Boxing Day Buckets: Ty's Xmas Garden Party

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Australian rookie Tyrese Proctor's Cleveland Cavaliers will play on Christmas Day in the United States for the first time since 2017.

Proctor sets up a basketball Boxing Day bonanza in Australia on Friday, December 26, 2025, part of an extraordinary Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for hoops fans.

The 83 hours from Christmas Eve on Wednesday, December 24 to Saturday, December 27, 2025 (AEDT) has 73 HOURS of NBA and NBL basketball games.

Aussies on Christmas Day Records

Patty Mills – Christmas Day Record Holder

• Patty Mills is tied for the most three-pointers made in a Christmas Day game (8).
• He shares the record with Luka Dončić, Grayson Allen and Stephen Curry.
• Mills’ record performance came in 2021, reinforcing his reputation as a big-moment shooter on the NBA’s biggest regular-season stage.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks

4AM (AEDT)| Madison Square Garden

• First-ever Christmas Day meeting between the two franchises.
• Knicks extend their NBA-record 58th Christmas Day appearance.
• Cleveland plays on Christmas for the first time since 2017.
• Bernard King’s 60-point game (1984) remains the Christmas Day scoring record for New York.
• Cavaliers are 6–0 at home, 1–7 on the road all-time on Christmas.

Why it matters: MSG tradition meets a returning Cavaliers side in a heritage-heavy opener.

San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder

6:30AM (AEDT)| Paycom Center

• Victor Wembanyama scored 42 points and 18 rebounds in his Christmas debut last season.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes his first Christmas Day appearance.
• OKC hosts a Christmas game for the first time since 2017.

Why it matters: Wembanyama vs SGA – future-facing stars on a global stage.

Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors

9AM (AEDT)| Chase Center

• Luka Dončić scored 50 points on Christmas in 2023.
• Stephen Curry tied the Christmas Day record with eight threes in 2024.
• Cooper Flagg becomes the youngest player to appear on Christmas Day since LeBron James (2003).
• Klay Thompson makes his only regular-season visit to San Francisco.

Why it matters: Generational scorers, legacy franchises, and a history of fireworks.

Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers

12PM (AEDT)| Crypto.com Arena

• LeBron James is the all-time Christmas Day leader in:
  • Points (507)
  • Games played (19)
  • Field goals made (180)
  • Wins (11, tied record)
• Luka Dončić plays his first Christmas game as a Laker.
• Rockets return to Christmas Day for the first time since 2019.

Why it matters: Christmas royalty meets a reshaped Lakers era.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets

2:30PM (AEDT) | Ball Arena

• First-ever Christmas Day meeting between the franchises.
• Nikola Jokić recorded a 41-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist triple-double on Christmas in 2022.
• Nuggets play on Christmas for the sixth time in seven years.

Why it matters: Modern contenders close Christmas with MVP pedigree.

Records and Milestones

• Most Christmas Day Points (Career): LeBron James – 507
• Most Christmas Day Wins (Teams): Lakers & Knicks – 25
• Highest Winning % (Active Teams): Miami Heat – .857 (12–2)
• Longest Team Winning Streak: Portland – 13 straight (1972–2007)
• Most Points in a Game: Bernard King – 60 (1984)
• Triple-Doubles on Christmas Day: 14 total by 10 players
• Only Opposing Triple-Doubles Same Game: James Harden & Russell Westbrook (2021)

Fast Facts about Christmas Day NBA Games

• This year marks the 78th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day. The NBA began playing games on Christmas Day in 1947 in its second season.
• The NBA will have five games on Christmas Day for the 18th year in a row.
• The NBA on Christmas Day will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages.
• ESPN will air all five Christmas Day games in the United States, spanning more than 13 consecutive hours of coverage.
• Three games are first-time matchups on Christmas Day: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets.
• The New York Knicks will extend their record for most games played on Christmas Day to 58. An original NBA franchise, New York played its first Christmas game in 1947.
• The Cleveland Cavaliers will play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2017, the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2018, and the Houston Rockets since 2019.
• Four 2025 NBA All-Stars are set to make their Christmas Day debuts: reigning Kia NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets. (Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, a 2025 NBA All-Star, has also never played on Christmas Day; the Cavaliers announced on Dec. 13 that he is expected to miss approximately 2–4 weeks with a calf injury.)
• The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is the Christmas Day career leader in points (507), games played (19), field goals made (180), three-pointers made (tied with James Harden with 31), and victories (11). James ranks second with 137 assists (eight behind Oscar Robertson, with 145) and 28 steals (two behind Russell Westbrook, with 30).
• Other Christmas Day career leaders include Bill Russell for rebounds (176), Shaquille O’Neal for blocked shots (25), and Oscar Robertson for free throws made (125).
• Bernard King scored a Christmas Day-record 60 points for the New York Knicks against the New Jersey Nets in 1984.
• Other Christmas Day single-game leaders include Wilt Chamberlain for rebounds (36 in 1961); Guy Rodgers and Nate "Tiny" Archibald for assists (18 in 1966 and 1972, respectively); DeAndre Jordan for blocked shots (eight in 2011); Kyrie Irving for steals (seven in 2016); and Patty Mills, Luka Dončić, Grayson Allen, and Stephen Curry for three-pointers made (eight in 2021, 2023, 2023, and 2024, respectively).
• In 2023, Luka Dončić (50 points) became the fourth player to score 50 or more points in a Christmas Day game, joining Bernard King (60 in 1984), Wilt Chamberlain (59 in 1961), and Rick Barry (50 in 1966).
• Tracy McGrady has the highest career scoring average on Christmas Day at 43.3 points per game. He scored at least 40 points in each of his three games.
• Miami has the highest winning percentage among active teams on Christmas Day at .857 (12–2 record), which includes its current nine-game winning streak. The Heat is unbeaten on Christmas Day under current head coach Erik Spoelstra (9–0).
• Ten players have recorded a triple-double on Christmas Day: Oscar Robertson (four), John Havlicek, Billy Cunningham, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook (two), Draymond Green, Kemba Walker, James Harden, Nikola Jokić, and Austin Reaves.
• The Lakers and Knicks are tied for the most team victories on Christmas Day with 25.
• Phil Jackson and Jack Ramsay share the record for most head coaching victories on Christmas Day with 11 each.