NBA Christmas Day winners and losers: Spurs make statement, unheralded Knick steps up

Here are the winners and losers from the NBA's Christmas Day action

What a Christmas it was for the NBA. The New York Knicks overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to steal a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The San Antonio Spurs took their third victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in two weeks and are now responsible for 60% of the defending champion's losses thus far this season. LeBron James and Kevin Durant gave us yet another Christmas duel in a Rockets win over the Lakers, while Cooper Flagg gave us a glimpse of what the NBA might have in store for us on future holidays, though the Mavs fell short against the Warriors.

We've picked winners and losers from the first four games of Christmas action. While it's hard to take too much away from a single day of games, Christmas is the NBA's marquee regular-season showcase, and it's therefore a chance to see how several of the league's best match up against one another. These are important games, potential postseason previews, so what we learned today may prove critical when we raise the stakes in the spring.

Winner: Tyler Kolek

To Cleveland, Kolek was the Grinch, stealing a Christmas Day victory with a series of clutch plays. The man made three 3s (and a long 2) in the fourth quarter, had the MSG crowd chanting his name, finished plus-24 and even gave Mickey Mouse a piece of his mind:

In 25 minutes, the second-year guard scored 16 points and dished nine assists. Kolek's most important contribution, however, may have been a hustle play. With less than two minutes to go, Jalen Brunson turned the ball over and Donovan Mitchell appeared to be headed for an easy finish on the break. Kolek sprinted back, though, and knocked the ball out of Mitchell's hands. It was initially called a foul, but it was overturned after a successful challenge.

It is notable that Kolek was in the game at all, considering how rare it was for him to play meaningful minutes last season. Sure, he may have been on the bench if not for Josh Hart turning his ankle earlier in the quarter, but he closed the NBA Cup final, too, and put up a 20-11-8 line in 31 minutes when Brunson was out of the lineup on Tuesday.

Kolek will haunt the Cavaliers, who let a 17-point lead slip away in the fourth. For the Knicks, though, he's the gift that keeps on giving. Even when Deuce McBride returns from his ankle injury, Mike Brown is going to have to find minutes for him. -- James Herbert

Loser: Darius Garland

This one hurts. Garland was excellent for long stretches against the Knicks, playing an enormous role in the Cavs' runs in the first and third quarters. This season has gone poorly for Garland, but, when he was pushing the pace and finding his teammates easy opportunities in transition, Cleveland was merrily rolling along.

Garland finished with 20 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 3PT, 3-4 FT) and 10 assists in 36 minutes and generally looked healthy. Down the stretch, though, the Cavaliers unraveled, and Garland scored only two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the fourth quarter.

It's not just disheartening that Mitchell and Garland were outplayed by Brunson and Kolek in crunch time. It's disheartening that, despite all the good that Garland did, Cleveland appeared overly reliant on Mitchell to create offense when the game got tight. This could have been a galvanizing win for Garland and the Cavaliers, but they let it slip through their fingers.

What a waste! Bah, humbug! -- James Herbert

Winner: Spurs' title ambitions

The Spurs aren't a winner just because they literally won the game. They're a winner because they went into the reigning champion's house and beat them easily for the second time in three days and third time in the last two weeks. And they did so in a marquee game on Christmas Day in front of a national TV audience. Hardcore fans have known that the Spurs are legit for weeks, but now everyone knows. 

Now winners of eight in a row, the Spurs have the longest active winning streak in the league and at 23-7 are just 2.5 games behind the Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference. They've also now clinched the tiebreaker over the Thunder, should a seeding battle come down to that at the end of the season -- and considering how the two teams have been playing lately, it might. After a 24-1 start, the Thunder have lost four of their last six games and have the hardest remaining schedule in the league. For the season, they're 0-3 against the Spurs and 26-2 against everyone else. 

Coming into the season, the Spurs were just hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Now, they have to be spoken about as a title contender. -- Jack Maloney

Loser: Thunder supporting cast

The Thunder have incredible depth. They're ninth in the league in bench scoring at 39.6 points per game and have 12 players averaging at least 15 minutes per game. However, there are times where the supporting cast struggles to create offense and knock down shots, and the team becomes over-reliant on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to do everything. 

