Lakers–Rockets Set for Late-Afternoon Slot on NBA Christmas Day Schedule
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The NBA confirmed Tuesday that the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Houston Rockets in the fourth game of the league’s traditional five-game Christmas Day lineup. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena, with national coverage on ABC and ESPN.
This marks the 18th consecutive season the NBA has scheduled five games on Dec. 25. The matchup keeps the Lakers—led by LeBron James and mid-season acquisition Luka Doncic—on the holiday slate, while Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson headline the Rockets.
Full December 25 Broadcast Schedule (all times PT)
9:00 a.m. – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks (Madison Square Garden)
11:30 a.m. – Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs (Paycom Center)
2:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks (Chase Center)
5:00 p.m. – Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Crypto.com Arena)
7:30 p.m. – Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets (Ball Arena)
The league is unveiling marquee matchups ahead of Thursday’s full release of the 2025-26 regular-season schedule.
Opening Night Details
The Rockets and Thunder will also feature on Opening Night, Tuesday, Oct. 21, when Houston visits Oklahoma City for the Thunder’s championship ring ceremony at 4:30 p.m. PT. Later that evening, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler bring the Golden State Warriors to Los Angeles to face the Lakers at 7:00 p.m. PT. Both contests will air on NBC and Peacock, the NBA’s new national broadcast partner.
Source: LakersNation.com
