Stream NBA Christmas Day ‘Dunk the Halls’ Alt-Cast: Disney & ESPN’s Spurs vs. Knicks Showdown

On December 25, Disney, ESPN, and the NBA will present Dunk the Halls at noon ET. This game will showcase the New York Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, against the San Antonio Spurs, featuring Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.

Dunk the Halls will be available on ESPN2, Disney+, and ESPN+. This marks both the first animated presentation of an NBA game and the first NBA game to stream on Disney+.

Setting: The game will take place in a virtual version of “Main Street, USA” at Magic Kingdom® Park. Fans will see characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cheering for the players, alongside views of notable landmarks, including Cinderella’s Castle.

Story: The game begins with Mickey wishing for the NBA players to come to “Main Street, USA” during Christmas.

Technology: Players will be animated in real time using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology and Hawk-Eye Innovations’ optical tracking. Fans will watch real-time action, including every dunk, pass, and shot from the live Spurs vs. Knicks game.

Production Highlights:

• Disney characters will have a slam dunk contest at halftime;
• Santa’s Elves will operate the cameras, and Santa will manage ESPN’s “SkyCam”;
• Disney characters will give speeches and decorate a Christmas tree during the game;
• Viewers will see if it snows on “Main Street, USA” and how many churros Goofy can eat.

Drew Carter will be the play-by-play commentator. He will be joined by analyst Monica McNutt and special sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Carter and McNutt will use VR technology and Sony’s Virtual Commentator Technology for immersive commentary.

All five NBA Christmas games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, Disney+, and ESPN+. The traditional broadcast of the Spurs vs. Knicks game will feature Ryan Ruocco, analyst Cory Alexander, and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth.

Dunk the Halls is part of ESPN and the NBA’s tradition of innovation. In 2021, they collaborated with Marvel on “Marvel’s Arena of Heroes,” an animated NBA game.