The Golden State Warriors celebrated Christmas in style with a 126-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 25. But while picking up a victory in front of a large television audience was a prime opportunity for the Warriors to prove that they are still one of the NBA’s top teams, Draymond Green said it was also a double-edged sword.
Green lamented the human element of playing on Christmas Day, saying that it “f—-ing sucks” to be away from family for most of the holiday. Few active players are as qualified to speak on the reality of Dec. 25 games than Green, who played his 11th Christmas game this year.
“Yes, it is an honor to be considered one of the great draws that is in the NBA,” Green said on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “To play on a day where everybody’s watching is incredible. All of those things are great. But two things can be true at once. Playing on Christmas Day also f—ing sucks. The reason it sucks is, number one, it can affect your mood. Number two, we are human beings and, just like everyone else, enjoy Christmas Day with their families. That kind of gets messed up for us.”
Green is not the only NBA star to speak up about the reality of Christmas games this year. Before he appeared in his record 20th Dec. 25 game, LeBron James said he would “much rather be at home with my family.” That honesty raised eyebrows and generated pushback from some fans who noted that playing on the holiday is essentially a badge of honor.
“I hate when people are like, ‘It’s an honor to play on Christmas Day. People should shut up,'” Green said. “No, you should shut up.”
Green posted seven points in the win over the Mavericks and was outscored by even of his Warriors teammates. It was his fourth consecutive game with single-digit points.
“For all of those who are like, ‘You should be honored’ — honored to miss your family time?” Green said. “Honored to miss your kids opening gifts? Honored to leave your kid and go to work? Because no one works on Christmas Day. We’re going to work. Everybody says it’s this great honor. I just want to give you a little perspective. It’s a great honor to go to work on Christmas Day?”
There were five games on the NBA’s 2025 Christmas Day schedule, and they delivered the high entertainment value that typically comes with the league’s holiday slate. The most significant result of the day was the San Antonio Spurs‘ 117-102 statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, which asserted Victor Wembanyama and his squad as championship contenders. And in the nightcap, Nikola Jokić and Anthony Edwards combined for 100 points in a 142-138 overtime thriller between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.