This season’s NBA Christmas Day games bring a little of everything, from first-time matchups to playoff rematches. It’s only right to rank all five games from worst to must-watch television.
NBA Christmas games are usually a mixed bag of competitive matchups and potential blowout games. It usually always features the same few teams, the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are always Christmas staples, and the Golden State Warriors have recently become regulars on the holiday.
The problem is, finding the right matchups to get people to step away from their freshly unwrapped presents and all the Christmas cookies has always been an issue the league hasn’t always nailed.
Big market teams will always get the national pull, regardless of how good the team actually is that season. How else would you explain the Knicks playing on Christmas day every year? However, this year’s Christmas slate actually has a few gems worth changing the channel from the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story on TBS. Here are the power rankings for each matchup from worst to best.
5. Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks
Look, we all love watching Giannis Antetokounmpo put guys on a poster with his Inspector Gadget-like wingspan and the ginormous steps he takes to get to the rim, but this game has the blowout warnings all over it, and it doesn’t matter that the Knicks beat the Bucks the last time these two teams met.
In fact, that will be enough motivation for Milwaukee to ruin New Yorkers’ Christmas by righting the wrong of a 136-134 overtime loss on Dec. 1. We know Giannis will have revenge on his mind after Mario Hezonja not only dunked all on Giannis causing him to fall, but then finished him off by stepping over him on his way back down the court. It was a great moment for Hezonja and Knicks fans alike, making them forget momentarily that they are a ways off before being legitimate contenders in the league, but Giannis will likely use that as a reason to go off for 30 points…or more.
Aside from that, there isn’t much to get excited for in this game. Unless you love watching a team featuring Tim Hardaway Jr., Noah Vonleh and Emmanuel Mudiay. No thank you.