The NBA regular season is back in full swing with an excellent slate of games on Christmas Day, with a total of five matchups set to broadcast live on ABC, starting with Cavaliers vs. Knicks at 12:00 p.m. ET, with staggered start times taking us all the way to Timberwolves vs. Nuggets at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified NBA picks for all five matchups on Christmas Day.
Continue below for our NBA picks, odds, props, and predictions for Thursday, December 25.
NBA Picks, Odds, Props, Predictions for Christmas Day
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 2:30 p.m. | |
  | 5 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Jalen Brunson should be nice and rested for the Knicks' Christmas Day game against the Cavaliers after getting a maintenance day on Tuesday.
The Knicks have been so good at home this season — boasting an impressive record of 13-3 ATS at Madison Square Garden. Meanwhile, they are only 3-8 ATS on the road.
In addition to the home trends favoring New York, the Cavaliers are also free falling at the moment.
Sure, the Cavs were finally able to drop the hammer on the Pelicans in their last game. However, prior to their latest win, the Cavaliers failed to cover the spread in five straight games, while going 2-8 ATS in their last 10.
The Knicks are a trustworthy favorite in this spot; they are the far better team right now. I’ll lay the points with New York.
Pick: Knicks -5.5 (-110)
| | | | |
Spurs vs. Thunder
Victor Wembanyama is a showman.
Every time the Spurs need a big performance from Wemby, they get it; whether it’s in a season opener or on Christmas or in the NBA Cup — bottom line is, he’s a spotlight player.
I think this prop is suppressed because of his lack of minutes of late, but I would imagine that ticks up here. Plus, Wemby jacked up 16 three-point attempts last Christmas.
Wembanyama wants to put on a show and show off his versatility.
Pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (+125)
| | | | |
Mavericks vs. Warriors
By Joe Dellera
The Mavericks face off against the Warriors on Christmas Day in the matchup you may decide is best to eat your dinner during.
Anthony Davis should join you in the feast.
Davis has smoked the Warriors over the past few seasons whenever he has played his typical allotment of minutes with Points + Rebounds totals of 49, 42, and 42.
The Warriors are fairly weak against opposing bigs and are middle of the road in terms of allowing points in the paint.
Davis is averaging 38.8 PR when he’s played at least 30 minutes, and he should have a similar floor again in this spot on Christmas. AD has a positional advantage here, and I expect him to dominate.
Pick: Anthony Davis Over 36.5 Points + Rebounds (-115)
| | | | |
Rockets vs. Lakers
By Joe Dellera
The Rockets face off against the Lakers on Christmas Night, and I’ll be targeting Tari Eason.
Eason is now in his third game back since his return from injury. He’s seen his minutes climb a bit from 16 to 18 and he’s averaging 22.4 on the season. Part of the reason why I think we only saw 18 minutes was due to the Rockets getting their doors blown off by the Clippers.
This line is more or less what it was against the Clippers, which is a departure from the typical line he's at.
Prior to injury, he was looking at about 22 minutes per game and a PR line set at 15.5. I think because he’s been ramped up a bit, the line isn't fully capturing his ceiling in a good matchup.
The Lakers are poor against these peripheral scorers. They tend to toss Luka or LeBron on them who sag off and give up easier shots or offensive rebounds.
Eason is primarily a spot-up shooter and that’s a weak spot for the Lakers. Over the past few seasons, Tari has played the Lakers four times, going over this line in 3-of-4 games.
Tari has been solid this season and averages 11.5 points and 5 rebounds per game. So, I’ll rock with him on Christmas Night.
Pick: Tari Eason Over 12.5 Points + Rebounds (-115)
| | | | |
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
By Bet Labs
This NBA system identifies value in large favorites that the betting public tends to fade.
It focuses on regular season games where the favorite opens with a significant spread yet receives limited betting support, often below 40%.
These are spots where the market overreacts to recent performances, particularly when the opponent is coming off a strong win by a large margin.
Public bettors often chase momentum and undervalue elite teams laying points, assuming the line is inflated.
Historically, these contrarian favorites outperform expectations as sharp money backs the undervalued side while casual bettors load up on the underdog.
This system exploits those perception gaps, capitalizing on strong teams that are capable of covering despite public skepticism.
Pick: Nuggets -3 (-110)
| | | | |
