The 2025-26 NBA season has been full of excitement. Game-winners and double overtime games seem to becoming something that fans are seeing every night. The key phrase here, is every night.
Thanksgiving games have not been a thing in the association for 15 years. The NFL seems to have a hold on Turkey Day, traditions that extend back to the days before NBA was first established.
Ratings in pro basketball have been up 30% this year, despite a rash of injuries this year. But, there will once again be no games as the calendar turns to Thanksgiving.
Traditions in Detroit and Dallas have made this day one that football fans tend to get to enjoy most. The night game has been left up to the imagination.
Let’s talk about why games aren’t played on the last Thursday in November.
Why NBA Thanksgiving Games Aren’t Played
There have been years in the past when Turkey Day NBA action was a thing. However, the CBA that was put into place at the end of the extensive 2011 lockout had a specific clause.
Games were not be played on four different days each year. Games would be played on Christmas, New Years, and Good Friday. An article from Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao stated as much.
The NBA also doesn’t play games on Election Day or on the evening of March Madness Men’s Final.
The NFL added Christmas Day games to the schedule for the first time in 2017. Ratings for the games have remained high, proving to be a massive success.
Christmas Day has long been an NBA tradition, with football sneaking in to the rotation over these past eight years. With that, perhaps basketball might return to Thanksgiving.
Two games were played back in 2010, so let’s finish there.
The Last Thanksgiving NBA Games In 2010
TNT hosted a doubleheader on November 25, 2010. Thanksgiving NBA action happened in this year, a simpler time in the association, before the extensive lockout that took place.
In the first game, played at 7:30 PM ET, the Wizards fell 116-96 to the Hawks to drop to 5-9 on the year. The team started three point guards that day. Rookie John Wall got the nod along with veterans Gilbert Arenas and Kirk Hinrich. It was certainly a time in Washington.
Washington’s two other starters were JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche, two fan favorites. Nick Young came off their bench. And on the other side, Jeff Teague, seemingly everywhere came off the Hawks bench. Josh Smith was still out there with Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby, and Al Horford. Jamal Crawford was cooking off the bench.
A 20-point win for Atlanta was led by 7X All-Star Joe Johnson s 21 points. Horford had 15 and 13. Smith put up 20 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Arenas led Washington with 21.
In the night cap, rookie Blake Griffin dazzled the crowd, as the Clippers defeated the Kings 100-82 at home.
This era was an interesting time for Sacramento. DeMarcus Cousins was not yet a starter, but backing up Samuel Dalembert. Luther Head, Illinois legend, was starting games. Tyreke Evans was in year two. On this night, they simply didn’t have it.
Carl Landry led the way with 18 points. On the other side, lob city was in it’s infant stages, in LA, pre-Chris Paul. Griffin, the rookie sensation, put up 25 points, 15 boards, and five assists. Eric Gordon added 28 points and hit 11-12 at the FT line.
Thanksgiving NBA action has not been played since this day, 15 years ago. Perhaps they’ll return again.
Happy holidays everybody.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Why the NBA Doesn’t play on Thanksgiving appeared first on Heavy Sports.