Against the Spurs, no one besides Gilgeous-Alexander (who had a rough game himself) made more than five shots or had more than 13 points, and the team shot 11 of 44 (25%) from 3-point range. The same issue has plagued the Thunder during their 2-4 skid. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are averaging a combined 31.8 points on 44.5% shooting, and the bench is down to 30.2 points on 42% shooting. As a team, the Thunder are shooting 31.6% from 3-point range over the last six games. 

The Thunder won a title with this same supporting cast, so there's no reason to panic. However, Thursday's loss to the Spurs and their recent skid has been a reminder that they aren't a perfect team, even if they may have looked like one early in the season, and rely heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP has scored (964) or assisted (502) on 1,466 of the Thunder's 3,760 points thus far. That's a whopping 39%. -- Jack Maloney

Winner: Cooper Flagg

After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Flagg finished with 27 on 13-of-21 shooting to join LeBron James as the only teenagers in NBA history to score at least 25 points on Christmas. Flagg did almost all his damage in the paint, sizing up one-on-one matchups and forcing his way downhill for some tough, contested finishes. 

Flagg added six rebounds and five assists and was the best player on the floor for either team. He has really taken off after a start to the season -- when Jason Kidd tried to have a teenager be a starting NBA point guard -- that had him trailing in most people's Rookie of the Year conversations. Over his last 12 games, Flagg is averaging better than 25 PPG on 54% shooting and he now has 60 points over his last two games. -- Brad Botkin

Winner: Al Horford

Horford has only played two games over the last month. He's been managing sciatica and has been used sparingly all season, never in back to backs, and it was getting to the point where you were literally starting to forget he played for the Warriors. On Christmas, Horford reminded everyone why he was supposed to be, and still may be, one of the more important offseason signings as the floor-spacing big the Warriors have never had by hitting all four of his 3-pointers in a 12-point first quarter. 

Horford only scored one more bucket to finish with 14 points but tallied a pair of assists, one leading a break into a Jimmy Butler dunk. There's a reason Horford was seen as such a perfect signing for the Warriors. He's the perfect high-floor hub who can facilitate two-man actions and anticipate Golden State's cutting and also open things up as a 3-point shooter. Quentin Post brings the shooting, but at his best, Horford is a different level passer and defender. If this is a small step in the direction of Horford becoming the player the Warriors envisioned getting, it's a big deal. 

"We know how good he is. We know what he can mean to us," Steve Kerr said of Horford, calling him the key player in the game. "It's really fun to see him back on the floor." -- Brad Botkin

Loser: Nico Harrison

I know he's already been fired and we should all be moving on, but Harrison's legacy of having made probably the dumbest trade in NBA history gets a whole new dose of egging every time Anthony Davis gets hurt, which he did, again, on Christmas, leaving in the second quarter with right groin spasms. Who knows how long he'll be out this time. He was already out for 14 games earlier this year with a calf strain. This after getting hurt literally in the first game he played for the Mavericks after the trade and missing the next five weeks of last season. 

The fact that Harrison really believed Davis was a better bet to be available moving forward than Luka Dončić, who was painted as this out-of-shape guy who wasn't committed to staying healthy (and who played his final game for the Mavs on Christmas Day 2024), is absurd. The whole trade was absurd, of course. But trusting Davis' health was just chef's-kiss stupid, and every time he gets hurt in a Mavericks uniform, particularly on the Christmas stage with everyone watching, Nico Harrison's name is going to turn back into a dart board. -- Brad Botkin

Loser: Klay Thompson

This wasn't the first time that Thompson returned to Chase Center to play the Warriors as a visitor, but it's always going to be an emotional experience for as long as he keeps playing and you know he wanted to play well, and it just didn't happen. Thompson finished with seven points on eight shots and missed three of his four 3-pointers. 

