NBA schedule for Christmas Day 2017
Christmas is a holiday filled with joy, presents, and warm, fuzzy feelings. The NBA falls right into the spirit, using its scheduling deftness to gift us with marquee games featuring yuletide-themed jersey kits throughout the day. The action starts at noon and will bring you through the night. So you can have high-caliber games on in the background while you roast chestnuts by the open fire or sip eggnog in your favorite ugly sweater. Or it’s the perfect avenue to take to shut out your family entirely. Either way, we’re in for some quality basketball on Dec. 25.
76ers at Knicks (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
The slate kicks off with Philadelphia at New York. These Atlantic Division foes have become exponentially more fun to watch this season and are fighting to be in the playoff mix. This matchup features unicorns aplenty. The Knicks turned over their roster this summer and handed the car keys to Kristaps Porzingis. Madison Square Garden has come alive again behind the exciting youth movement. The 76ers have been the incarnation of the youth movement ideal, seemingly waiting eons for their high draft picks to pan out. Now, they have one of the more compelling teams in the league behind Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Cavaliers at Warriors (3 p.m. ET, ABC)
After meeting each other for three straight Finals, this marks the third year running Cleveland and Golden State square off on Christmas. These two championship hopefuls started off the year sluggishly, but since rebounded, racing back to their respective conference perches. Steph Curry remains out with an ankle injury, but the Warriors still have an opulence of firepower without him. Both teams are playing especially pristine basketball lately, lending visions of a fourth-straight Finals duel dancing in our heads. The NBA is good at giving the people what they want, and what we want is Goliath versus Goliath. Merry Christmas.
Wizards at Celtics (5:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Washington and Boston are two teams that got bit by the injury bug. The Celtics lost Gordon Hayward five minutes into the season but didn’t skip a beat despite the absence of a major offseason acquisition. John Wall’s been hampered by a knee injury and was forced to miss a chunk of games. The Wizards managed to keep their heads above water, finding themselves in the meat of the Eastern playoff pool. The matchup between Wall and Kyrie Irving should provide some December fireworks.
Rockets at Thunder (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
These mainstays of the Western Conference postseason each made huge splashes this summer. Houston brought in Chris Paul and boast the league’s best record and a top point differential. Any questions pertaining to Paul’s ability to share the floor (and ball) with James Harden have been put to rest. The revamped Thunder, on the other hand, are taking time to jell. Their big-named trio of Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony are still trying to figure out how to play together. What we could have though, is the reigning MVP in Westbrook up against the upcoming MVP in Harden. And that is fun.
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Timberwolves at Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
To finish us off, Minnesota goes to Los Angeles for the nightcap with the Lakers. These teams brim with potential for future stardom. But while the Timberwolves are achieving success, the Lakers are paying their dues. After floundering for a season under Tom Thibodeau, the Wolves are meeting their heightened expectations behind the veteran leadership of Jimmy Butler. The Lakers took a step towards Showtime with their investment in the Big Baller Brand, but any playoff guarantees were irresponsible and now they want things toned down.