Kia MVPs Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid take center stage as the Nuggets take on the Sixers during Rivals Week.
What is NBA Rivals Week?
The NBA announced a new twist to the regular season in 2022, dedicating a week in January to classic and budding rivalries between teams and players. The third annual NBA Rivals Week will feature 10 nationally televised games with bragging rights on the line.
When is NBA Rivals Week?
Rivalries will be the focus of 10 nationally televised games across four networks (TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV) over five days from Tuesday, Jan. 21 to Saturday, Jan. 25.
What are the 2025 NBA Rivals Week matchups?
All times Eastern
Jan. 21: New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets (7:30 p.m., TNT)
Jan. 21: Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets (10 p.m., TNT)
Jan. 22: Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Jan. 22: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings (10 p.m., ESPN)
Jan. 23: Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
Jan. 23: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers (10 p.m., TNT)
Jan. 24: New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies (8 p.m., NBA TV)
Jan. 25: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves (3 p.m., ABC)
Jan. 25: Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks (5:30 p.m., ABC)
Jan. 25: Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors (8:30 p.m., ABC)
What are the biggest storylines of NBA Rivals Week?
Jan. 21: New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets
NYC bragging rights are up for grabs when the Knicks face the Nets for the third time this season. The Knicks have won eight straight in the Battle of the Boroughs, but three of the last five games have been decided by five points or less.
Jan. 21: Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets
The two players that have won the last four Kia NBA MVPs — Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (2023) and Denver’s Nikola Jokić (2021, 2022 and 2024) — meet for the first time this season. Embiid enters with a 6-2 edge in head-to-head matchups.
Jan. 22: Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks
This is a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference finals, which Dallas won in five games. This marks the third meeting of the season and the first since Christmas Day. The teams have split the first two games, with the road team winning each game by six points.
Jan. 22: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
This NorCal rivalry ignited in the first round of the 2023 playoffs when Golden State ended Sacramento’s season thanks to a Steph Curry Game 7 classic. A year later, the Kings ended the Warriors’ season with a win in the 2024 SoFi Play-In Tournament.
Jan. 23: Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks and Heat have met in three of the last five NBA playoffs — the first round in 2023 (Heat in five) and 2021 (Bucks in four) as well as the 2020 Eastern Conference semifinals (Heat in five) — with the winner going on to represent the East in the NBA Finals each year.
Jan. 23: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
Rivals Week wouldn’t be complete without the league’s most storied rivalry. The Celtics hold an 18-17 edge over the Lakers in NBA titles, with nine of Boston’s titles coming over the Lakers as they hold a 9-3 advantage in the 12 NBA Finals matchups.
Jan. 24: New Orleans Pelicans at Memphis Grizzlies
A matchup of the top two picks in the 2019 NBA Draft — New Orleans’ Zion Williamson (1) and Memphis’ Ja Morant (2) — this will be their first meeting since December 2023 and will break the 4-4 tie they have in head-to-head matchups.
Jan. 25: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
A rematch of the 2024 Western Conference semifinals that saw Minnesota pull off the largest Game 7 comeback in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) to end Denver’s season on its home court. The first meeting this season on Nov. 1 saw the Nuggets rally in the fourth quarter only for the Wolves to prevail in the final minute.
Jan. 25: Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks
Dallas hosts the first matchup between the Mavericks and Celtics since the 2024 NBA Finals, which Boston won in five games to raise banner No. 18 and cap off one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history. Boston’s final record of 80-21 between the regular season and playoffs combined is the 13th-best mark in league history.
Jan. 25: Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors
NBA Rivals Week 2025 wraps with one of the most storied head-to-head rivalries in NBA history — Golden State’s Stephen Curry vs. Los Angeles’ LeBron James. This marks their 25th regular-season meeting (they are split 12-12) and 54th matchup overall between the regular season and postseason, including four straight NBA Finals.
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