Santa was not good to every NBA team on Christmas. While NBA Christmas Day gave Victor Wembanyama a chance to shine at what is known as the basketball mecca, Madison Square Garden, and provided fans with another epic Stephen Curry–LeBron James showdown, several stars also suffered injuries.
Christmas is the NBA’s annual showcase day, and once again, the League didn’t disappoint. From start to finish, 2025 NBA Christmas Day was among the best in recent years. Wembanyama and Mikal Bridges started things off by each dropping 40-point burgers, and Wemby’s franchise-record day almost helped the Spurs pull off a big upset.
NBA Christmas Day Injuries: When Will Anthony Davis, Kristaps Porzingis, Aaron Gordon and Luka Doncic Next Play
The day’s second game between Minnesota and Dallas wasn’t nearly as good. Luka Doncic left in the second quarter with a left calf strain. Doncic was beginning to cook before exiting and finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 16 minutes. The Timberwolves took advantage of Doncic’s absence, but at least Kyrie Irving, who finished with a game-high 39 points, helped the Mavericks make it a game at the end.
NBA Christmas Day injury No. 2 occurred in the next contest, as Kristaps Porizingis didn’t play for Boston in the second half due to a left ankle injury. But the story belonged to Philadelphia, who brought home a 118-114 victory as Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid for 70 points and 18 assists. It was the 76ers (11-14) eighth win in their past 11 contests and marked just the fifth time the Sixers’ Big 3 started together (3-2 in those games).
Game 4 saw James, who produced a 31-point and 10-assist double-double, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Anthony Davis’ ankle injury to hold off a huge 38-point and eight-triples performance by Curry to defeat Golden State 115-113. Austin Reaves, who recorded his third triple-double of his career, gave the Lakers the victory with a layup with 1.1 left. Reaves’ bucket came six seconds following Curry knotting the game on a 31-foot 3-pointer.
In the nightcap, Phoenix got revenge on Denver (110-100) in a rematch of their Monday night contest, which the Nuggets won 1117-90. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal scored 27 points apiece. Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon was unable to finish the game due to right calf tightness.
Luka Doncic Injury Is Most Severe
ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim McMahon report that Doncic is expected to miss an extended period due to a left calf strain.
The Dallas Mavericks are bracing for star Luka Doncic to miss an extended period of time after sustaining a calf strain. Doncic left the arena on crutches today in Dallas. He is expected to undergo an MRI on Thursday.
Entering the game with a left calf contusion, Doncic aggravated the injury as he worked his way to the paint with three minutes remaining in the second. While injuries are never good and always unfortunate but expected, the timing couldn’t be worse for Doncic. The 25-year-old recently entered this year’s NBA MVP race as he was playing his best basketball of the season.
“It’s fine,” Doncic said after the game. “Just trying to get through it. But today, it felt fine. It felt better after the first quarter (of Monday’s game). Just getting warm. It felt fine. Will get through it.”
Doncic has been relatively healthy throughout his career, missing a career-high 21 games in 2019-20. He has also missed eight contests and has a history of calf injuries. Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning Star noted that Doncic has typically missed multiple weeks when suffering calf injuries.
Not high on the list of concerns, but certainly a back-of-mind reality: Luka Doncic already has missed 8 of Dallas’ 30 games. To keep his All-NBA streak going and be considered for other major awards, he can’t miss more than 17 games. Historically his calf injuries have led to multiple-week absences.
How The Mavericks Replace Doncic
Dallas sits fourth in the West at 19-11, as the Mavericks have won 7 of 10. Now, Jason Kidd will appear to have to navigate a significant portion of the schedule with his star. The Mavs are 6-2 without Doncic this year, though they are nine games under .500 (37-46) in games he has missed for his career.
Quinten Grimes figures to move back into the starting lineup in games Doncic misses. Grimes has made nine starts, most of them in place of Doncic. The Mavericks are 5-4 in games Grimes starts.
Grimes is having a solid first season in Dallas. The 24-year-old has been more productive as a starter, upping his contributions to 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists with shooting splits of .500/.431/.676.
Spencer Dinwiddie also expects to see an increase in time. Although he has had some big games for the Mavs this year, he has been inconsistent and has struggled with shooting.
Jaden Hardy could also see more time. Meanwhile, Dante Exum could be back sometime in January.
Kristaps Porzingis
It appears that Krstaps Porzingis likely avoided a major injury. Porzingis, who has played in just 11 games this year, finished with nine points, three assists, and two rebounds in 13 rebounds. The Athletic’s Jay King said that the 29-year-old left the “Celtics’ locker room without any visible brace around his left ankle and looked to be moving OK.
Porzingis figures to be listed as at least questionable when Boston (22-8) hosts Indiana on Friday. If Porzingis misses any time, Al Horford figures to remain in the starting lineup as he started Wednesday’s contest in place of Jrue Holiday (shoulder).
Horford has struggled as a reserve, though he has been fairly productive as a starter, with one double-double. If Holiday remains out and Porzingis also can’t go against the Pacers, Joe Mazzulla could move Sam Hauser, Neemais Queta, or Luke Kornet to the first unit.
Anthony Davis and Aaron Gordon
Davis was limited to seven minutes against the Warriors, grabbing just two boards and one steal due to a left ankle sprain. However, Davis told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he would play against Sacramento on Saturday.
“I’ll be OK. I am playing against SAC on Saturday.”
McMenamin added, “Davis is able to walk without any support after suffering his left ankle sprain, sources told ESPN. He will be considered day-to-day going forward and will be reevaluated prior to LAL’s next game on 12/28 vs. SAC, and it’s possible he could return.”
Gordon exited Wednesday’s game with seven points on 3 of 7 shooting, including 1 of 2 from deep, three rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes. The calf injury is the same one that caused Gordon to miss 10 games (November 5-November 30), so it is concerning.
Peyton Watson or Russell Westbrook figure to move into the starting unit if Gordon misses time. Hunter Tyson and Dario Saric could also see an increase in minutes. The Nuggets host Cleveland on Friday.
