NBA to open season with blockbuster showdowns: report
The 2025-26 season is the first of an 11-year media rights deal for the NBA worth a reported $76 billion.
It includes a new partnership with Amazon, a return to NBC and a continuing partnership with ESPN and ABC, with ABC to carry a blockbuster Christmas day slate.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, are scheduled to play on Christmas against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
It will be the Cavs' first Christmas appearance since superstar LeBron James played for his hometown team.
Another Christmas game will see Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City.
James and the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks visit the Golden State Warriors and Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves in other holiday matchups.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
33 minutes ago
- France 24
Pawol becomes first woman to umpire in MLB
The 48-year-old, who has worked in more than 1,200 minor league games before getting her promotion this week, achieved the historic milestone at Truist Park in Atlanta in the first game of a double-header. "I'm aware of the gravity. I'm aware of the magnitude," Pawol said. Pawol was set to work at third base later in the second game of the twin bill on Saturday before calling balls and strikes behind home plate in Sunday's contest. "Once I started umpiring, I was like, 'This is for me,'" Pawol recalled before the game. "I can't explain it. It's just in my DNA. "This is a viable career, to become a professional umpire, for men and women, girls and boys. I'm able to make a living doing it and I'm passionate about it. I just work harder every day and get better before tomorrow."
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Norris 'all good' after NFL game-stopping pre-season injury
The 24-year-old defensive back was injured trying to tackle Falcons rookie running back Nathan Carter just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter. Norris was struck in the head by the rusher's knee and his head snapped back after the contact. Norris was taken off the field in an ambulance to Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital where he remained in stable condition. "I'm all good man don't stress it," Norris posted Saturday on Instagram. "Appreciate all the check ins and love." The Lions, in a statement, said Norris "has feeling and movement in all his extremities" and would remain in the hospital overnight for observation. Detroit led 17-10 when the game was suspended. While medical personnel were treating Norris, the two head coaches, Dan Campbell of Detroit and Raheem Morris of Atlanta, met on the field and agreed they would run out the clock rather than resume playing. "Just Dan and myself, respect for his family, Morice Norris. It was that simple," Morris said of the decision. "It's not a lot of times that that happens... That was the moment and the decision was the right thing to do for our football team and the Lions football team." Campbell said the team has received encouraging news regarding Norris. "We got some positive information on him, that he's at the hospital. I'll just have to leave it at that," said Campbell. "But when something like that happens, it puts things into perspective."
France 24
16 hours ago
- France 24
Lions' Norris hospitalized after scary injury, NFL pre-season game suspended
Norris was attempting a tackle on Atlanta's Nathan Carter when he appeared to take an inadvertent knee to the head. He lay motionless on the ground for several minutes and was tended by medical staff from both teams. "He's breathing, he's talking. It's good. He's got some movement," Lions coach Dan Campbell said in opening comments on Norris's condition at his post-game news conference. "Now they'll just run more tests." Players from both teams looked on with concern as Norris was treated on the field, eventually joining hands in a prayer circle. Both teams agreed to let the remaining 13 minutes on the clock run out. The contest was officially suspended with 6:19 remaining and the Lions leading 17-10. Campbell said he agreed with Falcons coach Raheem Morris on suspending the game. "I just told them to pray for him," Campbell said. "At that point we didn't know he was breathing. I told them we're just taking knees."
