The New York Knicks are set to play on Christmas Day once again in the 2025-26 season, and they are going to play in a matchup between the two heavyweights in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks and Cavaliers set to match up on Christmas Day
ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed the Christmas Day slate Friday, and the Knicks are set to face the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Cleveland was the top seed in the East last year, and New York is deep in the title contention conversation.
The Knicks will want to get some revenge after struggling against the Cavaliers last season. New York went 0-4 against the Cavaliers in the regular season but avoided a matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals after Cleveland was taken down by the Indiana Pacers, who also defeated the Knicks in the ECF.
New York was 0-10 against the top three teams in the league last season and also went winless against six other playoff teams.
The Knicks have a lot to prove next season
New York has big expectations placed on them after making some big changes this summer. They brought in Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau as head coach and added two bench scorers in Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.
That goes without mentioning the elite offensive talent they have in Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges. Furthermore, they are going to enter the season fully healthy, a luxury they did not have last season as they were without Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa at the start of the season.
If the Knicks can stay healthy throughout the season, they should be in the mix to potentially claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, to ensure that happens, they have to be able to beat the teams that are the biggest threats to them, which they were unable to do last season.
The Christmas Day showdown against Cleveland will tell a lot about whether or not the Knicks belong in the championship conversations.