NBA Dominates 2025 Christmas Day With Elite Slate, Outshining NFL Matchups
The NBA on Christmas Day was one of those mainstays for years before the NFL tried to take over the day in 2024. Last year, the NFL had some good matchups and actually did win over the NBA on that slate, but the three-game slate this year for the NFL wasn’t even close to the five-game slate that the NBA delivered this season. Injuries to some of the teams, did hampered this, including the injury to Patrick Mahomes.
But even with the health of Mahomes and Daniels not being in question, it wouldn’t have changed anything. These NBA games were entertaining from Game 1 to Game 5. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets matchup is by far the best game on the slate at the end of the day. Let’s dive into why the NBA Slate Dominated.
The Quality of Games Was Simply Phenomenal
Four of the Five Matchups on the NBA Slate were down to the wire, even though a couple of those ended up being double-digit margins in the end in the Spurs and Warriors games. But the only dud was the Houston Rockets’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth game of the slate. But every game had a Reason to keep eyes glued to the television from start to finish, with star power, drama, and elite basketball play, especially when you look at the Minnesota and Denver NightCap in particular.
The Minnesota and Denver Game honestly single-handedly wiped the floor clean with the NFL slate. When you have elite shotmaking and offense in the clutch situations, that makes the audience glued to the television really easily, and that game featured Anthony Edwards and Jamal Murray going shot for shot in the clutch, and the Joker Nikola Jokic showcasing why he’s the BEST PLAYER in the League BY FAR STILL.
Let’s be honest here, none of the NFL action we saw on Christmas matched any of that level of play. The more disappointing part is that the slate before the season started had the potential, which leads into my next point.
The Injuries and Team’s Success of the NFL Slate Was Its Downfall
Like I said before, the NFL slate had so much potential, especially in the Dallas vs Washington and Denver vs Kansas City Matchups before the season started. But with what has happened over the course of the 2025 season with the Chiefs and Commanders, especially, really ruined the slate this year. With both of those Conference Champions representatives eliminated before Christmas Day, and the star quarterbacks out with season-ending injuries, those two games lacked the wow factor that would’ve given the NBA the desired competition that would have taken the eyes off the great NBA slate. The Team success aspect mainly affected the HORRIBLE Lions and Vikings game. The game had stakes for one team, but that team didn’t hop off the bus at all, which led to the final downfall.
The Lions’ Horrible Play Killed the NFL
The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings game, which took place in the middle of the day, was in direct competition with the end of the Spurs and Thunder game, as well as the Mavericks and Warriors game. By the way, let me say this, IF YOU WASTED your time and watched this whole game over Cooper Flagg’s Christmas debut, you have officially lost the PLOT. Because that game was AWFUL, and it ruined the entire NFL slate, even if you found enjoyment in the Dallas and Denver wins.
With their playoff lives on the line, they provided their worst performance of the season and proceeded to get eliminated by Max Brosmer, MAX BROSMER! I’ll give credit to Minnesota’s defense, but Detroit single-handedly ruined Christmas for the NFL casual fan, and the NBA fan was giddy throughout the rest of the day.
So, with all of those factors combined, to get the slaughter of the NFL that the NBA laid on us on Christmas Day. The NFL is going to have to go back to the drawing board if it wants to stay on Christmas Day. Because what they gave the world yesterday won’t ever meet with the aura of the NBA on Christmas that has built over the years.
