The Golden State Warriors will host the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day 2026, placing Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokić in the final game of the NBA’s five-match holiday schedule.
The game will be played Friday, December 25, at Chase Center in San Francisco. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time and 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with national coverage on ABC and ESPN.
The matchup extends Golden State’s long Christmas tradition and gives the Warriors an early-season test against a Denver team that finished well above them in the Western Conference last season.
Warriors vs Nuggets time, venue and TV channel
- Game: Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors
- Date: Friday, December 25, 2026
- Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco
- Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET
- US television: ABC and ESPN
- Schedule position: Fifth and final Christmas game
Some early social-media graphics displayed a 10 p.m. Eastern start, but the official NBA Christmas schedule lists the game at 10:30 p.m. Eastern.
The late start means viewers in several countries will watch on December 26. The scheduled tip-off converts to 3:30 a.m. GMT in the United Kingdom and 9 a.m. IST in India. International broadcast availability may vary, so viewers should check local listings closer to game day.
Full NBA Christmas Day 2026 schedule
- Spurs at Knicks: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
- Heat at Celtics: 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT
- 76ers at Lakers: 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT
- Thunder at Timberwolves: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
- Nuggets at Warriors: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
All five games are scheduled for ABC and ESPN. The day begins with a rematch of the 2026 NBA Finals between San Antonio and New York before Curry and Jokić close the schedule in San Francisco.
Warriors extend their Christmas Day streak
The 2026-27 season will be the 14th consecutive campaign in which Golden State has played on Christmas. The Warriors have appeared on December 25 in 16 of the past 17 seasons, reflecting their continued national appeal during the Curry era.
Golden State owns a 16-19 all-time Christmas record, including an encouraging 11-6 mark at home. The Warriors won their previous holiday game, beating the Dallas Mavericks 126-116 in 2025 as Curry scored 23 points against a team featuring former teammate Klay Thompson.
Chase Center can become difficult for visiting teams when Golden State builds momentum through pace and perimeter shooting. A previous 42-point third quarter powered the Warriors past Utah, offering an example of the rapid scoring runs Denver will need to control.
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Curry and Jokić have contrasting holiday records
Christmas has not consistently produced Curry’s most efficient performances. Across 12 appearances, he has averaged 18.1 points while shooting 35% from the field and 27.2% from three-point range.
His standout holiday performance came against the Lakers in 2024, when he scored 38 points and made eight of 15 three-pointers in a narrow 115-113 defeat. Curry has made 28 career Christmas three-pointers, tying Thompson for third place, and has recorded 74 assists in holiday games.
Jokić has delivered a very different Christmas résumé, recording three triple-doubles in six appearances. In Denver’s 142-138 overtime victory over Minnesota in 2025, he produced 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists.
Jokić is one of only three players to register at least 40 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a Christmas game, and he has achieved it twice. Jamal Murray also set a Christmas record in the 2025 victory by making nine three-pointers.
The Jokić-Murray partnership remains the foundation of Denver’s half-court offense, as seen during the Nuggets’ 2026 playoff preparations against Minnesota. Sending extra defenders toward Jokić can leave Murray and Denver’s other shooters with open opportunities.
Last season adds meaning to the matchup
Denver finished last season as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed. Golden State placed 10th and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the second play-in game, ending its attempt to reach the main playoff bracket.
The Warriors won only one of their three regular-season meetings with the Nuggets. The Christmas game therefore offers Golden State a prominent opportunity to measure its progress against one of the conference’s stronger teams.
Injuries, roster moves and early-season form could change the outlook before December. The matchup, venue, start time and broadcast networks are confirmed, but starting lineups and player availability will not be clear until closer to tip-off.
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