Like the NFL on Thanksgiving, NBA on Christmas Day has been a longtime tradition spanning a number of generations over seven decades. The first NBA game on Christmas came in 1947, which was the league’s second official season. That year, the New York Knicks beat the Providence Steamrollers 89-75.

Scheduling the NBA Christmas lineup isn’t an exact science. There’s a fluidity to it that tends to involve teams that appeared in the previous season’s NBA Finals. Looking over the 2025 NBA Christmas games lineup, you can see that both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder (last year’s NBA Finals teams) are playing on Christmas Day.

Additionally, the NBA tries to get its trendiest or most popular teams on Christmas if they’re believed to be a Playoff-caliber squad. In fact, the Christmas Day lineup is a sneak peek into who the NBA thinks will be successful this season like the Knicks, Spurs, and Timberwolves.

But that’s not all. The NBA also showcases its biggest stars in the sport like LeBron James (Lakers), Steph Curry (Warriors), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), and Kevin Durant (Rockets). And, the league also puts its brightest rookie in the spotlight – Cooper Flag (Mavericks). They did this last year, as well, with Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) who will also play on Christmas for a second straight year.

The New York Knicks are the closest thing that the NBA has to a traditional holiday team like the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions who play annually on Thanksgiving in the NFL. The Knicks have played in 57 Christmas Day games and are 25-22.

The Lakers are tied with New York for the most Christmas wins with 25. However, they sport a 25-26 losing record. So, if the Knicks are the Lions of the NBA, then the Lakers would be the Cowboys.

Let’s dive deeper into the latest NBA odds, courtesy of the top sports betting sites, and make our NBA predictions for the 2025 NBA Christmas games. 

NBA Christmas Schedule

Check out the following NBA Christmas Day lineup:

Since the 2008-09 season, the NBA has scheduled five games on Christmas Day. This year’s NBA Christmas lineup continues that tradition. The Cavs vs. Knicks tip off the holiday hardwood action. The Mavericks vs. Warriors get the primetime slot on the East Coast, while the Rockets vs. Lalers get the primetime slot on the West Coast. The Timberwolves vs. Nuggets will close out the night with a curtain-dropping battle.

NBA Christmas Games Betting

Keep an eye on the latest NBA odds for Christmas Day and monitor how the lines change throughout the week.

As of the latest odds, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the biggest favorites on the board at -485 on the moneyline, making the San Antonio Spurs the largest underdogs at +370. Every home team remains favored on Christmas Day.

The highest total on the slate is Timberwolves vs. Nuggets at 237.5, followed closely by Cavaliers vs. Knicks at 236.5. The tightest spread belongs to Cavaliers vs. Knicks at Knicks -5.5, while Thunder vs. Spurs features the widest spread at OKC -10.5.

If you love what we’re doing with our NBA Christmas Day picks, or need more NBA betting assistance, then check out our industry leading handicapping membership service. You can get access to the top handicappers for just one low monthly fee and even take it for a spin with a free trial.

NBA Betting Tips from the Pros Best

Handicapping Membership

Get Free Trial

NBA Christmas Games Predictions

Let’s take a look at the NBA lineup for Christmas Day and make our spread, total, and moneyline NBA picks for each game.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Odds

In many ways, this Christmas Day matchup feels like a statement game for the Knicks. New York has positioned itself as a legitimate Eastern Conference power, while Cleveland has struggled to live up to last season’s expectations. The Knicks have been far more consistent on both ends of the floor, and their ability to dictate pace at Madison Square Garden gives them a meaningful edge in a high-profile spot. This is exactly the type of game the NBA schedules when it wants to showcase a team that has taken a real step forward.

Cleveland’s issues extend well beyond a single matchup. The Cavaliers have routinely failed to meet expectations against the spread, and their margin for error has shrunk considerably. Injuries and rotation instability have played a role, but the larger concern is that this roster hasn’t shown the same cohesion or defensive bite that defined it a season ago. When games tighten up late, Cleveland has struggled to generate reliable offense without leaning heavily on isolation play. Evan Mobley will also miss this game with a calf strain, which affects the Cavs’ frontcourt depth on both ends of the floor.

New York, on the other hand, has leaned into lineup versatility and physical defense. The Knicks are comfortable playing big, switching matchups, and forcing opponents into uncomfortable shots. Their ability to control the glass and limit second-chance opportunities has been a major driver of their success, especially at home. Offensively, New York has done a better job spreading usage and avoiding the stagnant possessions that plagued them in past seasons. We’ll see if Jalen Brunson plays in this one after missing Tuesday’s game. If he doesn’t, second-year phenom Tyler Kolek should slide into a much larger role.

This game also lines up well from a situational standpoint. The Knicks are rested, confident, and playing in an environment where they traditionally perform well. Cleveland enters the matchup with far more pressure and far less margin for mistakes. If New York jumps out early and forces the Cavaliers to chase the game, it’s hard to see Cleveland keeping pace for four full quarChristmas. I like for Cleveland to pick up a huge road win and establish themselves as the team to beat in the East.

