NBA Christmas Day 2026 Schedule for LeBron, 76ers vs. Luka, Lakers and Every Game Released

The NBA's 2026 Christmas Day slate will be headlined by star forward LeBron James visiting his former team.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that James and the Philadelphia 76ers will travel to face Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers in the marquee matchup of the day.

The full five-game Christmas Day schedule also includes an NBA Finals rematch between the reigning champion New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, an Eastern Conference battle between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics, and a pair of Western Conference showdowns between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors.

James played for the Lakers for eight seasons before opting to return to the East Coast for his 24th year in the league. He joined a Philadelphia team that also acquired star guard Jaylen Brown from Boston this offseason, making the Sixers one of the top contenders in the East.

After losing James, Los Angeles made a concerted effort to build around Doncic this offseason with a slew of new additions. Most notably, the Lakers acquired stalwart center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz, giving them a stout rim protector and a pick-and-roll finisher for Doncic.

The Lakers and Sixers weren't alone in making major changes this summer. The Heat made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by acquiring two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Timberwolves also made a splash by acquiring star point guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets.

However, the two teams that battled for the 2026 NBA championship didn't change much. While the Spurs added veteran forward Tobias Harris in free agency, the Knicks focused on retaining their key players and maintaining their championship core.

It will be fun to see how it all plays out when the NBA takes over Christmas Day once again with some of the most intriguing matchups in the league.