Thompson got a lot of love from his former teammates and coaches. Stephen Curry wore Thompson's signature ANTA KT 11 shoes. Kerr said he'll "never get used to seeing Klay on the other side." Unfortunately, he is on the other side now, and after making five 3-pointers in a 20-point effort three days ago against New Orleans, he didn't show out like you know he wanted to. -- Brad Botkin

Winner: Amen Thompson

It's been an up-and-down season for Amen Thompson. His usage has risen to account for the absence of Fred VanVleet, but his efficiency and defense have dipped as he's adjusted to his new, more difficult role. Whether he'll be able to score consistently against the best defenses the playoffs have to offer very much remains to be seen, but something he's proven time and time again is just how lethal he can be against older, less athletic groups like the Lakers. Thompson got to the rim at will in Houston's victory in L.A., finishing the night with 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. This is what Houston's offense is meant to look like at its best: Thompson's athleticism balanced by Kevin Durant's shooting, with offensive rebounds and turnovers tilting the possession game in their favor. Games like this are why Houston is so terrifying. In the wrong matchup, their size and athleticism can be overwhelming, and Thompson was at the center of that on Thursday. -- Sam Quinn

Loser: Austin Reaves

Austin Reaves actually started out this Christmas showdown reasonably well. As well as he's played early this season, skeptics have suggested that he'll have a harder time against elite, playoff-level defenses. Well, a 12-point half on 5-of-8 shooting with Thompson as your primary defender is a nice way to answer those criticisms. Even against a defender with every physical advantage, Reaves was largely still able to create the looks that he wanted. And then the second half began and Reaves was nowhere to be found. The calf strain that he recently returned from seemingly flared back up, and the Lakers took no chances. They pulled him for the night. Was it just a preponderance of caution? Or are the Lakers concerned that Reaves may have aggravated the injury in a way that costs him more games? Reaves is notably competing for his first All-Star berth, and prior to the calf injury, he seemed like an absolute lock. If he has to miss more games, well, that's no longer necessarily guaranteed. For now, the hope is that this was more of a precaution than a prelude to an absence. -- Sam Quinn

[Dec 25, 2025 at 10:28 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

We had three relatively competitive games to start off the Christmas slate, so we were due for something a bit more lopsided. That's what we got in game No. 4, as the Houston Rockets comfortably knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers, 119-96, in the Christmas night primetime slot.

All five Rocket starters scored in double figures, but Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant led the way with 51 combined points. The two balanced each other out quite well, with Thompson getting to the rim frequently while Durant sank his customary jumpers. Couple their excellence with an absolutely dominant 23-rebound advantage on the glass and, aside from a brief stretch in the second quarter, this one was never all that close.

The Lakers lost the sort of game they've lost several times this season. When they can keep a game slow and let their ball-handlers control the pace, they thrive. When they face an ultra-athletic group like the Rockets, they struggle. Houston bulled Los Angeles physically in this one, and to make matters worse, Austin Reaves didn't play in the second half after he seemingly aggravated the calf strain that he recently returned from. They still hold a half-game lead over Houston in the standings, but if this game was any indication, the Rockets are far closer to championship-ready than the Lakers are.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 9:58 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

The Lakers aren't giving up, but Houston is firmly in control of this game with an 18-point lead after three quarters. The Lakers are struggling to generate consistent offense with Austin Reaves out for the game, but even if they could, it wouldn't matter because they're providing so little defensive resistance against Houston. The Rockets have made just seven 3-pointers, but it hasn't mattered because they have 50 points in the paint. Amen Thompson leads all scorers with 24, but all five Houston starters are in double figures.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 9:31 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Something to keep an eye on: Austin Reaves, who only recently came back from a calf strain, is not on the floor or the bench to start the second half. He's presumably in the locker room. He's still on a minutes limit, so the Lakers are surely prepared to play some time without him, but we don't yet know precisely why Reaves is out of the game at the moment or when/if the Lakers can expect him to return.

UPDATE: Reaves is done for the night.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 9:16 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

The Lakers have fought, but their athletic disadvantage has been evident against the younger, bigger and faster Rockets thus far. Houston brings a 10-point lead into the locker room after two quarters, and you can see those physical advantages all over the box score. Houston has forced two more turnovers than Los Angeles, has pulled in seven more rebounds and has a 10-point advantage in the paint thus far. Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson are leading the way with 16 points apiece, showing the balance that makes the Rockets so dangerous. Durant can beat you with his smooth jumper while Thompson can just battering ram his way to the basket.

Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have 27 of the 53 for the Lakers thus far, and were it not for some surprising Jarred Vanderbilt 3s, the Lakers wouldn't be getting much of anything from their supporting cast. That's not to say the stars have been perfect. Dončić's five turnovers have been a big problem early on. The Lakers can survive iffy shooting and they can survive iffy defense, but this far in this one, they've been unable to endure both.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 8:40 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

The Lakers have struggled with the same sort of opponent all season: teams that are bigger and more athletic than they are. The Rockets fit that bill, and unsurprisingly, they've bullied the Lakers early in this one. The Rockets have an 11-7 rebounding advantage so far in this one, and they've turned the ball over half as many times (three) as the Lakers have (six). That control over the possession game coupled with their stellar offense near the basket has them firmly in control of this one so far.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 8:34 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Health has sadly been a struggle for Marcus Smart over the past few years, and this season has been no exception. He's already missed nine games, and on that last possession, Smart seemingly injured his shoulder. He could barely lift his arm above his head, and when the ball was passed to him, he could only control it with one arm. A foul stopped play long enough for him to exit the game, and he didn't even go to the bench. He raced straight into the locker room, leaving the already banged up Lakers shorthanded for the time being.

UPDATE: Per Mike Breen on the broadcast, Smart is back on the Laker bench.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 8:30 pm ET · Sam Quinn]

Hey, remember Dorian Finney-Smith? He hasn't played since April, when he was an essential member of the Lakers as they lost in the first round to Minnesota. Well, after a contentious split with Los Angeles, Finney-Smith defected to the rockets. However, a lingering injury held him out for the first two months of the season. Now he's back, playing his first minutes of the season, and against his old team of all opponents. The Rockets were already loaded with wings. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Josh Okogie already gave them incredible defense and athleticism. Put Finney-Smith and his more reliable jumper in the mix and they might have the deepest group of wings in basketball. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 7:54 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Lakers vs. Rockets prediction, odds: Best bets, where to watch NBA on Christmas

Sam Quinn

[Dec 25, 2025 at 7:44 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

It wasn't the prettiest showing but the Warriors knocked off the Mavericks to extend their winning streak to three and nudge their record back over .500 at 16-15. Stephen Curry didn't have a good shooting night (he missed eight of his 10 3-pointers and finished with 23 points), but hit a big 3 to extend the Warriors' lead as Dallas was trying to make one last push. 

Cooper Flagg led the way for the Mavericks with 27 points, joining LeBron James as the only teenage players in history to score at least 25 points on Christmas. Flagg, who overcame a slow start with just two points in the first quarter, made 13 of his 21 shots and added six rebounds and four assists. 

Stop traffic: Anthony Davis is hurt again for the Mavericks. Davis left late in the second quarter and did not return with what the team called right groin spasms. Davis missed 14 games earlier this season with a calf strain. Trading Luka Doncic for this guy who has never been able to stay healthy continues to be maybe the dumbest move in NBA front office history. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 7:10 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Leading scorers

Cooper Flagg: 19 points

Brandon Williams: 19 points

Stephen Curry: 18 points

[Dec 25, 2025 at 7:09 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

With a cutting layup in the third quarter, Stephen Curry has become the 22nd player in NBA history to pass the 26K mark in career points. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 6:45 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Stop traffic: Anthony Davis is hurt again. Dallas' big man has been ruled out for the rest of the game with right groin spasms. Davis missed 14 games earlier this season with a calf strain. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 6:26 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Warriors leading scorers

Al Horford: 12

Moses Moody: 12

Stephen Curry: 10

Jimmy Butler: 8

Mavericks leading scorers

Cooper Flagg: 12

Naji Marshall: 12

Brandon Williams: 8

[Dec 25, 2025 at 6:18 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

After Dallas had closed the gap to four, the Warriors have gone on a 21-10 run with most of the damage being done in the open floor. Jimmy Butler continues his red-shot 3-point shooting season (on low volume, but still). 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 5:56 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

We've got an Al Horford sighting! One of the most invisible signings of the offseason so far, Horford, who has played in fewer than half of Golden State's games this season, has busted out for 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 on 3-pointers including one to close the quarter, as Golden State has raced out to a comfortable first-quarter lead. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 5:49 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

The people are going to argue that this is why Anthony Davis should be traded, but even with Davis out there the Mavericks should not be going this long in between Cooper Flagg touches. If Flagg isn't already the best player on the team, he's certainly the important and thus should be more of a priority. At least keep him in the rhythm with regular involvement. Not happening consistently so far. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 5:06 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

What a statement from the Spurs, who dominated the final three quarters to beat the Thunder for the third time in the last two weeks. The Thunder, who had not lost at home prior to this afternoon, are now 0-3 against the Spurs this season and 26-2 against everyone else. 

