Merry Christmas everyone!
As is tradition, the holly jolly day will feature a full slate of hoops for you to feast on in between unwrapping gifts, drinking way too much eggnog and enduring enjoying the company of your in-laws.
This year’s offering will feature two rematches from last season’s playoffs with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics squaring off and the Memphis Grizzlies facing the Golden State Warriors. Additionally, all five members of the 2021-22 All-NBA First Team – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum – will be in action as you celebrate the holiday.
And, for those who care about all-star voting, any all-star vote that you decide to make on the big day will count for three.
Here’s a look at all five Christmas Day games and what you can expect from each one.
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks – 12 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE
Yes, the Knicks got a Christmas Day game again – this will increase their record to 55 holiday games. Unlike in previous years, though, this seems like a deserving showcase nod.
New York has been one of the hottest teams in the league during the month of December and looks primed to make a proper run to the playoffs this season. The arrival of Jalen Brunson at the point has helped return Julius Randle to all-star form and has led Canadian RJ Barrett to play a more efficient game.
On the other side are the Philadelphia 76ers, who have also enjoyed a red-hot December.
Philly is, of course, led by Joel Embiid, who is once again looking like an MVP candidate as one of the NBA’s premier scorers.
This will be a record 13th meeting on Christmas Day between the Knicks and Sixers.
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks – 2:30 p.m. ET
If you were to just look at the standings, this game is an odd one for a Christmas Day slate, but considering the star power on both teams, most notably LeBron James and Doncic, it makes sense why the NBA booked this one.
This will be James’ 17th Christmas Day game, tying him with the late, great Kobe Bryant for the most in NBA history. A tremendous accomplishment, even if his team isn’t very good – particularly with Anthony Davis out at the moment with a right foot injury.
Davis was playing some of the best ball of his career before he got hurt, but alas, his unfortunate career trend of being sidelined has remained as steady as ever.
Looking at the Mavericks, Doncic, from a pure talent perspective, may be the best player in the world today.
He was out with an injury during last season’s Christmas Day spectacle but should be good to go this year.
If you’ve never had a chance to watch Doncic hoop, do yourself a favour and try to make time to tune in for a little bit. He always elevates his game for big occasions.
Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics – 5 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE
The marquee game of the day, and boy is it a doozy.
A matchup between not only two of the Eastern Conference’s, but the entire league’s best teams, and a rematch of last season’s instant classic seven-game Eastern Conference semi-final.
Moreover, the two sides faced off during the 2021 Christmas Day slate in a game that saw Milwaukee storm back from a 19-point deficit to win as Antetokounmpo went off for 36 points and 12 rebounds.
The Christmas Day game is usually viewed as a litmus test for elite teams with championship aspirations. Both the Celtics and Bucks fit that description this season. Given where they are in the standings and given the talent both teams boast, this game could be viewed as the unofficial opening salvo of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors – 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE
With the Grizzlies playing on Christmas this year, that leaves the Charlotte Hornets as the lone active NBA franchise to have never played on Dec. 25.
The Grizzlies are a very-deserving Christmas Day team. They feature, perhaps, the most exciting player to watch in all of basketball in superstar point guard Ja Morant. They’re among the best teams in the Western Conference with a young group of core players that should see them become a perennial power for years to come.
For added drama, their matchup with the Warriors is a juicy one with some bad blood between the two sides stemming from their second-round playoff series last season.
In that series, Mississauga-native Dillon Brooks got suspended a game for a dangerous foul he committed on then-Warrior Gary Payton II. Brooks’ on-the-edge playstyle appeared to get under the skin of the veteran Warriors. Morant was brilliant during the series, averaging 38.3 per game before a knee injury knocked him out of their final three games, directly helping Golden State survive what was looking like a rising tide coming from Memphis.
The playoff series these two teams played makes for a great backdrop for the Christmas game, so kudos to the NBA for identifying it and scheduling it. Unfortunately, however, injuries on Golden State’s side may derail a lot of the drama. Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins have been dealing with shoulder and groin issues respectively, though for Memphis, guard Desmond Bane came back from injury just in time for the holidays.
These are big names who likely won’t be playing during Christmas Day and that’s a shame. However, Morant and Brooks should be good to go for the Grizzlies, so there could be some pot stirring there with those two involved if you’re on the hunt for a little naughty on a day full of nice.
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets – 10:30 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE
The late-night game is a good one for those who haven’t passed out from all the turkey and eggnog that will surely be consumed.
Two of the Western Conference’s elite teams will square off in a game that could very well be a preview of the Western Conference Final this season.
The Nuggets are led by two-time defending MVP Nikola Jokic, who is making a case for a third straight with how well both he and his team are playing. Kitchener’s very own Jamal Murray is playing well once again after spending all of last season on the injured list recovering from ACL surgery. Additionally, Michael Porter Jr. — who also missed the majority of last season to injury — and Aaron Gordon have made for a solid frontcourt duo flanking Jokic.
On the other side are the Suns, who aren’t looking quite as mighty as they have in previous years but remain a title threat with Booker playing like an MVP candidate.
The last time these two teams met in late March last season, Booker went off for 49 points, leading Phoenix to a 140-130 win in Denver.
The Nuggets haven’t won a Christmas Day game since 1994 despite playing in five since then.
