For many years, the Minnesota Timberwolves being a part of the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule was seen as laughable. The NBA certainly realized this, and thus never scheduled them on the holiday. During their first 27 years as a franchise, they were left off the December 25 list of games.
It wasn’t until 2016 that the Wolves got to play on Christmas Day. They have done so three more times since, including the last two years. In 2026, they will play on Christmas for the third straight year. Unlike the first four times, though, their game will take place in Minneapolis.
The opponent on Christmas, if you haven’t heard, is the Oklahoma City Thunder. It certainly won’t be an easy game for the Wolves, who will be squaring off against the 2025 NBA champions and the two-time reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
A LOADED CHRISTMAS DAY on ABC & ESPN! 🎄
— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2026
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🎁 Shai and Ant go… pic.twitter.com/njuWV146ym
It took 38 years for the Timberwolves to host a Christmas game
In what will be their 38th NBA season, Timberwolves fans will finally get their first opportunity to see their favorite basketball club at Target Center on Christmas Day.
The first four times that the Wolves played on Christmas were road games against the Thunder (2016), Los Angeles Lakers (2017), Dallas Mavericks (2024), and Denver Nuggets (2025). Minnesota won the middle two, while losing to OKC and Denver.
It goes to show how far the team has come; they will be playing at Target Center, although it’s somewhat surprising that they were never granted a home game on Christmas during the Kevin Garnett era. Nonetheless, fans who want to go to the game will have plenty of time to exchange gifts and eat a hearty Christmas lunch, as the game isn’t scheduled until 7:00 p.m. CT. It is the fourth of five Christmas Day matchups.
The Thunder should provide a massive challenge. Sure, they lost key pieces this offseason, such as Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Luguentz Dort, but OKC is listed as a co-favorite to win the 2027 NBA Finals on DraftKings Sportsbook, along with the San Antonio Spurs, at +270. Minnesota met up with Oklahoma City in the 2025 Western Conference finals, losing in five games.
Expect a raucous Target Center crowd that has never experienced Christmas NBA basketball on its home floor. Fans never got to go to the arena to see Garnett, Kevin Love, or Karl-Anthony Towns play on December 25, but they will get to do so for Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu.
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