As expected, the Thunder jumped out to an early lead behind their raucous home crowd, but the Spurs delivered an immediate response. They closed the first quarter on a 17-4 run to take the lead and never trailed again. 

De'Aaron Fox poured in a game-high 29 points on 12 of 19 from the field, but this was a full team effort from the Spurs, who had five players in double figures. Stephon Castle had 19 points and seven assists, while Victor Wembanyama came off the bench to add 19 points and 11 rebounds. As a team, the Spurs shot 53.6% from the field, including an extremely impressive 19 of 25 from the 3-point line. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his 20-point streak to 102 games, but shot just 7 of 19 from the field in his least efficient game of the season. As a team, the Thunder had their second-worst field goal percentage of the season at 38.9%

[Dec 25, 2025 at 5:02 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Warriors vs. Mavericks prediction, odds: Best bets, watch NBA on Christmas

Sam Quinn

[Dec 25, 2025 at 4:33 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

The Spurs haven't been able to completely pull away, but they remain in full control as the game heads into the fourth quarter. San Antonio has gotten whatever they've wanted on offense, especially at the rim, where they're 16 of 21. Overall, the Spurs are shooting 55.1% from the field. 

De'Aaron Fox remains the game's leading scorer with 25 points, but Stephon Castle (15), Victor Wembanyama (14) and Harrison Barnes (13) have all chipped in in the scoring department. 

The Spurs have done an excellent job against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has extended his 20-point streak, but is shooting just 6 of 16 from the field. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 3:48 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

The Spurs have completely controlled this game since the end of the first quarter. Really impressive showing from them again as they look to beat the Thunder for the third time in the last two weeks. 

De'Aaron Fox has been incredible to lead the way for San Antonio. He has a game-high 21 points on 9 of 11 from the field. Stephon Castle has chipped in 13 points, and Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson have combined for 20 points off the bench. As a team, the Spurs are shooting 60% from the field. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 3:16 pm ET · Jack Maloney]

Fun start to this one. As expected, the Thunder jumped in front early thanks to the energy of their home crowd, but the Spurs responded in a big way. They closed the quarter on a 17-4 run to take a five-point lead heading into the second quarter. 

De'Aaron Fox (13 points) and Stephon Castle (nine points) are leading the way for the Spurs, who are shooting 71.4% from the field. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams each have nine points to lead the Thunder, who are shooting 55.6% from the field themselves, 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 2:52 pm ET · James Herbert]

It's a Christmas miracle for the New York Knicks: Despite trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Knicks escaped Madison Square Garden with a two-point win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. This was their biggest comeback win of the season.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks in scoring with 34 points (10-25 FG, 6-12 3PT, 8-10 FG) in 39 minutes. Brunson made a 3 to tie the game with less than four minutes to go and another 3 to put New York up by two points with about a minute left.

This was a game of runs. The Cavaliers built an 18-3 lead early, then the Knicks stormed back, starting the second quarter with a 24-3 run, largely because Cleveland couldn't take care of the ball. In the third quarter, the Cavs got organized, went on a 15-2 run and took control of the game again … only for the Knicks to go on a 19-4 run in the fourth quarter and turn this into a nailbiter.

Another way to look at it: Cleveland outscored New York 74-47 in the first and third quarters, and the Knicks outscored the Cavs 79-48 in the second and fourth quarters. Wild.

Evan Mobley, who had missed the Cavs' previous five games with a left calf strain, came off the bench for the first time in his career and played 25 minutes. He finished with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, plus nine rebounds and three assists.

Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek and and Mitchell Robinson were huge for the Knicks off the bench. Clarkson scored 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting. Kolek scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, dished nine assists and made a huge defensive play in crunch time. Robinson grabbed 13 rebounds in 17 minutes, eight of them on the offensive end. 

With the win, the Knicks improve to 21-9 on the season. The Cavs are now 17-15.

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell finished with 34 points (12-26 FG, 4-10 3PT, 6-6 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and four steals in 31 minutes.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 2:36 pm ET · James Herbert]

Late in the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson turned the ball over and it looked like Donovan Mitchell was going to get an easy two points out of it. Tyler Kolek hustled back, though, and made a play on the ball. He was called for a foul, but the Knicks challenged it and the referees determined that it was a clean swipedown. Kolek saved New York two points, and MSG chanted his name.

