The evolution of the Christmas sports calendar in the US has given fans a respite whether they need a break from family gatherings or just to have some fun while sipping eggnog.
This year's highlights include five NBA games and three NFL games, with games lasting more than 12 hours.
Here's a look at the top matches, plus a few you might be missing as you prepare for the holidays.
Spurs at Thunder, 2:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC – Victor Vembanyama and the Spurs are one of the league's up-and-coming teams, reaching the NBA Cup finals. before last week's loss to the Knicks.. The Thunder won the championship last season and have the best record in the league this year at 25-3. Adding a little spice: Spurs Knocked Thunder out of NBA Cup in the semi-finals earlier this month.
Rockets at Lakers, 8 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Enjoy this, because it's hard to believe we'll have many more opportunities to watch Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James, especially on Christmas Day. Durant, 37, continues to pour buckets into the Rockets, while James, 40, is still playing at a high level in his 23rd NBA season.
Timberwolves at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC — There's nothing wrong with this game between two of the best teams in the NBA Western Conference. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is having another incredible season, averaging a triple-double for the Nuggets. They will face the Timberwolves, who have the high-quality and always entertaining Anthony Edwards.
Lions at Vikings, 4:30 p.m., Netflix — This is the best game on a disappointing NFL slate, featuring a Lions team that must win if they want to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Division rival Vikings had a disappointing season but wanted to play spoiler and won their last three games.
Cavaliers at Knicks, 12:00 p.m., ESPN/ABC – Knicks just won the NBA Cup and could have the best team in years thanks to the core of Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges. They will face a Cavaliers team that has dropped to .500 this season after leading the Eastern Conference with 64 wins last year.
Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video — Well, it looked tempting a few months ago, but the fact that Kansas City is out of the playoff race and lost two of its best quarterbacks to knee injuries spoiled the mood. The positive is that the Broncos have been one of the best teams in the NFL and are trying to get past the Los Angeles Chargers to win the AFC West.
Mavericks at Warriors Stadium, 5 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Many Mavericks fans got an early Christmas present when general manager Nico Harrison—the architect of the infamous Luka Doncic trade— was fired earlier this season. The problem is that Dallas still isn't playing well, and rookie Cooper Flagg's progress is an encouraging sign. Veteran Warriors star Stephen Curry is capable of big nights like his 48-point game against the Blazers earlier this month, but it looks like Golden State's glory days are coming to an end.
“Cowboys and Commanders,” 1 p.m., Netflix. There will be a lot of people watching this game just because it's Cowboys and Commanders, but there's not much here from a betting standpoint. Both teams are out of the playoff race, with Washington starting QB Jayden Daniels out for the season after exacerbation of an elbow injury at 14 weeks.
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