The biggest date on the NBA calendar, at least in the first half of the season, is undoubtedly Christmas Day.
And on Tuesday, Aug. 11, the league revealed the games that will be played December 25. The league historically preserves its best matchups and rivalries, offering a five-game slate that highlights some of the game’s biggest stars. LeBron James has been a fixture. So have Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others.
This time, however, things will be a little different, as James will be playing for his fourth different team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Interestingly, their opponent on Christmas happens to be the team where his son and former teammate, Bronny James, plays.
Here’s a ranking of the 2026 Christmas Day NBA games, from worst to first:
MORE: Ranking NBA opening week national TV games from worst to first
1 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
1 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)
(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)
2 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
(Kyle Terada, Imagn Images)
3 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2024: Boston Celtics (beat Dallas Mavericks in five games)
(Peter Casey, USA TODAY Sports)
4 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2023: Denver Nuggets (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)
5 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2022: Golden State Warriors (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(Adam Glanzman, Getty Images)
6 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2021: Milwaukee Bucks (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
7 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2020: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Miami Heat in six games)
(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
8 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2019: Toronto Raptors (beat Golden State Warriors in six games)
(Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports)
9 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2018: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in four games)
(David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)
10 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2017: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in five games)
(Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)
11 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers (beat Golden State Warriors in seven games)
(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)
12 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2015: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in six games)
(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)
13 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2014: San Antonio Spurs (beat Miami Heat in five games)
(Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)
14 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2013: Miami Heat (beat San Antonio Spurs in seven games)
(Brendan Maloney=, USA TODAY Sports)
15 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2012: Miami Heat (beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
16 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2008: Boston Celtics (beat Los Angeles Lakers in six games)
(GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP via Getty Images)
17 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2005: San Antonio Spurs (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(ROBERT SULLIVAN, AFP via Getty Images)
18 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2004: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games)
(Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images)
19 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2003: San Antonio Spurs (beat New Jersey Nets in six games)
(JAMES NIELSEN, AFP via Getty Images)
20 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2002: Los Angeles Lakers (beat New Jersey Nets in four games)
(Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)
21 / 33
NBA champions through the years
2001: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Philadelphia 76ers in five games)
(STAN HONDA, AFP via Getty Images)
22 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1999: San Antonio Spurs (beat New York Knicks five games)
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY, AFP via Getty Images)
23 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1997: Chicago Bulls (beat Utah Jazz in six games)
(JEFF HAYNES, AFP via Getty Images)
24 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1996: Chicago Bulls (beat Seattle SuperSonics in six games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
25 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1995: Houston Rockets (beat Orlando Magic in four games)
(PAUL BUCK, AFP via Getty Images)
26 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1994: Houston Rockets (beat New York Knicks in seven games)
(BOB STRONG, AFP via Getty Images)
27 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1993: Chicago Bulls (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
28 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1992: Chicago Bulls (beat Portland Trail Blazers in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
29 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1991: Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
(Ken Levine, Getty Images)
30 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1990: Detroit Pistons (beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games)
(William Archie, Detroit Free Press)
31 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1989: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in four games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
32 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1988: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
33 / 33
NBA champions through the years
1987: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
(US PRESSWIRE)
NOTE: All games on ABC and ESPN and all times Eastern.
Game time: 10:30 p.m.
Stephen Curry has been a fixture on Christmas Day, but this feels more like a nod to past performance and what has worked in the past. The Warriors, with their age, injury concerns and lack of offseason additions, may struggle to compete this season in the West. Christmas Day can be an opportunity for the league to introduce casual fans to some of the game’s upcoming stars; think of Victor Wembanyama in 2024 at 20 years old, dropping 42 points at Madison Square Garden in a close loss. This felt like a missed opportunity to pass the torch.
Game time: 5 p.m.
The storyline is there: LeBron James is making his return to Los Angeles and will face off against Luka Dončić and the Lakers, presumably for the first time since he signed with the 76ers. His son, Bronny James may play, which would mark the first time a father and son have been opponents in the same game in NBA history. Yet, though James delivered a championship to Los Angeles, fans never held him in the same regard as franchise icons like Magic or Kobe or Shaquille. It should make for compelling theater but there are better basketball matchups out there.
Game time: 2:30 p.m.
This was an excellent Eastern Conference rivalry in the early 2020s that lost its luster after Miami languished in recent seasons. The addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat should revive it. Both these teams are gritty and they’ll have contrasting styles; the Heat will look to push pace in transition, while the Celtics slow things down and launch 3s. They’re also superb on defense. This could end up being a low-scoring game more reminiscent of the early 2000s, but that should be taken as a high compliment.
Game time: 8 p.m
The Thunder may very well be the best team in the NBA, when fully healthy. And though they lost some key players like Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Joe, they remain deep and talented. The Timberwolves are intriguing because they took a risk in adding LaMelo Ball to give Anthony Edwards another ball handler and shot creator. The Thunder have been the best defensive team each of the last two seasons. What a way to test this new Minnesota offense.
Game time: 12 p.m.
It’s the early game but make no mistake: this should give us the best basketball. You have Wembanyama going back to the Garden, where fans will surely try to make him uncomfortable. You have a Spurs team that is presumably bothered about the way they closed out the NBA Finals. And you have the newly-crowned Knicks trying to prove that they were no fluke. And, if it happens to go down to the wire, expect fireworks because this Knicks team has shown it is no stranger to a good comeback.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking 2026 NBA Christmas games: Where does LeBron vs. Bronny James land?