Here's the play:

Afterward, Mitchell missed a 3, then the Knicks took the lead with a Bridges bucket. Darius Garland answered with a layup, but then Jalen Brunson made a 3 to put New York up 121-119. That's still the score with 55.3 seconds left, following a Knicks stop.

Let's see if New York can hang on. The Knicks have outscored the Cavs 37-23 in the fourth.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 2:33 pm ET · Stephen Pianovich]

Thunder vs. Spurs prediction, odds: Best bets, how to watch rivalry on Christmas

Sam Quinn

[Dec 25, 2025 at 2:25 pm ET · James Herbert]

The Knicks' Josh Hart has gone to the locker room after appearing to sprain his ankle in the fourth quarter. Here's the play:

Hart drew a foul on Dean Wade on the play, and he made the two ensuing free throws. After that, though, New York took a foul and Hart checked out.

It's unclear if he'll return. The Knicks, however, are right back in this game! After a Tyler Kolek jumper, Cleveland leads 111-108 with 4:31 left. New York is on a 17-4 run and MSG is alive.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 2:02 pm ET · James Herbert]

What a quarter for Jaylon Tyson. He scored 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting in the third, including this thunderous dunk:

Tyson doesn't create much of his own offense, but he found a bunch of openings and took advantage. Made a spot-up 3, too. Huge for the Cavs. 

Cleveland outscored New York 38-24 in the third and went on a 15-2 run to break the game open again.

The third quarter felt a lot like the first. The Knicks now have to hope that the fourth is similar to the second.

Not-so-fun fact for NY: Jalen Brunson is minus-31 in 30 minutes.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 1:49 pm ET · James Herbert]

With 4:54 left in the third quarter, the Cavaliers are up 80-73. Darius Garland deserves a lot of credit for this.

Garland has not been at his best for most of this season, but he's been great today. And I'm not just talking about his 18 points. He has seven assists, and three times this quarter he has generated easy buckets for his teammates in transition: An alley-oop dunk for Donovan Mitchell, an and-1 for Dean Wade and an easy layup for Jarrett Allen.

Here's the lob to Mitchell:

Garland just got a bucket on a fast break himself. It's nice to see him playing at his pace. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 1:19 pm ET · James Herbert]

New York is taking a two-point lead into halftime after outscoring Cleveland 37-20 in the second quarter. The Knicks started the game about as poorly as possible, but came roaring back. Both teams have looked dominant at times and dismal at others, and, 24 minutes in, it has just about evened out. 

In the first half, Jalen Brunson converted two four-point plays. He has 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting at halftime. Jordan Clarkson added 14 of his own off the bench and really changed the game for New York.

Donovan Mitchell has 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting for the Cavs, but did all of his damage in the first quarter. Darius Garland has a team-high 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting. 

Cleveland's rotation is a little weird tonight, with Evan Mobley coming off the bench. Mobley has looked great, but some of their reserve-heavy lineups were pretty rough. Let's see how Kenny Atkinson manages things in the second half. 

[Dec 25, 2025 at 1:07 pm ET · James Herbert]

The Knicks started the second quarter on a 24-3 run (!) to take a 47-41 lead. It all happened in less than six minutes, with Jalen Brunson on the bench. The Cavs completely fell apart offensively, turning the ball over eight times during that terrible stretch. That must be demoralizing for Cleveland, considering how well it was playing at the outset.

Brunson is back in the game now, but Cleveland is up 54-53 with 2:16 left in the second quarter after Evan Mobley cut to the basket for a two-handed dunk. The Cavs are plus-7 in the nine minutes that Mobley has played.

[Dec 25, 2025 at 12:56 pm ET · James Herbert]

With 7:50 left in the first half, the Cavaliers are up 41-38. After their 2-for-15 start, the Knicks have shot 13 for 16 to get back in it. Jordan Clarkson has been a big part of that -- he made two quick 3s at the beginning of the second quarter, then stole the ball from Darius Garland and scored on the break.

Clarkson has 11 points in 10 minutes. He's the main reason that New York has been able to make a run with Jalen Brunson on the bench.

After turning the ball over just once in the first quarter, the Cavs have turned it over five times in the second quarter. They obviously need to clean things up.