Nothing says Christmas quite like a heated NBA matchup. This year, 10 teams will face off in five games throughout the day, marking the 77th year the NBA has hosted its Christmas Day showdowns. The league started the tradition in 1947 and has continued over the years, bringing teams together for the games on the festive day.
This is the 17th year in a row that five games are being held. There will be fiery matchups all day, including the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, taking on the Philadelphia 76ers at 5 p.m. EST and LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers going head-to-head with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. EST.
You won’t want to miss a moment of the action (we recommend eating Christmas dinner in front of the TV if possible), so here’s how to catch every game.
NBA Christmas Day schedule
- Wednesday, Dec. 25 @ 12 p.m. Spurs vs. Knicks ESPN
- Wednesday, Dec. 25 @ 2:30 p.m. Timberwolves vs. Mavericks ABC
- Wednesday, Dec. 25 @ 5 p.m. 76ers vs. Celtics ABC
- Wednesday, Dec. 25 @ 8 p.m. Lakers vs. Warriors ABC
- Wednesday, Dec. 25 @ 10:30 p.m. Nuggets vs. Suns ESPN
*All times are EST.
How to stream Christmas Day NBA games
All of the Christmas Day games this year will air on ABC and ESPN, which are two channels that are widely available to stream. Find out exactly where in the chart below.
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | ✔ |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
*local channels available only in select locations
Watch on Disney Plus
For the first time ever, Disney Plus is airing NBA games live on the platform. Typically, the streamer doesn’t do live TV, but customers will be able to stream all five NBA games on Christmas day. Disney Plus doesn’t have traditional channels, as it’s not a live TV streaming service, so every other day of the year, you won’t be watching live TV, but you will be able to enjoy on-demand streaming. Customers have access to a wide variety of titles from all of Disney’s properties, which includes “Star Wars” and “Marvel,” as well as everything in the Disney family. There are award winners and classics, as well as originals, so it’s plenty to keep you busy!
Watch on DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a well-rounded streaming service that gives you a little bit of everything, in terms of channel selection. Not only will you get ABC and ESPN on all of the subscription plans, but you’ll also get plenty of other news, sports, entertainment, and family channels too. In terms of sports channels, you’ll also be able to stream MLB Network, Motortrend, FS1, FS2, and many more. The channel selection will vary based on the package you subscribe to but don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of channels no matter which one you pick! Customers will also get access to unlimited cloud DVR, so you can record the Christmas Day games to watch later, too.
Watch on Fubo
Fubo has just about everything a sports fan could want in a streaming service. It has the largest selection on offer from any of the streaming services here (but you won’t pay a higher price than the competition). Alongside ABC and ESPN, sports fans will see expected channels like ESPN2, FS1, and NFL Network, but you’ll also find more niche channels like Origin Sports Network, Players TV, Speed Sport, and many more. You have three packages to choose from, and the higher-tier package you choose, the more channels you get. Fubo also includes some regional sports networks, and unlimited cloud DVR is included with every subscription.
Watch on Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV has many channels on offer, on top of ABC and ESPN. Customers will get the standard local channels, as well as more news, sports, and entertainment networks. For sports viewing, you can tune into ACC Network, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, and more. Plus, Hulu + Live TV grants you access to the streaming service’s on-demand library of titles, which encompasses a robust selection of TV and movies. If that’s not enough for you to choose from, customers can also select one of Hulu + Live TV’s bundle deals, including the Disney bundle, which wraps up ESPN Plus and Disney Plus into the package, so you get three streaming services in one. You’ll pay a significantly lower price for all three than if you subscribed to them independently and you have access to a ton of content (and more sports!). You’ll also get unlimited cloud DVR.
Watch on Sling TV
Sling TV is the most budget-friendly streaming service on the market, plus it’s customizable. You can opt for Sling Blue, Sling Orange, or the combined Sling Orange & Blue plan. To get both ABC and ESPN, you’ll want the combo Sling TV plan — and you’ll still be spending less money than any of the competing streamers! In addition to those channels, you’ll also get ESPN2, Motortrend, TNT, FS1, USA, and more. Because Sling is a more streamlined service, customers only get 50 hours of cloud DVR built into each subscription plan, but it can be bumped up to 200 hours for an additional monthly fee.
Watch on YouTube TV
YouTube TV offers ABC and ESPN, as well as a ton of other channels for customers to enjoy. Though you only get one subscription plan to choose from, YouTube TV packs a punch in that one plan. There are lifestyle, entertainment, news, sports, and more channels on offer. While you’re not streaming your Christmas Day games, you can enjoy all the other sports channels on YouTube TV, including ESPN2, ESPNU, Golf Channel, NFL Network, and many more. YouTube TV also offers unlimited cloud DVR, so just in case your Christmas Dinner takes you away from the game, you can record it for later.
FAQ
Does the NBA play on Christmas Day?
Yes, five NBA games will air on Christmas Day. The Spurs play the Knicks, the Timberwolves play the Mavericks, the 76ers play the Celtics, the Warriors play the Lakers, and the Nuggets play the Suns. Games start at noon Eastern time.
Where can I watch the NBA Christmas games?
All of the Christmas NBA games air on ABC and ESPN. These channels are available on DIRECTV STREAM, Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. You can also watch the games on Disney Plus.
Does Hulu have NBA games?
Yes, you can stream NBA games on Hulu + Live TV. The Christmas games will air on ABC and ESPN, both of which are channels included in a subscription.
"We often receive complimentary products to review at Sportsnaut. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team."