They might not exactly fit under the tree, but basketball fans get the ultimate gift of five NBA games on Christmas Day.
Arguably the biggest day of the NBA season, this year's Christmas Day slate has everything you could think of. The day opens up with an NBA Playoff rematch, followed by a three-game stretch in which a total of six former league MVPs could suit up.
To close the night, a potential future MVP takes the floor to take on one of the Western Conference's best teams.
Below, we've got you covered with everything you need to know about NBA Christmas Day 2021, from where and how to watch to the injury report, Christmas Day records and the uniforms that each team will suit up in.
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2021 NBA Christmas Day schedule
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Location |
| 12:00 PM | Hawks vs. Knicks | Madison Square Garden |
| 2:30 PM | Celtics vs. Bucks | Fiserv Forum |
| 5:00 PM | Warriors vs. Suns | Footprint Center |
| 8:00 PM | Nets vs. Lakers | Crypto.com Arena |
| 10:30 PM | Mavericks vs. Jazz | Vivint Arena |
How to watch 2021 NBA Christmas Day games
- Hawks vs. Knicks: ESPN | Watch ESPN | Sling TV
- Celtics vs. Bucks: ABC | Watch ESPN | Sling TV
- Warriors vs. Suns: ABC | Watch ESPN | Sling TV
- Nets vs. Lakers: ABC | ESPN | Watch ESPN | Sling TV
- Mavericks vs. Jazz: ESPN | Watch ESPN | Sling TV
Which stars will play on Christmas Day 2021?
In the days leading into Christmas, the day-to-day operation of the league had been greatly impacted by injuries and the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Below, find an updated list of key players affected and their status for Christmas Day.
| Team | Player | Status | Reason |
| Atlanta Hawks | Trae Young | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Clint Capela | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Danilo Gallinari | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| New York Knicks | Immanuel Quickley | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Nerlens Noel | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Boston Celtics | Al Horford | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Enes Kanter Freedom | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Grant Williams | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Milwaukee Bucks | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Donte DiVincenzo | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Bobby Portis | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Golden State Warriors | Jordan Poole | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Andrew Wiggins | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Klay Thompson | Out | Right Achilles Tendon Injury Recovery | |
| James Wiseman | Out | Right Knee Injury Recovery | |
| Brooklyn Nets | LaMarcus Aldridge | Health and Safety Protocols | |
| Kevin Durant | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Bruce Brown | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Joe Harris | Out | Right Ankle Surgery | |
| Kyrie Irving | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers | Anthony Davis | Out | Sprained Left MCL |
| Avery Bradley | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Austin Reaves | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Kent Bazemore | Health and Safety Protocols | ||
| Dallas Mavericks | Luka Doncic | Health and Safety Protocols |
NBA Christmas Day records
In 2021, LeBron James will tie Kobe Bryant for most games played on Christmas Day with 16.
James also enters Christmas Day 12 points shy of tying Bryant for most points scored on the holiday and 13 points away from becoming the all-time leader.
Below, see single-game and all-time records for games played on Christmas Day.
| Single game | All-time | |
| Points | 60 – Bernard King, 1984 | 395 – Kobe Bryant (16 games) |
| Rebounds | 36 – Wilt Chamberlain, 1961 | 176 – Bill Russell (8 games) |
| Assists | 18 – Nate Archibald, 1972 | 144 – Oscar Robertson (12 games) |
| Steals | 7 – Kyrie Irving, 2016 | 28 – Russell Westbrook (10 games) |
| Blocks | 8 – DeAndre Jordan, 2011 | 25 – Shaquille O'Neal (13 games) |
| 3-pointers | 7 – Three times | 25 – K. Durant (10 games) and L. James (15 games) |
| Free Throws | 22 – Bernard King, 1984 | 125 – Oscar Robertson (12 games) |
2021 Christmas Day uniforms
While special Christmas uniforms have not been worn since 2016, most teams in action in 2021 will wear their "City Edition" uniforms. The two exceptions? The Warriors, whose City uniforms are the same color as their opponents', and the Lakers, who traditionally wear their Association whites on Sundays and holidays.
Hawks (City) vs. Knicks (City)
Celtics (City) vs. Bucks (City)
Warriors (Association) vs. Suns (City)
Nets (City) vs. Lakers (Association)
Mavericks (City) vs. Jazz (City)
