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Let’s rank the NBA’s Christmas day games.
Christmas is the biggest day on the NBA regular season calendar. The league tries to put its biggest stars and best teams in the spotlight with games running from morning to night on national TV. This year’s NBA Christmas day schedule features five games that will each be broadcast on ESPN or ABC. The slate is highlighted by a rematch of the best series from the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
If you haven’t paid attention to the NBA yet this season, there are a few things you need to know: the West is wide open with the reigning champion Warriors tripping out of the starting gates, the Bucks and Celtics are primed for a collision course in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the MVP race features as many as 10 players with a legitimate shot at the award. It really feels like there’s more parity in the NBA this season than ever before.
If you’re a casual basketball fan just starting to tune into the NBA for the season on Christmas, here’s how we’d prioritize the league’s slate of games.
A rematch from the second round of the 2022 playoffs, Grizzlies vs. Warriors should have been a top-2 game on the Christmas schedule this year. Only one problem: Stephen Curry is out with a shoulder injury, and the Warriors’ outlook is pretty bleak without him. Curry is once again playing at an MVP level for Golden State coming off his fourth championship and first Finals MVP award, but the supporting cast around him has diminished. It’s possible the Warriors go from winning the title to missing the play-in tournament entirely. It would be true if the season ended today.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies look poised to make a run for the NBA Finals. Memphis has a superstar in Ja Morant, an emerging defensive force in Jaren Jackson Jr., and lots of depth. Desmond Bane was playing at an All-Star level before a toe injury that will likely keep him out on Christmas, but Memphis looks really good. It’s possible a vintage Klay Thompson game or Jordan Poole going bananas can make this interest — the Warriors are one of the league’s best home teams this year — but the lack of Curry take the juice out of this matchup.
LeBron James vs. Luka Doncic. That’s all you need to know about this matchup.
Unfortunately, that individual matchup is the only thing saving this game. Anthony Davis is hurt again after playing some of the best ball of his career earlier this season. The Lakers’ decision to move Russell Westbrook to the bench has mostly worked out, but the team still has a bottom-three record in the Western Conference. The Mavs are a disappointment in their own right after a run to the conference finals last season. Doncic is incredible, but Dallas hasn’t done enough to surround him with talent. Letting Jalen Brunson walk was a brutal decision, and there simply aren’t enough ball handlers on the roster next to Doncic. Luka vs. LeBron is good enough to keep your attention, but overall this feels like an underwhelming game in a marquee slot.
The first game on Christmas could be a playoff preview in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia 76ers have come on strong in Dec. to finally start playing like the team many expected to make a serious run at the NBA Finals in the preseason. The Knicks have been even better this month, using an eight-game winning streak to rise up the conference standings and put themselves in playoff position. This should be a physical game between two solid teams with enough starpower to keep casual audiences interested.
Joel Embiid is an MVP candidate once again for the Sixers. Teammate James Harden is no longer one of the league’s best scorers, but he’s still averaging more than 10 assists per game and has done a nice job running the team as a point guard. Tobias Harris is having another solid campaign, and Philly’s improved depth is starting to show. Meanwhile, the Knicks made a great signing to steal Jalen Brunson away from Dallas, and they’re a major bounce-back season from Julius Randle. Both these teams are playing great ball right now, and that should make for a fun early afternoon tilt.
With the West seemingly wide open, both the Suns and Nuggets have a realistic shot at an NBA Finals berth. That’s nothing new for Phoenix, of course, who came two wins away from the championship in 2021. Devin Booker has somehow gotten even better since then, turning into one of the league’s truly great three-level scorers. Chris Paul is slowing down a bit at age-37, but he’s still as savvy as anyone in the league and an excellent mid-range scorer. Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton are still here too, and the result is a team that ranks in the top-10 of both offensive and defensive efficiency.
Everything with the Nuggets revolves around Nikola Jokic. The star center is the two-time reigning MVP, and is putting up a strong case to win the award for the third straight time this season. Jokic is the best big man passer ever, and can dial up a 30+ point scoring game whenever he needs to. Denver’s support cast is healthier this year, and has added some tough defensive wings in Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Right now, I’d say the Nuggets and Grizzlies are two favorites to come out of the West. If you haven’t seen enough Jokic yet, this is your chance.
1. Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics, 4 p.m. ET
The Bucks and Celtics played the best series of the 2022 NBA Playoffs with an epic second round showdown that saw Boston advance in seven games. Milwaukee didn’t have star wing Khris Middleton for that series, but he’s back from injury this season and the Bucks are again looking like a force. Giannis Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player in the world, a monster on both ends of the floor who plays with maximum effort and intensity on every possession. Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez make up a veteran supporting cast around Giannis that can defends like crazy and has some tough shot-making ability.
The Celtics are even better than last year after coming two wins away from the title. Boston’s offense is operating at historic levels this season, and the defense is on the come-up with Robert Williams III back from injury. Jayson Tatum is a leading MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown keeps getting better, and the supporting cast has been shooting the lights out. The Celtics have been struggling a bit lately, losing five of six as they try to integrate Williams back in the lineup from injury, but these are still the top two teams in the NBA by record.
The Bucks and Celtics feel like the two best teams in the NBA, but they can’t meet in the Finals. It would be a huge shock if this isn’t an Eastern Conference Finals preview.
