OKC Thunder Makes Return to Christmas Day Slate, Host Spurs

The NBA on Christmas Day is a special time, a tradition unlike any other. Most casual fans count this as the unoffical start to the season while diehards love the interesting matchups the league conjurs up for the holiday each season.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported the league's 2025 Christmas Day games which features a return to the spotlight for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Bricktown ballers were a staple of previous holiday slates but have been spurred from the docket since 2018. Now, the Thunder return in what might be the best matchup.

NBA Christmas Day Schedule

Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks
San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers
Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets

This is a loaded slate of games and based on the venues and order in which ESPN's Shams Charania tweeted out the tilts, it appears the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the afternoon slot on Christmas Day. It would slot the trio of West Coast teams to fill in the evening and late-night tip times.

The NBA largely got this docket right with plenty of juicy storylines to follow along with. The two best teams in the Eastern Conference go head to head, the upstart Rockets, now led by Kevin Durant, go to the Lakers to face off with the Luka Doncic and LeBron James-led Purple and Gold.

Cooper Flagg gets a huge spotlight as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and a forward tabbed as America's best prospect since LeBron James, facing off with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

The night ends in a traditional spot, with the Nuggets once again hosting the nightcap as the Minnesota Timberwolves come to town to have Anthony Edwards face off with Nikola Jokic.

Oklahoma City and San Antonio might have the best game on the slate, though. Two unicorn talents in Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama are going toe-to-toe. No matter what that duo says, they are rivals. It is clear, but the edge each plays with against the other. NBA fans love rivalries, and there have been far too few recently.

The defending champs against a Spurs squad trying to jump-start its path to contention was a fabulous young core and a juiced-up crowd that has been starved for this stage once again.