New York’s consistency, defensive edge, and home-court advantage make Knicks -5.5 the best bet on Christmas Day. This sets up as a controlled win for New York by multiple possessions, especially if Cleveland’s offensive issues resurface late.

Bet: New York Knicks -205, Knicks -5.5 (-108)

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Odds

This is the Christmas Day game that feels the most like a preview of the NBA’s next great rivalry. Oklahoma City and San Antonio are on parallel tracks, built around generational bigs and surrounded by smart, switchable defenders who thrive on chaos. Even if the Thunder are further along in the standings, the Spurs represent the most interesting long-term threat to OKC’s reign in the West. The NBA Cup semifinal upset only sharpened the intrigue, and this rematch has all the ingredients of something that will matter far beyond December.

Oklahoma City’s identity is built on collective pressure. The Thunder swarm ball handlers, wall off the paint, and force opponents to operate farther from the rim than they’d like. That system has powered them to one of the best records in the league, but it also requires constant energy and precision. When that pressure slips, even slightly, cracks start to appear. Against a Spurs team that thrives on spacing and quick decision-making, OKC can’t afford extended lapses or sloppy rotations.

San Antonio’s growth has been real, especially on the defensive end. With Victor Wembanyama on the floor, the Spurs have quietly become one of the league’s most disruptive units, capable of erasing mistakes at the rim and switching aggressively on the perimeter. What makes this matchup fascinating is that San Antonio can stay competitive even when Wembanyama sits. Their guard play has stabilized the offense, allowing them to survive stretches without relying solely on their superstar to carry both ends.

There’s also a situational edge working in San Antonio’s favor. The Thunder are navigating a dense stretch of games, while the Spurs enter this matchup with slightly more flexibility and less pressure to control the game from start to finish. Oklahoma City may still win, but asking them to separate by double digits against a disciplined, defense-first Spurs team feels ambitious. This sets up as a game that stays competitive deep into the fourth quarter.

San Antonio’s defensive structure and ability to hang around make Spurs +10.5 the strongest play in this matchup. Even if Oklahoma City controls long stretches, the number leaves plenty of room for a close finish or late-game variance to cash the ticket.

Bet: Oklahoma City Thunder -485, San Antonio Spurs +10.5 (-110)

Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors Odds

Every Steph Curry Christmas appearance still feels like an event, but the Warriors’ season has made those moments harder to enjoy in full. Golden State remains capable of defensive excellence, yet too often that effort is undermined by an offense that stalls when Curry isn’t flanked by the right personnel. The Warriors look caught between eras: too small, too slow, and too dependent on perfect execution to survive extended scoring droughts. Even when they defend well, they struggle to turn stops into easy points, leaving very little margin for error.

That fragility becomes even more pronounced against a Dallas team that thrives on forcing mismatches and dictating pace late in games. The Mavericks aren’t polished, but they are opportunistic. When defenses hesitate or overcorrect, Dallas is quick to exploit it. Golden State’s issues defending in transition, on the glass, and after turnovers play directly into the Mavericks’ strengths, especially when the game devolves into a possession-by-possession battle.

Cooper Flagg’s emergence has added an entirely new layer to this matchup. His ability to create space in isolation, hunt defenders, and stay composed in crunch time gives Dallas a late-game option that doesn’t rely on speed or volume shooting. The poise he’s shown, particularly against physical defenders, forces opponents to commit resources they don’t want to commit. Against a Warriors team that already struggles to maintain structure when pressured, that’s a significant concern.

The broader context matters here too. Golden State still commands respect because of its championship core, but respect alone doesn’t fix systemic issues. Dallas doesn’t need to dominate this game — it just needs to stay connected and wait for the Warriors’ offense to sputter, which it often does. In a game where Golden State is expected to control things at home, the matchup dynamics suggest something much closer.

Dallas’ ability to keep games tight and exploit Golden State’s offensive inconsistencies makes Mavericks +7.5 the best bet in this matchup. Even if the Warriors escape with a win, the number leaves ample room for Dallas to cover in a competitive Christmas showdown.

Bet: Golden State Warriors -298, Dallas Mavericks +7.5 (-112)

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds

This is one of the more intriguing games on the Christmas slate because it blends star power with real postseason implications. The Lakers and Rockets aren’t just playing for holiday bragging rights — this is a potential playoff preview between two teams that expect to be in the mix deep into the Western Conference bracket. With multiple All-Star caliber players on the floor and two franchises that measure success differently, the stakes feel higher than a typical regular-season matchup.

Houston’s edge in this matchup comes from its balance and consistency. The Rockets have quietly been one of the most complete teams in the conference, pairing elite defense with an offense that doesn’t rely on any single player to function. Their ability to defend without fouling, rebound at a high level, and score efficiently in the half court gives them a structural advantage against teams that rely heavily on late-game shot-making to survive.

