NBA Christmas viewership hits 15-year high with 47M viewers. And social media numbers set records

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA saw its best Christmas Day viewership numbers in 15 years, the league announced Wednesday.

More than 47 million people in the U.S. watched at least some of the five-game slate on ABC and ESPN, which represents a 45% increase over last year. And there was an average of 5.5 million viewers for the games, up 4% from a year ago.

The Cleveland-New York game was the most-watched Christmas game ever that started at noon Eastern, with an average of 6.4 million viewers. The San Antonio-Oklahoma City game was the most-watched in the 2:30 p.m. Christmas timeslot since 2017 and the Dallas-Golden State game was the most-watched in the 5 p.m. timeslot since 2019.

Also, the league said it was the “most-viewed brand across social media” on Christmas, with its content generating 1.6 billion views. That's up 23% over Christmas 2024.

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

The shoes of Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)

San Antonio Spurs Keldon Johnson (3) celebrates against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Gerald Leong)

A screen displays "Christmas Day Game" before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was at practice Wednesday for the Baltimore Ravens as they prepared for this weekend's showdown at Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.

Jackson missed last weekend's must-win game at Green Bay because of a back injury. He hasn't had a full week of practice since early November, but his presence Wednesday suggests that's a possibility now. The two-time MVP quarterback also missed three games earlier this season because of hamstring problems.

The Ravens beat the Packers with Tyler Huntley at quarterback, but they still need a win over the Steelers on Sunday night to make the playoffs.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson watches on the field during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)