LeBron James, Dak Prescott highlight a loaded slate of sports on Christmas

After having dipped its toes in the Christmas waters last season with two games, the NFL is wading deeper into the pool this year with three games Thursday.

After having dipped its toes in the Christmas waters last season with two games, the NFL is wading deeper into the pool this year with three games Thursday. Combined with a whopping five NBA matchups, the sports slate is a gift of its own.

Here’s what you need to know about a loaded day on the sports calendar, which tips off at noon ET.

What was meant to be a marquee matchup has become a showdown between two teams on separate paths.

After a 2-3 start, the Knicks have gone 18-5, emerging as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Under new head coach Mike Brown, New York has thrived offensively, averaging 121.7 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark in the NBA.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have struggled. A year after it lost only 18 games, Cleveland is 16-14 this season, good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. This is an opportunity for the Cavs to show they can still compete with the best, while a loss would draw only more skepticism about this team’s chances of being a contender.