The New York Knicks are gearing up for a deep playoff run as one of the top contenders in a wide-open Eastern Conference heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
After falling to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals last season, the Knicks have bolstered their second unit in free agency and are aiming to win their first NBA championship since 1973.
New York recently received an exciting schedule update en route to the postseason, with the team now slated to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
🚨🎄 NBA Christmas Day 2025 on ABC and ESPN, per sources:
– Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
– San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
– Houston Rockets at LA Lakers
– Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
– Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2025
MORE: Jalen Brunson climbs Eastern Conference player rankings for 2025-26 season
The Knicks are set to play their fifth consecutive Christmas Day game and have a 3-1 record in their last four, including a win over Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs last season. Mikal Bridges led the way in that contest, scoring a season-high 41 points (17-25 FG, 6-9 3Pt, 1-1 FT), along with four assists, two blocks, two steals and one rebound across 43 minutes.
This Christmas, the Knicks face another tough challenge against a Cavaliers team also regarded as a favorite in the East.
Having lost all four of their matchups to the Cavaliers last season, the Knicks will be eager to impress a national audience with a Christmas Day win.
After finishing atop the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 regular-season record in 2024-25, the Cavaliers were also eliminated by the Pacers in the playoffs. With Tyrese Haliburton ruled out for the 2025-26 season and Myles Turner now in Milwaukee, the conference appears wide open. The Knicks and Cavaliers will be front and center in the East, and their Christmas Day matchup could preview a potential postseason series.
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