NBA on Christmas Day games are among the most important in basketball. The league pairs up the best teams in the biggest rivalries, and teams usually deliver with iconic performances. All of these teams playing on Dec. 25, 2025, are primed to contend for the NBA Finals, and Christmas Day games could preview that. However, these teams aren't flawless. With the joy of the holiday season in mind, the weaknesses of every team playing on Christmas can be likened to lumps of coal. These weaknesses can be fixed in Christmas miracle fashion, though.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers' biggest issue: Inefficiency from every level of the floor
The Eastern Conference is wide open this year because of injuries to Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum. The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't capitalized. A year after having one of the greatest starts in NBA history, the Cavaliers have gotten off to a slow start. They are just 17-14 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Last year, the Cavaliers led the NBA in scoring (121.9). This year, they are struggling with efficiency. Cleveland has attempted more 3-pointers than any other team, but they rank just 21st by shooting 34.8% from deep. Likewise, their overall field goal percentage is just the 21st highest total in the league despite the fact that they are number one in field goal attempts.
Donovan Mitchell is having the best season of his career, and Jaylon Tyson has developed into a solid rotation player. The rest of Cleveland's roster hasn't been performing up to expectations. The team was second in 3-point percentage last year, and they hasn't lost the ability to shoot; they might just need to cut back in volume until the efficiency self-corrects.
New York Knicks
Knicks' biggest issue: Bench scoring
The New York Knicks have been very well-balanced this year. With Tom Thibodeau's philosophies out the door, the team has been more willing to play their bench. The team's bench still isn't scoring all that much, though. New York ranks second-to-last in bench scoring with just 30.6 points per game.
One disappointment thus far has been Jordan Clarkson. The former Sixth Man of the Year winner averaged as much as 20.8 points per game just a few seasons ago. While his numbers were expected to drop while he has sacrificed for a better team, the guard wasn't expected to score just 9.9 points per game this year.
The Knicks need Clarkson's spark plug scoring prowess off the bench, so they should give him the green light to get more shots up when he is on the floor.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs' biggest issue: 3-point defense
The San Antonio Spurs are playing their best basketball heading into their NBA on Christmas Day matchup. Even so, they have areas where they can get better. San Antonio's 3-point defense, in particular, could use improvement. Teams are scared to go inside on Victor Wembanyama, and if they do, the two-time blocks per game leader will deter anything near the rim.
The rest of the team's defenders should be giving maximum effort, ensuring that opposing teams don't get clean looks from deep. They can afford to do this because even if they funnel players inside, Wembanyama will be there to clean up the mess.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Thunder's biggest issue: Slow starts out of the break
The Oklahoma City Thunder looked flawless and truly unbeatable to start the season. They were 24-1 heading into their NBA Cup semifinal game. Since then, the defending champions have gone 2-3, showing their roster is filled with mere humans and may actually have some areas where they could improve.
The Thunder have struggled coming out of the halftime break in recent years, and that has been prevalent during this recent losing stretch. The Thunder have enough depth that there is no excuse for this flaw. The Thunder's offense philosophy is built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's playmaking for his teammates, almost all of whom are catch-and-shoot 3-point stretch.
Shooters can take a little while to get going, though, so the easiest way for the Thunder to start the third quarter out stronger could be to focus more on a downhill attack. Players such as Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren should prioritize attacking the basket coming out of halftime.
Dallas Mavericks
Mavericks' biggest issue: Spacing
The Dallas Mavericks embraced going big when they traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Although Dereck Lively is out for the season, the team's interior presence is efficient. Dallas has Davis, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington operating down low. There are plenty of wings and guards who want to get downhill, too, including Cooper Flagg and Brandon Williams.
With Kyrie Irving sidelined with a torn ACL, the Mavericks just don't have enough spacing. The interior is clogged up, and there aren't enough 3-point threats on the team. Dallas is 27th in 3-point makes per game (11) and 28th in 3-point percentage (33.4%). Reports suggest Irving may return to action at some point this year. The all-time great point guard would certainly help fix the Mavericks' biggest issue.
Flagg's development will also help in this regard. The number one overall pick has had some of his biggest games in the last couple of weeks, and he is seemingly starting to reach pre-draft expectations. Flagg is shooting just 26.7% from deep, but he went 4-for-6 in Dallas' recent thrilling victory over the Denver Nuggets. That is a good sign for Mavericks fans, and they have to hope their prized rookie possession will get hot from deep going forward.
