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Predicting The NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule – Last Word On Sports
Basketball News, Analysis, History, Schedule, Rumors
The NBA on Christmas Day is a holiday tradition like no other in sports. Each year some of the best matchups of the year happen on Christmas day. With the release of the NBA schedule right around the corner now feels like the perfect time to predict this year’s slate of Christmas games.
The New York Knicks are one of the most iconic and profitable franchises in the league. They frequent the early Christmas day slot. For many years the Knicks have been a bad team that gets a Christmas Day game based on name and brand. However, that’s not the case this year. The Knicks are coming off a playoff appearance and only project to get better, they fully deserve a Christmas game this year.
This matchup with the Miami Heat sets up rematch from the Eastern Conference semifinals last year. The series was filled with grinded-out defensive games. With the looming possibility of a Damian Lillard to Miami trade, this matchup becomes even more intriguing. After Miami’s amazing finals run last year, it’s hard for them not to get a Christmas game. A Heat-Knicks matchup would be a perfect way to kick off the NBA’s Christmas.
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are two perennial contenders in the East and always seem to have great games. This year is no different, Boston and Milwaukee are the top two pre-season favorites to win the conference. Celtics-Bucks games are always some of the biggest regular season games of the year. Why not throw it on X-mas day again?
Boston’s defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo has always made this matchup especially interesting. The Celtics play the Bucks and Giannis better than most teams in the league. Due to their size and strategy of constantly throwing different defenders on Giannis.
With the addition of Kristaps Porzingis Boston’s defense on Giannis will only be improved. Additionally, by trading for Porzingis Boston doubled down on their main strength of three-point shooting ability. They will likely continue to be near the top of the league in three-point attempts. Watching how the Bucks will react to the new look Celtics would be fascinating. Ultimately, watching these two top teams face off again would be an incredible marquee matchup on Christmas afternoon.
The Phoenix Suns are arguably the biggest threat in the West to the defending champion Denver Nuggets. This creates a thrilling matchup between “the champs” and “the challengers.”
The two teams built contending squads in vastly different ways. Denver built a homegrown team around superstar Nikola Jokic through great draft picks and developing a core together for years. Well, the Suns focused on more star power around their superstar Devin Booker. This included trading for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline and trading for Bradley Beal this off-season. Moves that drained Phoenix of any cap space and future assets.
Well, the two teams are built differently, the common thread is amazing offenses. Both teams project to be at the top of the league in offense. The offensive firepower in this matchup would give fans an incredibly entertaining high-scoring game. Additionally, this is a rematch of the second-round playoff series and a Christmas game last year. Ultimately this sets up an incredibly intriguing matchup with some possible stakes in a competitive Western Conference.
A Steph Curry vs LeBron James matchup on Christmas day feels like a no-brainer for the NBA. The two stars have played against each other four times on Christmas day the last time being in 2018. After a competitive second-round series last year now feels like the perfect time for them to match up again. Therefore, the star power and marketability of these franchises make this the perfect game in the primetime slot.
From a basketball perspective, the Warriors and Lakers style contrast would make this matchup incredibly intriguing. The Warriors play small ball, their success stems from elite offense and shooting. Well, the Lakers have one of the bigger rosters in the league. They are dominant with elite defense and interior play.
This matchup has everything you could ask for in a primetime slot. A marquee matchup with great stories on and off the court.
The Sacramento Kings haven’t had a Christmas game since 2003. After an incredible season last year, it’s safe to say the Kings are back and they fully deserve a Christmas game. Furthermore, a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks would make for an incredibly entertaining offensive showdown.
Both teams were top 10 offenses last year with the Kings being number one. The two teams have the pieces to replicate that success again this season. The backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented and entertaining duos in the league. The Kings’ two-man game of Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox along with the surrounding elite shooting would make for a perfect matchup against the Mavs’ elite backcourt play.
This matchup wouldn’t warrant a marquee prime-time slot but it’s the perfect late-night game. Nevertheless, it’s an incredibly entertaining and fun matchup with some pretty big names and two teams that project to be competitive teams in the West. It’s a unique but fun matchup which is what the late-game slot is all about.
Eamon Cassels is currently a junior at the University of New Hampshire where he majors in Sport Management and Communication pursuing a career in sports media. He is an NBA writer for the LWOS and his blog the Last Shot NBA. He loves basketball and breaking down the game in detail.
Last Word On Sports INC, 2011