It’s the 40th anniversary of the NBA celebrating the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with games on his holiday.
From that first year — when Dominique Wilkinds dropped 33 on Milwaukee in Atlanta, King’s birthplace — to last year, when Jalen Brunson scored 34 for the Knicks in a win over the Hawks, the games have had a special place in NBA lore. This year, a quadruple-header of games will air on NBC and Peacock to celebrate the day.
Here are four things to look for on MLK Day.
Can Bucks survive non-Giannis minutes?
Milwaukee at Atlanta, 1 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBCSN)
When Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the court this season, the Bucks have a +7.4 net rating — they look like a nearly 60-win team. When Antetokounmpo is off the court, the Bucks have a -10.3 net rating and look like a lottery-bound, 18-win team.
That has become the on-the-court story for Milwaukee this season — can they survive the non- Antetokounmpo minutes? That will be the question on Monday in a game that Atlanta should be up for — the city is the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., and the celebrations there bring a little more meaning and intensity.
The off-the-court story for the Bucks has drawn more headlines this season. Despite the unending speculation, league sources tell NBC Sports not to expect Antetokounmpo to be traded before the Feb. 5 trade deadline — Milwaukee wouldn’t do it unless he asks for a trade and Antetokounmpo has said he’s not going to — and are instead looking for a deal to add talent around him. Maybe someone who can keep the team afloat in those non- Antetokounmpo minutes. The Hawks have already made their big trade, sending Trae Young to Washington for the expiring contract of CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert. Atlanta has been better without Young this season and is charting a new path forward.
One more guy to watch Monday: Jalen Johnson. The Hawks forward should be a first-time All-Star this season averaging 23.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists a game while playing quality defense. He, along with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, is whatever the next iteration of the Hawks will be built around.
Which Cavaliers team will we see?
Oklahoma City at Cleveland, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
With Oklahoma City, you know what you’re getting: Elite defense (best in the league this season by 4.6 points per 100 possessions); Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing at an MVP-level; and a depth of role players no other team in the league can match, with defensive stopper Alex Caruso and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ajay Mitchell). While the Thunder had a little stumble through the end of December and into January, they are back to being consistent — and consistently dominant.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers this season… 🤷♂️
In recent weeks, we have seen Cleveland beat quality teams such as Philadelphia, Minnesota, Denver and San Antonio. The Cavaliers also have lost to the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and plenty of teams they should have beaten this season. The problem has been that when they get a quality win, they don’t build on it. A trendy coaching phrase is to “stack wins” or “stack good days,” and the Cavaliers do not stack anything — a game with great effort and execution (like a recent dismantling of the 76ers) is followed by a low-effort outing with none of those same attributes.
If we get to see the best version of Donovan Mitchell Cavaliers, this is going to be an interesting game (they will not have Darius Garland due to a foot injury). However, if Cleveland brings even a little less than that, Oklahoma City will be doing the dismantling.
Cooper Flagg makes Madison Square Garden debut
Dallas at New York, 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant. Reggie Miller. Stephen Curry. The legends of the game have had some of their biggest moments in the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cooper Flagg gets his first turn in the spotlight.
Some fans seem to remember his slow start — when Jason Kidd felt the need to play the rookie who had always been a four at point guard — but Flagg is back in his familiar role and thriving. In December, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game. That includes him breaking LeBron James’ record for most points scored by an 18-year-old in a single NBA game, scoring 42 points on the Jazz.
Relive Cooper Flagg’s historic 42-point performance. 💪 pic.twitter.com/ddfDBlXgdi
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) December 23, 2025
Brunson had a big game on Martin Luther King Day a year ago, hopefully we get to see him this year. He is day-to-day with an ankle sprain and did not play against the Suns on Saturday.
Can Boston solve Detroit’s defense?
Boston at Detroit, 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
The Knicks would like to have a word about this, but here is the reality: The Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics are the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference at the halfway point of the season and it is entirely possible this game is an Eastern Conference Finals preview.
It’s a matchup of the league’s No. 2 defense (Detroit) against the No. 2 offense (Boston) — and we have seen it recently. On Saturday night, the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown scored 41 in three quarters, while the Pistons’ defense held the Pacers to 25 points in a half. However, in three meetings this season, it has been the defense that has won most of the time.
In the first meeting, just the third game of the season, Jaylen Brown dropped 41, but the Celtics’ offensive rating for the night was 10 points below their season average. In the second meeting, Cade Cunningham put up 42, but Boston’s offense got close to their season average, and the NBA Cup win went to the Celtics. The third meeting, again despite good games from Brown (34) and Derrick White (31), it was the Pistons’ defense holding the Celtics to 105 points and an offensive rating for the night 13 below their season average.
Whatever happens with the defense, expect Brown and Cunningham — two players with very good cases to be on the MVP ballot this year — to put on a show.
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
