Christmas Day sports: Here's a look at the premier matchups on the holiday

The evolution of the Christmas Day sports calendar in the U.S. has given fans a respite if they need a break from family gatherings or just some entertainment while they sip on eggnog.

This year's major events include five NBA games and three NFL games, with games spanning more than 12 hours.

Here's a look at the premier matchups — as well as a few you can probably skip — while preparing to navigate the holiday.

Spurs at Thunder, 2:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are one of the league's up-and-coming teams, making the NBA Cup final before losing to the Knicks last week. The Thunder won a championship last season and have the league's best record this year at 25-3. Adding a little spice: The Spurs knocked the Thunder out of the NBA Cup in the semifinals earlier this month.

Rockets at Lakers, 8 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Savor this one, because it's hard to believe we'll have many more opportunities to watch Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James, particularly on Christmas Day. The 37-year-old Durant keeps pouring in buckets for the Rockets while the 40-year-old James is still playing at a high level in his 23rd NBA season.

Timberwolves at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Nothing wrong with this game between two of the better teams in the NBA's Western Conference. Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is turning in another ridiculous season, averaging a triple-double for the Nuggets. They'll face the Timberwolves, who have the high-flying and always entertaining Anthony Edwards.

Lions at Vikings, 4:30 p.m., Netflix — This is the best game of a disappointing NFL slate, featuring a Lions team that must win if they want to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The division rival Vikings have had a frustrating season, but would love to play spoiler and have won their past three games.

Cavaliers at Knicks, 12 p.m., ESPN/ABC — The Knicks just won the NBA Cup and could have their best team in years thanks to the core of Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns and Mikal Bridges. They'll face a Cavaliers team that's faded back to .500 this season after leading the Eastern Conference with 64 wins last year.

Broncos at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video — Well, this one looked enticing a few months ago, but the fact that Kansas City is eliminated from the playoff race and lost its top two quarterbacks to knee injuries has put a damper on the mood. On the positive side, the Broncos have been one of the best teams in the NFL and are trying to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers and win the AFC West.

Mavericks at Warriors, 5 p.m., ESPN/ABC — Many Mavericks fans got an early Christmas present when general manager Nico Harrison — architect of the infamous Luka Doncic trade — was fired earlier this season. The problem is Dallas is still not playing well, through rookie Cooper Flagg's improvement is an encouraging sign. Warriors veteran star Stephen Curry is capable of big nights like his 48-point performance against the Blazers earlier this month, but Golden State's glory days feel like they're coming to a close.

Cowboys at Commanders, 1 p.m., Netflix — There will be plenty of eyeballs on this game just because it's the Cowboys and the Commanders, but there's not much here in terms of stakes. Both teams have been eliminated from the playoff race and Washington's starting QB Jayden Daniels is out for the season after aggravating an elbow injury in Week 14.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA, AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) calls a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Katie Chin)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates his three-point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks against the Washington Wizards during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Billy Calzada)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) reacts after making a dunk during the first half of an NBA Cup basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A controversial news segment that was abruptly pulled from the television show “60 Minutes," appears to have been leaked online this week after the last minute decision to pull the story exploded into public debate about journalistic independence.

The segment featured interviews with migrants who were sent to the notorious El Salvadorian prison called the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, under President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on immigration.

A recording of the story appears to have aired on the Global Television Network, one of Canada’s largest networks. The story appears to have been taken down, but it is still on a website that captures and preserves webpages.

It is not clear how or why the story was leaked. Representatives for CBS News and Global TV did not respond to an emailed request for comment Tuesday morning, and did not confirm the authenticity of the video.

Two deportees in the leaked video report torture, beatings and abuse. One Venezuelan deportee said he was punished with sexual abuse and solitary confinement.

Another was a college student who said guards beat him and knocked out his tooth upon arrival.

“When you get there, you already know you're in hell. You don't need anyone to tell you,” he said.

The story featured numerous experts who called into question the legal basis for deporting migrants so hastily amidst pending judicial decisions. Reporters for the show also corroborated Human Rights Watch’s findings that suggested only eight deported men had been sentenced for violent or potentially violent crimes using available ICE data.

The decision to pull the story that was critical of the Trump administration was met with widespread accusations that leadership at CBS was shielding the president from unfavorable coverage.

The journalist who reported the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, in an email sent to fellow “60 Minutes” correspondents said the story was factually correct and had been cleared by CBS lawyers and its standards division. CBS news chief Bari Weiss said Monday the story did not “advance the ball," and pointed out that the Trump administration had refused to comment for the story. Weiss said she wanted a greater effort made to get their point of view and said that she looked forward to airing Alfonsi’s piece “when it’s ready.”

The dispute put one of journalism’s most respected brands — and a frequent target of Trump — back in the spotlight and amplifies questions about whether Weiss’ appointment was a signal that CBS News was headed in a more Trump-friendly direction.

FILE - A mega-prison known as Detention Center Against Terrorism (CECOT) stands in Tecoluca, El Salvador, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez, File)