The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks only seem to meet on important dates in 2025.
Earlier this year, the two Eastern Conference clubs squared up in their first game of the season. Today, they’ll go head-to-head once again when they take the hardwood at Madison Square Garden for a noon Christmas tipoff.
In their Oct. 22 matchup, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks won 119-111 thanks to a stellar showing from the Captain — 23 points, four rebounds, five assists — and OG Anunoby who turned in an impressive 24-point, 14-rebound night.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks: what to know
- When: Dec. 25, 12 p.m.
- Where: Madison Square Garden (New York, New York)
- Channel: ESPN
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Since then, New York has cobbled together a number of win streaks and sits near the top of the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Cleveland has played admirably although they hover near the .500 mark and sit on the playoff bubble.
On a more macro level, this game will be the 58th (!) time the Knicks have played on Christmas. Although they sport a spotty 25-32 all-time record, they had reason to celebrate in ’23 and ’24 after beating the Bucks and Spurs, respectively.
To find out if they extend their Yuletide streak, tune in noon today.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks start time:
The Cavaliers vs. Knicks Christmas game tips off at 12 p.m. ET today (Dec. 25).
How to watch Cavaliers vs. Knicks for free:
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.
2025-26 NBA season key dates
- Jan. 15: NBA Berlin Games (Magic vs. Grizzlies)
- Jan. 18: NBA London Games (Magic vs. Grizzlies)
- Jan. 20-24: NBA Rivals Week
- Feb. 1: NBA Pioneers Classic (Bucks vs. Celtics)
- Feb. 5: Trade deadline
- Feb. 13-15: NBA All-Star Weekend
- April 12: Regular season ends
