The NBA season unofficially kicks off with five exciting games scheduled for Christmas Day, promising entertainment for fans and their families throughout Thursday, December 25th. The action begins at noon EST and will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Viewers can watch these games for free using services like DIRECTV and FuboTV, both of which offer free trials and discounts for new subscribers. Although SlingTV doesn’t provide a free trial, it does have promotional offers for game streaming. ESPN Unlimited is accessible on various devices and can be bundled with NFL+ Premium, Disney+, and Hulu. Those subscribed to DIRECTV, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV can also access ESPN Unlimited.
The day kicks off at Madison Square Garden with the New York Knicks hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers, featuring an animated broadcast called “Dunk the Halls” with beloved Disney characters, available on ESPN2, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney+. The defending champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, will then face the San Antonio Spurs, a team that has challenged them this season. Last year’s standout, Victor Wembanyama, impressed with 42 points in his Christmas debut, and this year, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will make his first Christmas appearance.
In another highlight, No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg will lead the Dallas Mavericks against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, marking his debut on Christmas Day. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will meet Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets for their fifth Christmas matchup, with James’ teams having won three of the previous four encounters. The day concludes with a clash between Western Conference rivals, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, featuring stars Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards.
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