Golden State Warriors
Warriors' biggest issue: Interior presence
The Golden State Warriors became a dynasty largely in part because their small-ball lineups were so effective. Draymond Green may be undersized to play the center position, but his defensive expertise allows him to take up minutes at the five. However, fans have long wondered how effective the Warriors could be with a real center.
The team's three centers haven't been productive enough this season. Al Horford has missed most of the year, Quinten Post isn't hitting 3-pointers like expected, and Trayce Jackson-Davis has been limited to a small role. Horford's return on Christmas Day from a sciatica issue will help, but the Warriors could also use an external boost.
Green, Stephen Curry, and Jimmy Butler are getting older, so the Warriors need to do whatever it takes to give them one last shot at a championship. That could mean trading for another big. The Warriors need a center who can hold down the paint on defense and score inside on offense. If a trade doesn't come to fruition, then they will need Horford to play like the prime version of himself after he just had extended rest.
Houston Rockets
Rockets' biggest issue: 3-point volume
The Houston Rockets were young and athletic last season, which led to a breakout year of sorts. They traded for Kevin Durant, one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, in the offseason. That move has led to the team taking the next step forward, but the Rockets still don't have as much 3-point shooting as expected because Fred VanVleet is out for the year with a torn ACL.
It isn't like the Rockets can't make deep shots. They actually rank second in 3-point percentage, as they shoot an outstanding 40% from beyond the arc. The Rockets only shoot 30.2 long bombs a game, though, which is dead last in the NBA. The fix is simple: the Rockets need to attempt more 3-pointers, even if it means sacrificing their elite efficiency.
In addition to Durant, Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason, Josh Okogie, Aaron Holiday, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun can all hit jumpers. The team will be getting Dorian Finney-Smith back soon. The free agent acquisition is a 3-and-D player who can help increase Houston's 3-point volume, too.
Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers' biggest issue: Perimeter defense
Before the start of the season, center depth was considered the Los Angeles Lakers' biggest weakness. Deandre Ayton was signed and has fixed the big man issue. The Lakers have actually been one of the best teams in the Western Conference this year. There is just too much playmaking and scoring pop between the big three of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves for opposing teams to handle.
At this stage in their careers, none of those players are known for defense, though, so the perimeter defense has struggled. James' contributions this late into his career are impressive, but he just isn't the defender he once was, and Doncic is simply a bad defensive player. The lack of point-of-attack defense has been most prevalent when it comes to the Lakers' lack of ability to stop teams from knocking in 3-pointers.
Teams shoot 38.5% from deep against the Lakers, which is the worst mark in the league. The offense is great, but it has to work double time to overcome this weakness. There isn't a clear solution on the roster, but James-led teams tend to stay active in the trade market, so it has to be assumed that the Lakers will pursue more perimeter defensive help before the NBA trade deadline.
Reports suggest that Herb Jones is a player the team wants to pursue, and he is one of the best defensive players in basketball. If they look internally, the Lakers could give Jarred Vanderbilt more minutes. He goes full throttle 100% of the time, and that could help motivate lazy defenders like Doncic and James to step their games up on the less glamorous side of the court.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Timberwolves' biggest issue: Point guard play
Point guard was a known issue coming into the season for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the team hasn't done anything to ease concerns about the lead guard spot so far. Mike Conley is simply past his prime and not producing much for the team. Rob Dillingham hasn't developed as much as hoped, either.
The point guard issues have forced a catch-and-shoot player, Donte DiVincenzo, into point guard minutes. Top scoring option Anthony Edwards has had to do more playmaking, too. The Timberwolves have made back-to-back Western Conferences Finals appearances. They might need another rotation caliber true point guard if they are to take the next step forward.
The trade market will be the top place to look. Trae Young, Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, and James Harden would be big trade swings, and the Timberwolves haven't been scared off from making big moves in recent years. If the team can't pull off a blockbuster deal, there are plenty of other point guards on the trading block, including Collin Sexton. If the Timberwolves can't find a trade, they may have to embrace point-Edwards.
Denver Nuggets
Nuggets' biggest issue: Early-season depth
The Denver Nuggets' bench and depth issues have been what have limited them in recent years. They addressed this problem by bringing in Cameron Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr., but injuries have depleted Denver's newfound depth.
Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon have missed most of the season, and Johnson just went down with a bone bruise that will hold him out for an extended period of time. Luckily, Jamal Murray is having his best year, and Nikola Jokic is good enough to lead the team to victories single-handedly.
Denver needs to get healthy and get their rotation at full strength at some point, though. If they don't, then they will likely fall short of championship expectations yet again. Braun and Gordon are close to returning. After an aggressive offseason, the Nuggets might need the gauge to trade market for one more rotation piece, too.
