Phil Jackson suggests NBA ‘tests faith’ with games on Easter and Christmas

Big sports clashes on holidays have long been a thing, but they’ve become even more prominent recently. There’s logic to that for leagues looking to capture audiences looking for something to watch, especially in the current era of out-of-home viewing measurement. But doing that on holidays with religious origins can draw some pushback. The latest case of that comes from former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson bashing the NBA for its Easter Sunday and Christmas Day games:

Again the NBA tests faith by playing multiple games on Christmas and Easter…sacred days.

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) April 20, 2025

Christmas and Easter have meanings in many religious traditions and beyond, and Jackson is not the first sports figure to complain about games on those days. However, that ship seems to have long sailed. Especially in an era where viewing is thoroughly tracked beyond an individual’s home, massive sports events on days when many gather together have brought in big ratings wins for networks and leagues. And it seems unlikely that will end any time soon, especially with the NFL now keying on Christmas similarly to how the NBA has.

The Easter discussion is a little different, though, thanks to its date changing each year. In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5, so that will likely be before the NBA and NHL playoffs. Those leagues, as well as MLB and more, are likely to still play on that day, but the games may not be as much of an event outside of the postseason. But this year’s playoff games on Easter Sunday seem set to be a ratings win for the NBA and NHL, and they’re probably not going to change that despite complaints from Jackson and some others who object to this scheduling.