All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Christmas Day is about more than just unwrapping gifts and spending time with family — it also features a lineup of sports games fans can kick back and enjoy all day long. Basketball lovers can look forward to five NBA Christmas games on Monday (Dec. 25) starting at 12 p.m. ET.
The NBA is giving fans the ultimate gift with five games throughout the day. Starting things off is the Bucks vs. Knicks at noon ET followed by the Warriors vs. Nuggets at 2:30 p.m. ET, Celtics vs. Lakers at 5 p.m. ET, 76ers vs. Heat at 8 p.m. ET and ending with the Mavs vs. Suns at 10:30 p.m. ET. You can catch all the games on ESPN or ESPN+, but the Warriors vs. Nuggets and Celtics vs. Lakers will also be livestreamed on ABC, giving you a few streaming options to watch the games live.
No matter which team you’re rooting for, get ready for a day filled of basketball and make sure to throw on some of the Suga-approved merch to show your support in style.
Keep reading to learn how to stream the games at home.
How to Watch the NBA’s Christmas Games
All the NBA Christmas games will be aired live on ESPN and ESPN+, with two games also being available to watch on ABC. That means if you have cable, you’ll be able to watch all the games for free — just tune in to any channel that has ESPN or ABC starting at 12 p.m. ET; you can check your cable provider’s channel guide for the exact channel. If you don’t have cable, you might be able to watch the games for free using an HD antenna like one of these here on Amazon.
Another option is the channel’s official streamer, ESPN+, which will be streaming all the games live. If you already have a subscription, just log in to your account and you’ll gain access to the NBA Christmas games for no added cost.
Don’t have a membership? While ESPN+ doesn’t offer a free trial, it is one of the most budget-friendly options on the market with a monthly plan for $10.99/month, or you can save more than 15% with an annual plan for $109.99/year. Click here or the button below to start your ESPN+ membership.
Along with the NBA’s Christmas games, a subscription to ESPN+ will give you access to live games in other sports, NFL drafts, NFL playoffs, MLB games and exclusive on-demand videos, as well as access content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider. In addition to games, ESPN+ has original shows to stream on-demand, including game recaps, NBA finals and analyses hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime, as well as full replays of historic NFL games.
Looking to expand your content offerings and save money? You can bundle ESPN+ with Disney+ and Hulu, which will triple your content offerings of original and exclusive series and movies. And, if you want live TV channel options (including ESPN and ABC), you can sign up for Hulu + Live TV, which comes with a 30-day free trial, access to the entire Hulu library and hundreds of live TV channels.
More Ways to Watch the NBA’s Christmas Games
There are more money-saving options you can take advantage of through live TV streamers. A mix of platforms including FuboTV, SlingTV and DirecTV Stream are offering promos and free trials for up to seven days, which means you can enjoy the NBA’s Christmas games and more.
DirecTV Stream is one of the most affordable options you can take advantage of including a five day free trial. Save an additional $50 for the first two months when you combine the sports package with any of the plans available. After you free trial is over, you’ll be charged the discounted price for two months, then after the two months are up you’ll be charged the regular price based on the plan you choose. Click here or the button below to start the free trial.