The Lakers’ record looks solid, but there are cracks beneath the surface. Los Angeles has lived on the edge in close games, consistently winning tight contests that could just as easily have gone the other way. That kind of success is hard to sustain over a long season, especially against disciplined teams that don’t beat themselves. When the Lakers aren’t able to dictate tempo or get downhill consistently, their offense can stagnate, putting more pressure on individual brilliance to carry them through.

Health and depth also tilt this matchup toward Houston. The Rockets are better equipped to absorb off nights or minor lineup disruptions, while the Lakers’ margin for error shrinks considerably if even one key piece is compromised. In a game where execution matters possession by possession, Houston’s ability to play clean basketball on both ends makes them the more reliable side.

Houston’s consistency, depth, and defensive edge make Rockets’ -198 moneyline my favorite bet in this matchup. Even on the road, the Rockets are built to control the game flow and capitalize if the Lakers’ recent close-game luck starts to swing the other way on Christmas Day.

Bet: Houston Rockets -198, Spread (pass), Total (pass)

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets Odds

This matchup feels like the kind of game that lingers well beyond Christmas night. Denver and Minnesota have clashed in the playoffs often in recent years, and they’ll tangle again here to wrap up the holiday slate. Nikola Jokic vs. Anthony Edwards is the type of contrast the NBA loves to showcase: patience versus force, orchestration versus explosion. The competitive energy here feels different, heavier, like a test run for something we’ll see again when the stakes are even higher.

Any game involving Jokic naturally bends toward his gravity. Few players in league history manipulate space and decision-making the way he does, especially against teams that know him as well as Minnesota does. The Nuggets’ offense still flows through him, and when Denver needs clarity, Jokic provides it. But that reliance also creates predictability, particularly against a Timberwolves defense that is comfortable packing the paint, showing bodies early, and daring others to beat them from the perimeter.

For Minnesota, the path forward hinges on freeing Edwards from constant attention. Denver’s defensive limitations on the perimeter force them to overcommit inside, which opens opportunities for creative actions designed to get Edwards downhill with momentum. When Minnesota succeeds, it’s because Edwards dictates terms. Not by forcing shots, but by collapsing the defense and making Denver react. If that happens consistently, the Timberwolves can tilt this game into uncomfortable territory for the Nuggets.

There’s also a broader psychological element at play. Minnesota has already shown it can rise to the occasion in high-stakes games, and Denver, while battle-tested, has been more vulnerable than its reputation suggests. This sets up as a game where execution and adaptability matter more than raw talent. If Minnesota can maintain defensive discipline and keep Edwards attacking with purpose, this becomes a far more balanced contest than the setting might imply.

Minnesota’s defensive versatility and ability to stay competitive deep into games make T-Wolves +4.5 the best bet in this matchup. Even if Denver ultimately prevails at home, the number leaves room for a tight, hard-fought finish that fits the profile of this rivalry.

Bet: Minnesota Timberwolves +154, Timberwolves +4.5 (-112)

Best Bets For NBA Christmas Games

The following is our list of the best bets for NBA Christmas games:

• Cleveland Cavaliers +5.5 (-112)
• San Antonio Spurs +10.5 (-110)
• Minnesota Timberwolves +4.5 (-112)

I like competitive underdogs in matchups where the number offers real value. Cleveland has the balance and scoring depth to keep things tight in New York, even if the Knicks ultimately control stretches of the game. Getting more than two possessions with a Cavs team that can score in bunches is hard to pass up.

San Antonio continues to be undervalued in high-profile spots. The Spurs’ defensive structure and ability to stay connected for four quarters make double-digit spreads difficult to justify, especially against an Oklahoma City team navigating a dense stretch of games.

Lastly, Minnesota’s matchup with Denver sets up well for another close contest. The Timberwolves have shothe last five games versus the Nuggets. With a healthy Edwards, I expect this team to ruin Denver’s Christmas plans.

NBA Christmas Day Parlay

• Cleveland Cavaliers +5.5 (-112)
• San Antonio Spurs +10.5 (-110)
• Minnesota Timberwolves +4.5 (-112)

If you bet $100 on this NBA Christmas Day parlay card, then you would win $584. You would also be putting together a slate built on spreads that leave room for late-game variance, backdoor covers, and competitive finishes across the board. This approach prioritizes value over chasing heavy moneyline prices, while still offering strong upside on a single ticket.

This is a very playable NBA parlay considering the matchup dynamics and how these games are likely to unfold. As always, make sure to shop around at the top sports betting sites to lock in the best available numbers before placing your bet.

If parlays are your favorite kind of wagers, then check out our best NFL parlays and College Football parlay picks of the week.

NBA Christmas Day Record

The following is a list of each active team’s record on Christmas Day. These records do not include the 2024 NBA Christmas Day games.