When Christmas Eve delivers playoff-level basketball
Fourteen NBA games lit up Christmas Eve, providing plenty of drama before everyone attacks their holiday desserts tonight. The standout performances came from Cooper Flagg's near triple-double in Dallas' thrilling win over Denver, the Spurs dismantling Oklahoma City for the second consecutive time, and the Clippers actually winning a game behind 70 combined points from James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. From blow-outs to nail-biters, Tuesday night had everything—including Moussa Diabaté pulling off his best Dennis Rodman impression with 18 rebounds for Charlotte.
Spurs 130, Thunder 110: San Antonio dominates again
The Spurs destroyed Oklahoma City 130-110, their second straight victory over the league-leading Thunder following their NBA Cup semifinal win ten days earlier. San Antonio's fourth quarter explosion (43-28) buried OKC, with the team's collective effort overwhelming Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points. The Thunder's supporting cast disappeared—Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren combined for just 20 points on poor shooting—while the Spurs got contributions across the roster. The rematch happens tomorrow on Christmas Day in Oklahoma City, giving the Thunder a chance for immediate revenge on national television.
What made this win so impressive was how San Antonio beat OKC at their own game. The Thunder thrive on forcing turnovers and getting to the free throw line. The Spurs committed only eight turnovers while forcing 15, and they limited Oklahoma City to just seven free throw attempts while shooting 24 themselves. That's not just winning—that's completely neutralizing everything that makes your opponent dangerous. If the Spurs can replicate this performance on the road Christmas Day, they'll prove they've figured out how to consistently beat the West's best team.
Mavericks 131, Nuggets 130: Flagg's coming-out party
Cooper Flagg nearly posted a triple-double with 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists as Dallas edged Denver 131-130 in the night's most thrilling game. The 20-year-old rookie went toe-to-toe with Nikola Jokic (29 points, seven rebounds, 14 assists, three steals) and Anthony Davis, who had a monster performance with 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Jamal Murray matched Davis with 31 points to go with seven rebounds and 14 assists, but Denver couldn't get stops down the stretch when they needed them most.
Flagg's stat line is absurd for a rookie in his first season. Nearly averaging a triple-double in a game against the reigning MVP and one of the league's elite teams shows he's not just talented—he's ready to compete at the highest level immediately. The Mavericks betting on him as their franchise cornerstone looks smarter every game, especially when he's delivering performances like this in December. If he maintains this trajectory, Dallas has their next generational player to build around post-Luka Doncic era.
Clippers 128, Rockets 108: LA finds offense finally
The Clippers got 70 combined points from James Harden and Kawhi Leonard to blow out Houston 128-108, snapping their recent struggles with a dominant home performance. Harden and Leonard both looked healthy and engaged, which has been the problem for LA all season—getting both stars available and playing well simultaneously. When that happens, the Clippers have enough talent to beat anyone. When it doesn't, they're mediocre at best. Tuesday night was the former, and Houston had no answers defensively for either star.
The question is sustainability. Can the Clippers get this version of Harden and Leonard consistently, or will injuries and load management continue disrupting their rhythm? One dominant win doesn't solve their depth issues or prove they're contenders, but it does show their ceiling remains high when everyone's healthy. For a team that's been disappointing all season, any positive signs are worth celebrating, even if they come against a Rockets team that's been inconsistent themselves.
Other notable performances and results
Moussa Diabaté started for Charlotte and grabbed 18 rebounds in their 126-109 win over Washington, earning his "Dennis Rodman" comparison for the night. The Nets got 48 combined points from Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Demin to beat Philadelphia 114-106. Chicago rallied with a massive fourth quarter (34-18) to overcome Atlanta 126-123, with Josh Giddey posting a triple-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, 15 assists). Cleveland bounced back at home, crushing New Orleans 141-118 to end the Pelicans' four-game winning streak.
Milwaukee got 47 combined points from Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins to defeat Indiana 111-94. Toronto destroyed Miami 112-91 behind Scottie Barnes' 28 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Phoenix demolished the Lakers 132-108, with Dillon Brooks scoring 25 points in a dominant performance. Memphis beat Utah 137-128 thanks to Santi Aldama's 37 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. Detroit topped Sacramento 136-127 behind the duo of Cade Cunningham (23 points, seven rebounds, 14 assists, five steals) and Jalen Duren (23 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks).
- Hornets – Wizards : 126-109
- Sixers – Nets : 106-114
- Hawks – Bulls : 123-126
- Cavaliers – Pelicans : 141-118
- Pacers – Bucks : 94-111
- Heat – Raptors : 91-112
- Mavericks – Nuggets : 131-130
- Wolves – Knicks : 115-104
- Spurs – Thunder : 130-110
- Suns – Lakers : 132-108
- Jazz – Grizzlies : 128-137
- Blazers – Magic : 106-110
- Kings – Pistons : 127-136
- Clippers – Rockets : 128-108
What these results mean heading into Christmas
The Spurs-Thunder rematch on Christmas Day is now must-watch television. San Antonio has beaten OKC twice in ten days, and a third straight victory would cement them as legitimate contenders capable of matching up with the West's elite. The Thunder will be desperate to avoid getting swept by the Spurs, especially on their home court with a national audience watching. That game alone makes Christmas Day basketball appointment viewing, but the broader slate of holiday matchups should deliver similar drama.
For teams like Dallas, seeing Cooper Flagg deliver near triple-doubles against Denver in crunch time suggests their rebuild is ahead of schedule. The Mavericks aren't just developing a future star—they have one right now who's already contributing to wins against playoff-caliber opponents. Meanwhile, struggling teams like the Clippers and Lakers need to figure out their issues quickly because the season's halfway point is approaching, and neither looks like a serious playoff threat despite their talent. Christmas week will clarify which teams are genuine contenders and which are pretenders coasting on reputation rather than actual performance.