NBA Christmas Day schedule highlights Eastern Conference's talent drain

The NBA announced its slate of Christmas games Friday, which features only two Eastern Conference teams, the fewest since 2007, when there were only three games played. The number continues a downward trend, which saw three East teams play on Christmas Day in 2024, after five East teams played on Christmas 2023.

The only Eastern Conference teams playing this Christmas are the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers and the conference finalist New York Knicks, both of whom are returning mostly the same teams this season. But elsewhere around the conference, there's been a serious talent drain, thanks to trades, injuries and draft lottery luck.

The Boston Celtics are a prime example. They played on Christmas for the last nine seasons, but Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear caused the team to strip down payroll, trading away two starters. The Philadelphia 76ers played on Christmas in the last three seasons and on six of the last eight Christmas showcases, but injuries to Joel Embiid and Paul George have made them no longer a prime draw. The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks saw Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard go down to Achilles tears in the playoffs as well.

Head-to-head records have shown the West dominating inter-conference matchups, winning 55.1 percent of West vs. East games in 2024-25 and 57.7 percent in 2023-24. Even the struggling Eastern teams haven't been rewarded with draft lottery luck, with super-prospects Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg landing in the Western Conference — and all three will be playing on Christmas.

Meanwhile, All-Stars like Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have all moved to the West in recent seasons, with the only equivalent West-to-East move being Lillard's trade to Milwaukee. Now he's back in the West as well.

This might be a temporary hiccup. Indiana and Boston should have their stars back in 2026-27. Older Western Conference stars like Durant, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are nearing the end of their careers. A young player like Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons or Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic could take a leap to superstar status and change the balance of power.

But for now, there are a number of Eastern Conference teams taking a step back, and many who are outright tanking — the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards primarily. In the West, only the Utah Jazz aren't trying to make the playoffs. There are eight Western Conference teams playing on Christmas, and one could argue that the L.A. Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies are better than any Eastern teams not playing in the holiday showcase.

So while the Western Conference is overrepresented on Christmas, they may have an even bigger share of quality teams during the season. Like Santa Claus, commissioner Adam Silver also pays attention to who's bad or good. If you want a prime NBA Christmas spot, you better be good, for goodness' sake.