By: Justin Gincauskas
One of the best days on the basketball calendar is upon us. After opening up presents and drinking hot chocolate, there are not many things better than sitting on the couch and watching a full slate of NBA Christmas Day games.
The league always delivers on Christmas day, and this year is no different. To get you into the holiday spirit, here are the five NBA Christmas Day matchups ranked from worst to best.
5. Mavericks vs. Suns (10:30 p.m. ET)
This game would be so much better had both teams not been struggling recently. It would also help if Bradley Beal and Kyrie Irving were healthy.
The game will still have some tension as Luka Doncic and Devin Booker have some animosity dating back to the 2022 playoffs. Doncic, who is averaging nearly 33 points per game this season, missed Friday’s game against the Rockets with a quad injury. If he is not in the lineup for Christmas, this game might be hard to watch.
4. Bucks vs. Knicks (Noon ET)
The Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks will play twice in three days, with the second game coming on Christmas Day.
Watching Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Jalen Brunson share the court on Christmas is a treat for fans. The last time Antetokounmpo played against New York on Christmas, he had 30 points and 14 rebounds.
3. Celtics vs. Lakers (5 p.m. ET)
The Los Angeles Lakers are in a slump, losing five of their last six games. On the other hand, Boston is 8-2 in its previous 10 games and sits atop the Eastern Conference.
However, it is always special to watch these storied franchises play on Christmas Day. The game will mark the first time LeBron James has played the Celtics on Christmas. James and Jayson Tatum scored at least 38 points in their respective Christmas Day games last season, so hopefully, we get to see something similar from those two again when they share the court on Monday.
2. 76ers vs. Heat (8 p.m. ET)
The way Joel Embiid has played this season, every Philadelphia 76ers game is must-see television.
Christmas Day will be the first time these two teams meet this season. Hopefully, the Heat will have Jimmy Butler, who has missed the last two games with a calf injury. If he does play, having Tyrese Maxey and Embiid battle against Bam Adebayo and Butler would bring many basketball fans Christmas cheer.
1. Warriors vs. Nuggets (2:30 p.m. ET)
The Golden State Warriors are on a bit of a run right now, and it will be put to the test when they take on the Denver Nuggets on Christmas.
With the Warriors needing a statement win, this game will hopefully be the most competitive. Steph Curry has struggled in his career on Christmas, but he and Klay Thompson will be motivated to prove Golden State is a still contender in the Western Conference. On the other side, Nikola Jokic is coming off a 40-point triple-double on Christmas Day last year, so we might get a couple of special performances in this one.
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