There are few sure things in life, and the Knicks playing on Christmas is one of them. But this time, the schedule makers hit a home run.
The Knicks will host the Cavaliers in a Dec. 25 showdown at the Garden on ABC and ESPN. The news was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post.
The matchup is a savory one, with the Knicks and Cavaliers widely expected to vie for a berth in the NBA Finals. This could be a holiday preview.
With Achilles injuries having decimated Indiana, Boston and Milwaukee, the Knicks (who lost to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals) and Cleveland (who were an East-leading 64-18 in 2024-25) are the betting favorites to benefit.
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks puts up a shot over Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jason Szenes / New York Post
The Knicks-Cavaliers game will headline a hoops quintuple-header. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will play at the reigning champion Thunder, then Kevin Durant and the Rockets will play at LeBron James and the Lakers.
New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) drives around Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang (20) during the second half at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks goes up for a shot. Jason Szenes / New York Post
Hyped rookie Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks will play at Stephen Curry and the Warriors, with the finale being Anthony Edwards’ Timberwolves playing at altitude against Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets.
The Knicks have played on Christmas Day more than any other NBA team, with this set to be their 58th outing. So far they are 25-32, after beating the Spurs 117-114 this past season at the Garden.