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How to watch the NBA Christmas Day Games for free

Sky Sports will broadcast all five NBA Christmas Day games and the channel is free for all Sky customers on Christmas and Boxing Day

The NBA Christmas Day games are the equivalent of the Premier League fixtures on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – an entire day filled with mouth-watering fixtures so you can lie curled up on your couch cheering on your favourite team.

This year’s Christmas Day games will feature five games that will be broadcast non-stop on Sky Sports from 5pm on Christmas Day until about 6am on the following day.

Even better, Sky Sports will be completely free to all Sky customers on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, meaning you can watch all six Christmas Day fixtures free, provided you have Sky TV.

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Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics at 5pm GMT

The Toronto Raptors are the defending NBA Champions. Many expected them to fall off a cliff after Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard left to join the Los Angeles Clippers in the off-season, but the Raptors have gone on to prove they are a very competent side even without The Klaw.

Boston started the season well with their new leader Kemba Walker, but a tougher schedule and a hand injury to Gordon Hayward slowed them down. With Hayward and Kyle Lowry back for both teams, this will be a great game to get the festive day started.


Philadelphia 76ers vs Milwaukee Bucks at 7:30pm GMT

Many teams expect Philadelphia and Milwaukee to be the Eastern Conference Finalists in the 2019-2020 season. Both teams boast two stellar players in Joel Embiid and reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokoumpo. The Bucks have also got off to their best start in years on the back of the Greek Freak’s success.

Whether Philly’s stellar line-up of lengthy men can stop the Bucks’ outside shooting will be interesting to see. Embiid has been hampered by injuries this season and his Christmas wish might just be to stay healthy for the rest of the season because he knows that the success of ‘The Process’ depends on his able shoulders.


Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets at 10pm GMT

When this schedule was drawn up before the season started, many anticipated it to be a mouth-watering clash between four of the league’s best guards. However, the Warriors have been hampered by injuries this season. The result? The Warriors – who have dominated the league in the last few seasons – are now one of the worse teams in the league.

The Rockets meanwhile are soaring with the presence of two former MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Harden is averaging almost 40 points a game, putting him on course for a record-breaking season. Westbrook, who has averaged a triple-double in the last few seasons – is perfect to be the perfect running mate for Harden, his long-time friend.

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Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles Clippers at 1am GMT on 26 Dec

By far the most exciting clash on Christmas Day, even though the game starts well after midnight here in the UK. Many believe that one of these two teams will eventually lift the Larry O’Brien trophy this season, but will it be the LA team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis or the one with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George? When these teams met on the opening day of the season, the Clippers won without Paul George, but that was before the Lakers found their team chemistry to get off to the team’s best start in decades.

LeBron James – on the verge of his 35th birthday – is playing with the energy of someone years younger and AD is proving to be his perfect lob-threat teammate. The Clippers have come under fire for ‘load management’ but their aim is to be rolling come April. They also have four players who average above 18, something few other teams can boast of. While the Clippers start as the slight favourites, the Lakers will want to prove that their stunning record so far is no fluke and they are the best team in Los Angeles.


Denver Nuggets vs New Orleans Pelicans at 3:30am GMT on 26 Dec

This is another tie that held tons of promise when the fixtures were set before the start of the season but will likely be a one-sided affair in favour of the Nuggets. Why? Because the New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson, a number one draft pick who was as highly-touted as LeBron James as a generational talent. Unfortunately, Williamson has been plagued with injuries, so much so that he’s ruled out for the rest of the season as a precautionary measure.

The Pelicans now have one of the league’s worse records as they rely on the former Lakers’ young core who haven’t lived up to their promise. The Nuggets, meanwhile, are one of the top teams in the West with five players averaging double figures. Expect them to make light work of the Pelicans on Christmas Day.


How to watch the NBA Christmas Day Games free in the UK: Sky Sports

If you have Sky TV, then you can watch all the NBA Christmas Day Games free on Sky Sports, regardless of whether or not you have Sky Sports as part of your TV package because Sky is giving everyone free access to Sky Sports on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Sky TV packages start from £22/mth for an 18-month contract, but they often have different offers, including ones where you can save up to £33/mth (almost £600 during your contract) if you become a Sky TV customer before 2 January 2020.

Get Sky TV



How to live stream the NBA Christmas Day Games free in the UK: Now TV Sky Sports Pass

Alternatively, if you don’t have Sky TV, then your best option to stream all the NBA Christmas Day games is to purchase a Now TV Sky Sports Pass which gives you access to all Sky Sports channels without tying you down to a long-term contract. Now TV has several offers available for its Now TV Sky Sports passes provided you subscribe to them before the end of the year.

You can get the Month Pass for £17, down from its usual price of £34. The Day Pass and the Week Pass which costs £10 and £15 now gives you free 4-month access to its Mobile Pass, which means you can live stream a whole range of sports on your device, including England’s tour of South Africa and the Premier League.

Get Now TV Sky Sports Pass


How to watch the NBA Christmas Day Games anywhere else: NBA League Pass

All American sports have their own online subscription service that lets you stream live games on your PC or mobile device. To watch the NBA, you’ll need to subscribe to the NBA League Pass. You have three options, which choosing a pass. You can either choose to watch all the live games of your favourite team for £100, every single game for £180 or three games a month for £35. All three options come with a seven-day free trial during which time you won’t be charged.

Buy NBA League Pass


How to watch the NBA Christmas Day games anywhere else: use a good VPN service

You won’t be able to use any of the aforementioned streaming services if you’re away from your country unless you use a good VPN service. We think that everyone should subscribe to a good VPN service because it can protect all your devices in multiple ways, including shielding all your browsing activity from prying eyes.

READ NEXT: Best VPN services 2019

ExpressVPN: Purchasing a VPN subscription is making a long-term commitment and with all your precious data at risk, you shouldn’t compromise on price. ExpressVPN is by far the best VPN we’ve tested in terms of both security and speed. It may be expensive but one subscription covers multiple devices and you can be sure your data is in safe hands because the entire service has been audited by PwC. Even better, you get a 30-day moneyback guarantee if you’re not satisfied for any reason.

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