Report: T-Wolves, Mavs highlight NBA's Christmas Day slate
A West final rematch between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks in the Lone Star State will highlight the NBA's five-game Christmas Day schedule, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The other four reported matchups Dec. 25 are as follows:
| Home Team | Visiting Team |
|---|---|
| New York Knicks | San Antonio Spurs |
| Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Golden State Warriors | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Phoenix Suns | Denver Nuggets |
Minnesota won three of four meetings against Dallas in the regular season. However, Luka Doncic's squad beat Anthony Edwards' T-Wolves in five games during the conference finals to reach the Mavs' first NBA championship series since winning it all in 2011.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama looks to build on his Rookie of the Year campaign with the help of an improved Spurs roster that added Chris Paul in the offseason. San Antonio will take on a New York team that's coming off its best season in 24 years, falling just one win short of the East final.
The Celtics have been Joel Embiid's kryptonite, ending the 76ers' playoff campaign three times in the last seven years, including a seven-game battle in 2022-23.
Stephen Curry and LeBron James have had their share of head-to-head matchups over the years, most notably when they squared off in four straight Finals from 2014-18. The two were front and center once again as James' Lakers topped Curry and the Warriors in a memorable play-in game three years ago.
Denver defeated Phoenix in the second round of the 2023 playoffs en route to its first and only championship in franchise history.