When it comes to holidays, a staple for some people are the sports that occur on that day. On Thanksgiving, there are NFL games. On New Year’s Eve, fans watch the College Football Playoffs. Easter means watching March Madness.
When it comes to Christmas, it seems like the NBA has taken over.
The NBA is the only sport to host games on Christmas all day, starting at noon and having the last game beginning at 10:30 p.m. The games are scheduled at the start of the season, with the goal being to have some of the best teams face off against each other. But this year’s games have some easily predictable outcomes.
The Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers has been a staple of the league for years, going back to the Magic versus Bird era.
— Jacob Staley
The first game of the day is the Milwaukee Bucks facing the New York Knicks. The Bucks just are the superior team in this matchup with Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokumpo. Jalen Brunson has looked great and Julius Randle has picked it up, but it won’t be enough against the Bucks.
The second game is the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets. With Father Time catching up to the Warriors, this game just looks like it will overwhelm them. The Nuggets are the returning champions and have still improved from last year as they look to repeat with Nikola Jokic as their leader.
The third game is a flashback to a rivalry that started several decades ago. The Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers has been a staple of the league for years, going back to the Magic versus Bird era. The Celtics, with their deep roster and superstar Jayson Tatum leading the way, should have a hold on this game all night. New acquisitions Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday will play key parts in a Christmas win for the Celtics.
The fourth game is the 76ers facing off against the Miami Heat. After a slow start and 76ers trading away James Harden, they have found their way back towards the top of the East. Tyrese Maxey has looked great so far and will be key in a win for the 76ers.
The final game on Christmas night is between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns. Going into the year, the Suns looked like one of the best teams ever, but injuries have held them back. With the Mavericks looking a lot better than last year with help from acquisition Grant Williams on defense, they look to steal this game away and get one up on the Suns for the season.
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