The NBA’s leading Western Conference teams produced high-scoring games on 24 December, with the San Antonio Spurs dominating the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Dallas Mavericks edging the Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeating the New York Knicks in a high-profile reunion. Several winning streaks shifted, standout stars delivered major numbers, and late drama shaped the results across the league.
Across these three matchups, Cooper Flagg’s standout display for Dallas, Keldon Johnson and Stephon Castle’s scoring for San Antonio, and Anthony Edwards’ response against Karl-Anthony Towns all shaped the night. Defending NBA champions Oklahoma City lost again to the Spurs, Denver’s long road run stopped in Texas, and New York’s recent
surge slowed despite a season-best effort from Towns.
The Spurs outlasted the Thunder 130-110 in a clash of Western Conference leaders, pulling clear with a 43-28 final quarter. Johnson scored 25 points and Castle added 24 as San Antonio moved to 22-7 and stretched a season-best winning streak to seven games, their longest run since a nine-game sequence in 2018-19, while securing a 14th victory in their last 17 outings.
San Antonio had already edged Oklahoma City 111-109 in an NBA Cup semi-final in Las Vegas on 13 December, and the champions remain winless in this matchup. The Thunder are now 0-2 against the Spurs but 26-2 against all other opponents. The first half featured 15 lead changes and 13 ties before the hosts controlled the closing stretch ahead of a Christmas rematch in Oklahoma City.
One notable streak ended for San Antonio, as Victor Wembanyama’s run of games with at least one block stopped at 101. Wembanyama, who had been uncertain to feature because of a calf issue, came from the bench and recorded 12 points, five rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points for the Thunder, who slipped to 26-4 after three defeats in five games following a 24-1 start.
SPURS DEFEAT THUNDER AT HOME. THEY WIN THEIR 7TH STRAIGHT. IT'S THEIR LONGEST WIN STREAK SINCE 2018-19 pic.twitter.com/LvsQTNoaq0 NBA (@NBA) December 24, 2025
Earlier in Dallas, Flagg produced the best game of a young career as the Mavericks held off Denver 131-130. Two days after turning 19, Flagg hit the first seven field goal attempts and ended with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. The Mavericks are now 12-19 and have won five straight at home, after opening 4-9 in their own arena.
Anthony Davis supplied another major contribution, adding 31 points, nine rebounds and four assists. That combination meant Dallas had, for the first time in franchise history, two players in one game each reach at least 30 points, nine rebounds and four assists. The performance came against a Nuggets side that arrived with one of the NBA’s strongest road records.
Flagg’s fourth 3-pointer pushed Dallas ahead 126-121 with 3:17 to play, and just over two minutes later Flagg created another key basket, assisting Naji Marshall’s corner 3 for a 131-125 cushion. Jamal Murray replied with a 3-pointer and Nikola Jokic hit a turnaround hook, setting up a final possession, but Peyton Watson’s last-second 3-point attempt rolled out, ending Denver’s 11-game road winning streak and leaving the Nuggets at 21-8.
Murray finished with 31 points and 14 assists, while Jokic produced 29 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds. The seven rebounds matched Jokic’s season low, with the centre entering 24 December leading the NBA at 12.1 rebounds per game. Denver also suffered a fitness concern, as Cam Johnson left early in the fourth quarter after a non-contact right knee injury, and coach David Adelman said Johnson would undergo an MRI.
64 COMBINED POINTS FOR THE ROOKIE & THE VET COOPER FLAGG TONIGHT: 33 POINTS 9 REBOUNDS 9 ASSISTS ANTHONY DAVIS TONIGHT: 31 POINTS 9 REBOUNDS 4 ASSISTS 3 STEALS ALL-STAR THEM https://t.co/aBJP3WrL1h@Cooper_Flagg // @AntDavis23 // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/LVScmdYYE9 Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) December 24, 2025
Edwards leads Timberwolves past Knicks in NBA reunion
In Minnesota, former teammates Edwards and Towns traded baskets in a much-anticipated meeting, but the Timberwolves beat the Knicks 115-104. Edwards shot 15-of-27 from the field and scored 38 points, guiding Minnesota to a 20-10 record and delivering the team’s first success against Towns since the forward moved to New York before last season.
The Timberwolves had dropped the first two encounters against the Knicks with Towns in uniform, yet controlled this one late. Julius Randle played a crucial role in the closing stages, scoring 17 of his 25 points during the fourth quarter. Rudy Gobert anchored the defence and also contributed offensively with 11 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Towns posted a season-high 40 points in a second game back in Minnesota but fouled out in the final minute, and the Knicks slipped to 20-9. New York has now lost two of the last three games after putting together a season-best six-game winning streak, and played this contest without Jalen Brunson, who rested a previously injured right ankle.
Both the Knicks and Timberwolves return on 25 December in nationally televised fixtures. New York will open the NBA’s Christmas quintuple-header at Madison Square Garden against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, while Minnesota travels to Denver for the night’s finale, where the Nuggets will look to respond after the narrow road loss in Dallas.
Key NBA results and leaders
Across these Western and Eastern Conference clashes, several contenders adjusted momentum heading into Christmas. The Spurs maintained a strong push near the top of the West, the Mavericks protected home court against the Nuggets, and the Timberwolves claimed a first victory over Towns’ Knicks. The following table summarises the main numbers from the three NBA games, including scores, records and leading performers.
| Game | Final score | Top performers | Team records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spurs vs Thunder | San Antonio 130 – Oklahoma City 110 | Keldon Johnson 25 pts; Stephon Castle 24 pts; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 33 pts | Spurs 22-7; Thunder 26-4 |
| Mavericks vs Nuggets | Dallas 131 – Denver 130 | Cooper Flagg 33-9-9; Anthony Davis 31-9-4; Nikola Jokic 29-14-7; Jamal Murray 31-14 ast | Mavericks 12-19; Nuggets 21-8 |
| Timberwolves vs Knicks | Minnesota 115 – New York 104 | Anthony Edwards 38 pts; Karl-Anthony Towns 40 pts; Julius Randle 25 pts; Rudy Gobert 11-16-3 blk | Timberwolves 20-10; Knicks 20-9 |
The night’s results left San Antonio, Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Dallas and New York all firmly involved in key NBA storylines, with several now preparing for high-profile Christmas fixtures. Form trends, fitness concerns and individual performances from players such as Wembanyama, Flagg, Edwards and Towns will remain central as the regular season continues to develop.
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