:30am and will be broadcast via Sky Sports NBA and is also available to stream via the NBA League Pass.

• Watch Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets with NBA League Pass – buy here
• Watch Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets with Sky Sports – buy here

Does the NBA always have games on Christmas Day?

The NBA has featured games on Christmas Day almost every year since 1947, establishing it as one of the longest-standing traditions in American sports.

Aside from a lockout that cancelled the first half of the 1998-99 season, the league has consistently scheduled games on 25 December for over 75 years.

Initially, games were regional to minimise travel for players, but the tradition evolved into a global media event.

Since 2008, the NBA has standardised a five-game slate, creating a 12-hour marathon of basketball that showcases the league’s biggest stars and most intense rivalries.

Christmas Day has now become the “gold standard” of the regular season, often featuring NBA Finals rematches and high-profile debuts.

In 2025, basketball fans can see LeBron James, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama in action on the big day.

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