Fresh off an exciting third edition of the Emirates NBA Cup with Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson and the New York Knicks winning, teams now turn their attention to building momentum as the league heads into the holiday stretch.
With just over a week to go before the highly anticipated Christmas Day games -- set to be streamed on Disney+ -- we have a slate of compelling matchups in the lead-up.
Those games include a home-and-away series between the streaking San Antonio Spurs and the struggling Washington Wizards, as well as a Sunday morning double-header featuring the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers, and the second leg of the clash between the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.
Here's why you shouldn't miss these games on Disney+.
Wemby returning to form (Dec. 19, 9 a.m. PHT: Wizards vs. Spurs; Dec. 22, 8 a.m. PHT: Spurs vs. Wizards)
This could have been a perfect French reunion, with Victor Wembanyama set to face former Metropolitans 92 teammate Bilal Coulibaly and 2024 NBA draft No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. Unfortunately for Washington, Coulibaly and Sarr remain sidelined -- shifting the spotlight squarely onto the Spurs' 7-foot-4 centerpiece.
For Wembanyama, the matchup marks another opportunity to continue his return to form after a calf strain kept him out for 13 games. He wasted no time making his presence felt upon returning in the NBA Cup semifinals, announcing himself in emphatic fashion despite a minutes restriction.
Coming off the bench for just 21 minutes, Wembanyama tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks as the Spurs snapped defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder's franchise-record 16-game winning streak to reach the the NBA Cup final. And even in a loss to the Knicks in the decider, he had another solid outing with 18 points in 25 minutes.
On the season, the 21-year-old is averaging 25.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 blocks on an elite 61.3 true shooting percentage. Expect him to get better as his minutes ramp up, making these back-to-back matchups against Washington an ideal stage for Wembanyama to fully reassert his dominance.
First NBA matchup between Flagg and Edgecombe (Dec. 21, 8 a.m. PHT: Mavericks vs. 76ers)
Two of the most heavily utilized rookies of the 2025-26 season are set to go head-to-head.
VJ Edgecombe has wasted no time finding chemistry with All-Star backcourt partner Tyrese Maxey, leading all first-year players in minutes at 35.0 per game. Across the floor, Cooper Flagg has shouldered significant on-ball duties for Dallas, even logging time as the team's point guard before Ryan Nembhard entered the starting lineup, and currently owns a 23.1 usage rate -- fourth among rookies.
Widely viewed as frontrunners in the Rookie of the Year race alongside Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel, Edgecombe and Flagg have taken contrasting paths early in their NBA careers.
Edgecombe, the 76ers' third overall pick, made immediate history by erupting for 34 points in his NBA debut against the Boston Celtics -- the highest scoring output by a Philadelphia rookie and the third-highest debut performance in league history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Frank Selvy.
Flagg, meanwhile, weathered a slower start, shooting just 41% in November, before finding his rhythm as the season progressed. The highly touted rookie has since begun to flash the production expected of him, averaging 24.2 points per game while shooting an efficient 53.5 percent from the field -- including a 42-point explosion in a losing effort against the Utah Jazz, setting the stage for a compelling rookie showdown.
Curry defying Father Time (Dec. 21, 9:30 a.m. PHT: Suns vs. Warriors)
At 37 and in his 17th NBA season, the greatness of Stephen Curry continues to shine.
Fresh off a return from a quad injury, the two-time MVP has caught fire, highlighted by a 48-point eruption built on 12 three-pointers in Golden State's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. It marked Curry's 45th career 40-point game after turning 30 -- the most in league history -- pushing him past Michael Jordan atop that list.
Despite Curry's brilliance, the Warriors have dropped both games since his return. Individually, however, he has delivered at an elite level, averaging 29.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on a scorching 65.5 TS%. He remains lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down 41.2% of his threes while draining 5.2 per game -- a feat he has now accomplished in two separate seasons and remains unmatched by any player in NBA history.
If the Warriors hope to get back into the win column, their top-10 defense must assert itself against the Suns. Allowing 127 points to a Minnesota Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards and 136 to the Blazers simply simply didn't cut it.
Golden State cannot afford to waste the patented Curry flurries, as squandered nights when their superstar catches fire only magnify the margin for error against elite competition.