It’s not Christmas without the “Christmas Day”the traditional appointment with the great basket Nbainaugurated in 1947. Since then, of the 78 played in 79 years, the only exception being the 1998-99 lockout, LeBron James, record holder for appearances, total points (507) and average (26.6), with a career-high of 39 for the Nets in 2021, has played 19 (2025 not included), of which the last 18 were consecutive. For the eighteenth consecutive year, the US League is staging five games. It starts at 6pm, Italian time, with the New York Knicks, winners of the NBA Cup and ends with Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets. In between the reigning champions from Okhaloma against Victor Wembanyama‘s San Antonio Spurs, the rookie Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks challenge the Warriors and then a new chapter in the challenge between LeBron and KD (Lakers vs Houston). All live on Sky Sports Basketfour games with commentary in Italian.
Here is the program
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers (ore 18 – 25/12)
It starts at noon, 6pm in Italy, in the most famous arena in the world, Madison Square Garden in New York, where Cleveland, a credible conference contender, will visit the Knicks, record holders for Christmas Day played (57, 25-32 the balance) and fresh from the NBA Cup raised in Las Vegas (124-113 over the Spurs) with Jalen Brunson MVP.
The commentary will be in Italian on Sky Sport Basket with Francesco Bonfardeci and Matteo Soragna.
Oklahoma City Thunder – San Antonio Spurs (8.30pm on 12/25)
At coffee time, at 2.30pm local time, with the Spurs, the Thunder’s Christmas guests for the first time as champions. OKC hadn’t played on Dec. 25 since 2018. Victor Wembanyama in 2024, as a freshman, with 42 points, plus 18 rebounds and 4 blocks, he shattered the franchise scoring record on Christmas Day: LaMarcus Aldridge’s 33 in the 119-100 win over the Chicago Bulls in 2016. The commentary in Italian is entrusted to Flavio Tranquillo and Davide Pessina.
Golden State Warriors – Dallas Mavericks (ore 23 del 25/12)
It will be the debut for the super rookie at the Chase Center in San Francisco Cooper Flaggthe Mavs’ first overall pick in the 2025 draft, so far with over 18 points, six rebounds and three assists per game. And who, among the various records for an eighteen-year-old, has already equaled Mark Aguirre’s franchise record in 1981 for points as a Dallas freshman in a game: the former Duke scored 42 last December 15 in the 140-133 overtime defeat at the Utah Jazz. LeBron James’ 37 points at 18 and his 41 at 19 were also torn. The match will be narrated by Davide Fumagalli and Mauro Bevacqua.
Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets (ore 2.00 del 26/12)
It will be the 44th direct career comparison between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the only ones still active, first and eighth, in the top 10 all-time NBA scorers. LBJ leads overall (24-19) and in the regular season (18-7), but in the playoffs KD almost doubles him with a 9-5 record. In the season, 29.6 points on average for LeBron and 29.8 for Kevin, more rebounds for James, 8.5 against 6.4 and double the assists of the “chosen one”, 8.3 against 4.3. The one in the Californian afternoon (5pm at their place, 2am at our place) will be the Luka Dončić’s first Christmas Day in a Lakers jersey. In 2023, with the Dallas jersey, he scored 50 points, exceeding his 10,000 points scored in the league, 15 assists, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Flavio Tranquillo and Davide Pessina return to commentary.
Denver Nuggets – MinnesotaTimberwolves (ore 4.30 del 26/12)
It would be a crime if the problem in the right foot of Anthony Edwards, the T’Wolves superstar, deprived us, in prime time in Colorado and late at night in Italy, of the challenge with Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets phenomenon who is once again a candidate for MVP of the League this year and who in 2022 unleashed himself against the Suns with 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. In 2024, in his Christmas debut, “Ant-Man”, a franchise first at 25/5/5 on Christmas Day, led Minnesota to a 105-99 win over the Mavs. The match will be broadcast with the original commentary in English.
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