It is Christmas in August! The NBA reminded followers of its existence on Friday by leaking the schedules for each Opening Evening and Christmas, and so they each include the requisite quantity of star energy for these marquee slates. There’ll as soon as once more be 5 video games on Christmas, which can give us a glimpse at superstars like LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama.
Merry Christmas, certainly.
Every matchup presents its personal causes for pleasure, however there are all the time a few video games that stand out above the remaining. Clearly rather a lot can change by the point Dec. 25 rolls round — particularly in a league the place trades and accidents can drastically change the panorama. All we are able to do is go together with the rosters as they at the moment stand and hope that everybody stays wholesome.
With that in thoughts, we have determined to look forward and rank all 5 of the NBA’s Christmas matchups.
On paper, this might legitimately be probably the most entertaining sport of the day. Sadly, it suffers from being the final sport on a vacation when half the nation goes to be asleep by tipoff. That takes a few of the luster out of an in any other case mouthwatering matchup between Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokić.
There is not any love misplaced between these groups after the Wolves shocked the Nuggets in Recreation 7 on their house ground two postseasons in the past, so you possibly can count on Edwards to be spouting his typical model of trash discuss and Jokić to be doing the identical factor in an indecipherable mumble. Denver made some significant offseason additions in Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas, and this shall be a fantastic alternative to see how every little thing suits.
Klay Thompson again within the Bay is all the time an important day, however there’s additionally an opportunity that these groups shall be … not that good? The Warriors lit the league on fireplace after buying Jimmy Butler final season, however there isn’t any telling whether or not they can preserve that going with an growing older roster and no significant offseason additions — not yet, at least. If Steph Curry is wholesome, nevertheless, he is nicely price watching when you pile up the turkey and stuffing in your fourth plate of the day.
To not point out that this shall be potential franchise savior Cooper Flagg‘s first Christmas Day look, and seeing how he and Anthony Davis mesh shall be intriguing. Total a enjoyable matchup, but it surely simply does not stack as much as the others.
The conflict between two of the NBA’s prime 5 offenses from a season in the past ought to present the required fireworks for a juicy Christmas Day assembly. The groups additionally match up nicely, with the person battles of Jalen Brunson versus Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns versus Evan Mobley taking heart stage.
The Cavs gained all 4 matchups in opposition to the Knicks final season, serving to to spur the sentiment that New York could not beat good groups, so there needs to be peak depth for this one. This might simply wind up being the very best sport of all the slate, however the truth that it is seemingly going to begin at 9 a.m. Pacific Time has to drop it down the rankings a tick. Get out of right here together with your East Coast bias.
Wemby versus the defending champs? Rely me in. Victor Wembanyama could also be on the very prime of the league’s must-watch listing, and he’ll be battling in opposition to what ought to as soon as once more be the very best protection within the NBA. To not point out that reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s penchant for stepping into the paint shall be significantly examined with the 7-foot-3 marvel ready for him on the rim.
On prime of the star energy, this needs to be an essential matchup for the Spurs, who’re anticipated to take a leap subsequent season with a hopefully wholesome Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and extremely touted prospect Dylan Harper. How they play in opposition to the OKC machine on the common season’s largest stage (no offense, NBA Cup) will give them a sign of the place they stand as they appear to make a playoff push.
Look, I can really feel the attention rolls by means of the display screen. Individuals will (unfairly) complain of Laker bias and (rightfully) level out that higher basketball could be performed in a few of the different matchups. However that is Christmas within the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation. We’d like star energy, and this sport is dripping with it.
LeBron. KD. LaRavia. Luka. What else do you want for a marquee vacation matchup?
Whereas each groups are flawed, by Christmas they need to be within the thick of the Western Convention’s “race to second place” behind the Thunder — particularly if Dončić’s conditioning stays on the degree we have seen this summer time. In the end, nevertheless, we do not know what number of extra matchups between LeBron James and Kevin Durant we’ll see in our lifetime, so it is best we recognize this one.