Cooper Flagg leads Dallas into a matchup against the Kings in Sacramento.
Enjoy the best of Saturday’s 9-game slate with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.
5:33 PM / DECEMBER 27, 2025
Kings lead Mavs after 1Q
The Mavericks close the first quarter on a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to 31-23 heading to the second frame. Max Christie leads Dallas with 6 points on 2-for-3 shooting from behind the arc.
Tap to watch on NBA TV & NBA League Pass: https://t.co/Q5vHsutKOs
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2025
Keon Ellis leads all scorers with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting with three made 3s, helping Sacramento shoot 50.0% from the field (13-26 FG).
5:25 PM / DECEMBER 27, 2025
Russ now 7th all-time in assists
Russell Westbrook and the Kings come storming out of the gates at home, grabbing a 27-12 lead over the Mavericks with 4:08 left in the opening quarter.
THE ASSIST THAT MOVED RUSS TO NO. 7 ‼️
Tap to watch: https://t.co/Q5vHsutKOs https://t.co/xwfpYvW9sb pic.twitter.com/6wqXbwcT0M
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2025
Russ is up to 5 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists, moving him to 7th on the all-time assists list. Congratulations to ‘Brodie’ on an incredible career accomplishment!
the bank is open for brodie today 🏦 pic.twitter.com/afBkqXm5ig
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 27, 2025
4:30 PM / DECEMBER 27, 2025
Welcome to a 9-game Saturday night of hoops!
Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets travel to take on Franz Wagner and the Magic on League Pass. (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
With no Anthony Davis (groin) tonight, rookie Cooper Flagg looks to lead Dallas to a win over the Sacramento Kings, who are battling their own injury bug (5 ET, NBA TV). Zach LaVine (ankle), Domantas Sabonis (knee) and Keegan Murray (calf) will all be in street clothes to tip off Saturday’s NBA TV doubleheader.
Following his Christmas Day gift for NBA fans everywhere, Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets are in Orlando to square off against the Magic (7 ET, League Pass).
Devin Booker and the Suns go for a third consecutive win when they visit the Pelicans (7 ET, League Pass). New Orleans will be aiming to snap a two-game skid.
Two teams going in opposite directions collide in Atlanta when the Knicks and Hawks meet for the back half of Saturday’s NBA TV doubleheader (8 ET). New York is coming off of a thrilling Christmas Day victory while Atlanta hopes to halt their losing streak at five games.
Miami will go for consecutive wins for the first time in a month when they host the Indiana Pacers, losers of seven straight contests (8 ET, League Pass).
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is listed as questionable for Milwaukee’s Central Division clash with the red-hot Bulls (8 ET, League Pass). Chicago has rattled off five consecutive wins and sit at 15-15 on the season.
Cleveland will attempt to put their close Christmas Day loss to the Knicks behind them when they take on the Rockets in Houston (8 ET, League Pass). The Cavs dropped both meetings with the Rockets in 2024-25.
Brooklyn looks to make it three wins in a row when they visit Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves (8 ET, League Pass).
To cap our Saturday night of hoops, the Jazz visit the surging Spurs (8 ET, League Pass). Keyonte George hit the game-winner in Utah’s upset win over the Pistons on Friday, while San Antonio looks to extend their current league-best winning streak to nine games.
