NBA Christmas 2025: Spurs vs Thunder & Bold Prediction

De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for their third victory over the defending NBA champions in the last two weeks.

The Spurs also defeated the Thunder in an NBA Cup semifinal on Dec. 13 and Tuesday in San Antonio. The teams will meet again on Jan. 13 in Oklahoma Metropolis.

Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points and 11 rebounds while Stephon Fortress had 19 points and seven helps for the Spurs (23-7). San Antonio shot 53.6% from the field and held the Thunder to 38.9%.

It was San Antonio’s eighth straight win and Oklahoma Metropolis’ first home loss of the season. The Thunder entered the Western Convention standings at the top, with the Spurs in second place.

Minnesota Timberwolves 138-142 Denver Nuggets (OT)

Nikola Jokić recorded a 56-point triple-double and set an NBA record with 18 points in overtime, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 142-138 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.

Jokić bested Stephen Curry’s 2016 record of 17 overtime points, becoming the most by any player in the NBA regular season or playoffs.

Jokić added 16 rebounds and 15 helps and Jamal Murray scored 35 points as the Nuggets improved to 3-0 this season against the Wolves, who got 44 points from Anthony Edwards, only to see him get ejected in overtime for arguing fouls.

The Nuggets won despite being down three starters, including Cameron Johnson, who injured his right knee in Dallas on Tuesday night.

Edwards lived up to his prediction for a big Christmas Night performance, rallying Minnesota from a 15-point deficit in the final five and a half minutes of regulation and making a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 126-all.

Cleveland Cavaliers-124-126 New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson scored 34 points, reserve Jordan Clarkson scored 25 and the New York Knicks rallied from 17 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124 on Thursday and win on Christmas Day for the third straight year.

Reserves Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson sparked the comeback after the Cavaliers led 103-86 entering the final period. Kolek scored 16 points and nine helps, and fans chanted his name after a late block on Donovan Mitchell that was originally called a foul but was overturned on review. Robinson pushed after offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive and finished with 13 rebounds.

Brunson made a free three-pointer with 1:05 remaining, after he, Kolek and Clarkson all hit from behind the arc in a 13-2 run that cut Cleveland’s 12-point lead to 111-110.

Mitchell had 34 points, seven rebounds and six helps. Darius Garland added 20 points and 10 helps, but the Cavaliers blew their chance for a third straight win.

Dallas Mavericks 116-126 Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry scored 23 points and hit a key 3-pointer with 3:45 to go, Jimmy Butler added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Thursday.

Mavericks rookie star Cooper Flagg scored 27 points on 13-of-21 shooting, six rebounds and five assists in his Christmas Day debut, while Brandon Williams scored 26 points off the bench.

Klay Thompson returned to face his former team the Warriors in the holiday matinee after missing Tuesday’s home game against the Nuggets with left knee soreness.

And former Splash Brother Curry continued to check out Thompson’s warmup before meeting at midcourt for a hello and a hug. Thompson received a warm ovation when he entered the game for the first time with 5:51 remaining in the first quarter.

Mavericks center Anthony Davis did not return after leaving in the second quarter with groin spasms. Davis had three points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes.

Houston Rockets-Lakers 119-96

Amen Thompson scored 26 points to lead six players in double figures and the Houston Rockets never trailed as they beat Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers 119-96 on Thursday night.

Kevin Durant added 25 points and nine helps for the Rockets, who ended a two-game skid to improve to 7-7 on the road. Thompson had seven rebounds and five helps.

Doncic scored 25 points and LeBron James added 18 for the Lakers, who fell to 25-27 in their 27th consecutive Christmas appearance and 52nd overall in a tradition that began in 1949. They have lost three in a row overall.

Doncic and James were a combined 4-of-11 from three-point range. They also combined for nine of the Lakers’ 16 turnovers. Doncic returned after missing a loss to Phoenix after injuring his left leg in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last week.

James and Durant faced off in the highest-scoring game in NBA history. Never have two opposing players entered a game with more combined career points.