In franchise first, Minnesota Timberwolves will host Christmas Day game vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

For the first time in franchise history, the Minnesota Timberwolves will host a home game on Christmas Day this season.

The Wolves will play the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center at 7 p.m. on Dec. 25, the NBA announced Tuesday.

This is the third straight year Minnesota is a part of the Christmas slate, typically reserved for some of the league's marquee matchups. The Wolves and Thunder are two of the Western Conference's best teams and are both perennial playoff contenders. 

The Wolves have played on the holiday four times overall, going 2-2 in those games.

Other matchups this year include the San Antonio Spurs vs. the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat vs. the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets vs. the Golden State Warriors.

The league also announced Monday the Wolves will open the season in Miami against the heat on Oct. 21.

The Wolves finished last season ranked sixth in the Western Conference and lost to the Finals-bound Spurs in the second round of the playoffs. They reworked their roster this offseason, trading away Julius Randle and fan favorite Naz Reid while adding star point guard LaMelo Ball. The team also reportedly pursued LeBron James, but the NBA legend chose the 76ers instead.