Santa has filled our stockings with nonstop basketball action this Christmas, with both NBA and NBL matches ready to tie us over.
It’s another lineup of NBA Christmas Day games as per usual, tipping off bright and early this Boxing Day down under — a star-studded set of matchups that include reigning champions, MVPs and all-time greats.
And the Christmas Day games come early – or on time – for Australians, thanks to the recent addition of actual NBL Christmas Day games.
Returning for its second iteration, the NBL will take it a step further this Christmas with not one, but two games to be played on the most wonderful day of the year.
Back-to-back NBL champs, the Sydney Kings, will again headline the day’s action, with a home game against a key rival. And then Tassie gets its first crack hosting a game on this stage.
With these two NBL Christmas Day games to sink our teeth into, and five absolutely mouthwatering NBA matchups, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Christmas Day basketball action.
2023 Christmas Day games
When are the NBL and NBA Christmas Day games?
NBL – Christmas Day, NBA – Boxing Day (Australia)
For the second straight year us Aussies will be spoiled with basketball action; NBL games on Christmas Day, followed by wall-to-wall NBA action on Boxing Day.
The NBL action will start from 5:30pm (AEDT), with the first ever Christmas Day basketball game not in New South Wales — the Tassie JackJumpers host South East Melbourne.
And then the hardcores will be setting their alarms nice and early on December 26, with the opening NBA game tipping off at 4:00am (AEDT).
What are the Christmas Day games for 2023?
There won’t be much need to leave the couch this Christmas with a whopping seven games of basketball on across two days.
NBL and NBA Christmas Day games:
Monday, December 25
Tassie JackJumpers vs SEM Phoenix – 5:30pm AEDT
Sydney Kings vs Illawarra Hawks – 7:30pm AEDT
Tuesday, December 26
Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks – 4am AEDT
Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets – 6:30am AEDT
Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Lakers – 9am AEDT
Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat – 12pm AEDT
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns – 2:30pm AEDT
How can I watch basketball across Christmas?
Kayo and Foxtel
The only place you’ll be able to watch both the NBA and NBL games live and on demand will be on Foxtel and their streaming service Kayo.
Three must-see games Christmas Day games
It might be hard to duck out from the family gatherings throughout the Christmas period to watch every game across the two days. So here’s three must-see matchups that you can try and pencil in ahead of tip-off.
Tassie JackJumpers vs SEM Phoenix, 5:30pm – Christmas Day
The JackJumpers will host the SEM Phoenix in the first NBL Christmas Day game outside of Sydney in what’s an intriguing clash between two potential finals contenders.
After South East Melbourne’s Gary Browne hit a dagger three with only seconds remaining when they last met in mid-October, you can expect this game to also go down to the wire.
Boston Celtics @ Los Angeles Lakers, 9am AEDT – Boxing Day
The two oldest rivals in the NBA will face off as the headline matchup out of all the NBA Christmas Day games – Lakers v Celtics.
Both teams are considered serious title contenders this season, with the Celtics’ depth and powerful starting lineup including MVP hopeful Jayson Tatum their strong suit. While the Lakers always dominant duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis have the Lakers in a good position on the standings.
If their two matchups last year are anything to go off, this third match of the NBA Christmas Day games should be a classic.
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns, 2:30pm AEDT – Boxing Day
If there’s one thing Mavericks’ Luka Doncic loves more than scoring, it’s scoring against the Phoenix Suns. The 24-year-old has been averaging just above 30-points against the Suns since the start of 2020.
There’s been a rivalry brewing over the time, with Doncic single handedly destroying his Western Conference rivals in their 2022 seven game series — highlighted by his Game 7 performance, where he had more point than the entire Suns team by halftime.
However, this is a new and improved Phoenix Suns team, with a big-three formed over the off-season making Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal one of the more intimating trios the league currently has.
