• Inside the NBA: The legendary crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal make their Christmas Day studio debut, providing signature pregame analysis and commentary throughout the day;
• Christmas stars: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokić, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Cooper Flagg headline ESPN’s Christmas Day NBA coverage;
• 14 consecutive hours of live NBA coverage across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN Radio, YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN App.

ESPN continues its annual NBA on Christmas Day tradition on Thursday, December 25, with 14 consecutive hours of live NBA coverage, featuring a blockbuster 5-game slate presented by State Farm available across ABC, ESPN and the new ESPN App, streaming via ESPN DTC or pay TV authentication.

Christmas games
The action tips off at noon ET when the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell, visit the newly-crowned 2025 NBA Cup Champion New York Knicks and reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson. Fans can also experience Dunk the Halls, ESPN’s second annual real-time, animated NBA game, available on ESPN2, ESPN App, Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney XD. Powered by Sony’s Beyond Sports technology, the alt-cast will recreate the Cavaliers vs. Knicks game from Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park on the iconic Main Street, U.S.A., featuring returning animated commentators Drew Carter and Monica McNutt, with Daisy Duck reporting from the sideline. For more information on Dunk the Halls, visit ESPNPressRoom.com.

The traditional broadcast of the Cavaliers vs. Knicks game will air simultaneously on ABC, ESPN, ESPN App and Disney+ with Ryan Ruocco calling the action alongside analyst Doris Burke and sideline reporter Jorge Sedano.

At 2:30 p.m., the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama face the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a highly anticipated NBA Cup semifinal rematch after San Antonio snapped Oklahoma City’s 16-game winning streak. Mark Jones will provide play-by-play alongside analyst Jay Bilas and reporter Katie George.

At 5 p.m., the Dallas Mavericks and this year’s first overall pick Cooper Flagg visit the Golden State Warriors and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry in a showdown of rising talent and established superstar power. Dave Pasch calls the game with analyst PJ Carlesimo and sideline reporter Malika Andrews.

Primetime features a matchup of former MVPs and icons at 8 p.m., as the Houston Rockets and Kevin Durant visit the Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James and league scoring leader Luka Dončić. Mike Breen calls the action with analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler, and sideline reporter Lisa Salters.

The Christmas Day slate concludes at 10:30 p.m., when the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards face the Denver Nuggets, led by three-time NBA MVP and the league’s rebounding and assist leader Nikola Jokić, in a star-studded nightcap. Marc Kestecher provides play-by-play alongside analyst Stephanie White, with Alyssa Lang reporting from courtside.

NBA Tip-Off & Inside the NBA
NBA Tip-Off presented by Popeyes will launch ESPN’s Christmas Day coverage with a one-hour show at 11 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN App and Disney+. Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal make their ESPN Christmas Day studio debut as they set the stage for the day’s NBA action, leading directly into the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks matchup tipping at noon. Later in the day, Inside the NBA airs at 7:30 p.m. on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN App, with the iconic quartet providing their signature pregame analysis and commentary ahead of the primetime Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers matchup. Both studio shows are produced by TNT Sports.

Hoop Streams
Hoop Streams presented by State Farm – ESPN’s digital NBA pregame show – hosted by Vanessa Richardson and featuring Dave McMenamin and Marc J. Spears, will stream on ESPN’s YouTube channel and Facebook page at 7:30 p.m., leading into the Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers matchup.

ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. with Mike Couzens and Sarah Kustok leading into their call of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks matchup. Immediately following the conclusion of that game, Ed Cohen and Cory Alexander take over to provide play-by-play and analysis for the San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder matchup at 2:30 p.m.

Christmas game schedule:

NBA Today: Christmas Special
ESPN will tip off its Christmas Week NBA coverage with NBA Today: Christmas Special, airing Tuesday, December 24, from 2-4 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App. Hosted by Malika Andrews, who is joined by Kendrick Perkins, Marc J. Spears, Monica McNutt and Ramona Shelburne, the two-hour special delivers high-end storytelling with six ESPN-exclusive features, revealing untold stories and showcasing unique access across the league as the NBA’s biggest stars and moments take center stage ahead of Christmas Day.

All of ESPN. All in One Place.
ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package. Bundling options available for fans include a limited time offer for the ESPN DTC Unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99/month for the first 12 months. For more visit stream.espn.com.

ESPN media contacts: [email protected] and [email protected].

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