NBA
Why does the NBA play on Christmas Day?
The NBA continues to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with exciting matches on Christmas Day.
Since 1947, the NBA has been playing Christmas games. The first match-up was held at the famous Madison Square Garden when the New York Knicks overcame the Providence Steamrollers 89-75.
Since then, basketball fans have been able to enjoy the best players and teams battling it out in the jolly season - geographical distance being considered in the earlier days and television ratings having a much bigger say in recent decades.
This year’s holiday action will mark the 76th edition of the league on Christmas Day.
There will be five games featured on Monday, Dec. 25th for the 16th year in a row. The Knicks host the Bucks to begin the festivities, the 56th time the New Yorkers will play on the big day. That’s followed by the Nuggets visiting the Warriors in a clash of the last two NBA champions, and the Lakers hosting the Celtics, a game in which LeBron James will make a record 18th appearance on Christmas Day. The penultimate match-up sees the 76ers visit the Heat, while Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant round off the action as the Suns face the Mavericks in Dallas.
Related: 2023 Christmas Day NBA schedule: Dec. 25th games, time, TV, how to watch and stream
Christmas Day NBA: The exception
Despite the 1947-2023 tradition going strong, there was one year that saw no action happen. No, that wasn’t due to a recent pandemic but instead was because of a lockout that saw half the 1998/99 season canceled, including Dec. 25.
NBA games on Christmas Day 2023
- Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks (Noon ET; ESPN)
- Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets (2:30 p.m. ET; ABC)
- Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers (5 p.m. ET; ABC)
- Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat (8 p.m. ET; ESPN)
- Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)
Do NFL, MLB, or NHL play on Christmas Day?
MLB is in its off-season so there are no mitts required when festive stockings are out, while the National Hockey League schedules a three-day Christmas break (since 1971) in which no regular season games are played on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
NFL is slightly less clear-cut and it has often depended on whether the 25th falls on a weekend. However, 2023 will be the fourth year in a row in which there are games on Christmas Day, which is on Monday.