4 key storylines ahead of Christmas Day

Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama (center) will match up in Oklahoma City on Christmas Day.

Since the moment the 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule was revealed, the Christmas Day schedule has been one to keep in mind.

It’s one of the few times of the year when, from Noon ET to 10:30 p.m. ET, there will be constant NBA action.

From elite matchups at MSG to the legendary stars suiting up, these are four of the key storylines to know for Christmas Day.

1. New-look Knicks take on Cavaliers

Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks take on the Cavs to get the Christmas Day slate started.

When the New York Knicks faced the San Antonio Spurs last Christmas, it was Mikal Bridges who scored for a season-high 41 points.

But this Knicks team, which just won the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup, is not the same as the one a year before.

This matchup (Noon ET, ABC & ESPN) calls for another big moment where Jalen Brunson has shone. He holds the fourth-highest scoring game by a Knick on Christmas, scoring 38 points back in 2023.

Except for losing Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne and a few others in free agency, the biggest change was coach Mike Brown. He has elevated the Knicks’ offense by utilizing their bench depth, with the Emirates NBA Cup Final serving as a prime example.

Brown gave significant minutes down the stretch to Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson, who impacted the game in their own ways. Kolek was the secondary ball-handler next to Brunson. Clarkson knocked down huge 3-pointers to swing momentum and Robinson secured offensive rebounds for second-chance opportunities.

The Knicks are No. 2 in the East and have jump-started their campaign to become elite contenders with their Emirates NBA Cup title.

As for the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell is still playing at an All-NBA level, ranking in the top five in scoring at 30.7 ppg. Evan Mobley continues to be a consistent second option with 19.1 ppg and 9.3 rpg and returned to action after missing five games with a calf strain.

Injuries and a tougher schedule have taken a toll on the Cavaliers as they sit No. 7 in the Eastern Conference.

2. Spurs, Thunder set to meet again

In a new era of stars, it seems the NBA has gotten another rivalry: Chet Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama as the Spurs take on the Thunder (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC & ESPN).

Both are similar archetypes of players: they are 7-foot unicorns who were top-three Draft picks, have guard-like abilities and are a matchup nightmare for opponents.

Wembanyama wasn’t keyed in on Holmgren before their Emirates NBA Cup West Semifinals matchup, mentioning that Kia MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the main focus of the Spurs’ scouting.

“The MVP is on that court,” Wembanyama said. “He’s our main focus. Anybody is hard to guard when the MVP is on the court.”

Holmgren, however, gave Wembanyama credit before that game.

“(He) does things that other lineups don’t replicate. It definitely changes the game,” Holmgren said. “It changes how they play, it changes how we have to play them.”

The Spurs played the Thunder twice already this season, winning both matchups.

In the Spurs’ 111-109 win on Dec. 16, they snapped the Thunder’s 16-game win streak. Wembanyama’s return from a 12-game absence proved to be the difference-maker, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds.

On Tuesday, the Spurs handed the Thunder their biggest loss of the season, extending their seven-game win streak.

Last Christmas, Wembanyama became the only active player to score at least 40 points in his Christmas debut (42 points).

3. Veteran stars in Christmas spotlight

Christmas Day marks the ninth time LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are all playing on the holiday.

Curry will face up against Mavs rookie phenom Cooper Flagg for the first time this season (5 p.m. ET, ABC & ESPN). Curry has some experience in Christmas Day games: he’s played in 11 of them, and he averages 15.6 ppg in those games. He is also tied for the most 3-pointers in a Christmas Day game (eight).

Flagg recently made history as the youngest player to score 40 or more points, eclipsing James’ mark.

Additionally, on Tuesday, he became the fourth player in NBA history to record multiple regular-season games with 30+ points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists at age 19 or younger, joining James, Luka Dončić and Kevin Durant.

As the scene shifts to Los Angeles (8 p.m. ET, ABC & ESPN), it’ll be the fifth time James & Durant face each other on Christmas Day. Their last matchup was in 2018, and James has a 3-1 lead over Durant on Christmas. James is playing in his 20th Christmas Day game, while Durant suits up for his 11th.

James and Durant haven’t played each other since the 2023 SoFi Play-In Tournament, when Durant was still with the Phoenix Suns.

James leads the head-to-head matchup between he and Durant (24-19), and this game could be a statement win for two teams with championship expectations.

4. Edwards vs. Jokić awaits in nightcap

On April Fool’s Day, the Timberwolves and Nuggets delivered an iconic regular-season game.

That double-overtime contest saw Nikola Jokić total 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while the Wolves’ Anthony Edwards amassed 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 140-139 win.

The teams meet in the final game of Christmas Day (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC & ESPN) hoping to add more to their regular-season lore.

Astounding stat lines, however, are a normal occurrence for Jokić.

Jokić has totaled 165 30-point games, passing Carmelo Anthony for second most in Nuggets franchise history and trailing Alex English (273). Jokić also tallied his eighth career 30-point game at 85% shooting, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second most in NBA history and trailing only Wilt Chamberlain (12).

Edwards seems to keep improving each season, leading the NBA in top-10 scoring at 28.7 ppg.

Over the last two seasons, the Wolves hold a 10-7 edge in head-to-head matchups with the Nuggets. While Denver retooled in the offseason, Minnesota is hoping to build off its 2025 West Finals run with a key win on Christmas Day.