Christmas is the coolest day on the NBA’s regular-season schedule, but it’s especially important for the 2020-21 season. With the season starting on December 22, two months later than usual, Christmas Day will serve as a kind of opening ceremony of the season, and as such, the league has emphasized the holiday with some of its biggest matchups. The following five games have been selected for Christmas, According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The full schedule of the league has not been announced yet. The schedule for the first part of the season is expected to be announced soon, but in the second half, NVAA will have to wait a little longer to make the missed games due to COVID-19. A separate slate of marquee games is expected for the start of the night on December 22, and a month later, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19), the league usually offers a full day of games with many meaningful matchups.
But with Christmas playing like any other opening day, the league needed to nurture the matchups on board to help fans get to basketball faster after last season’s conclusion. They have done so with this slate, matching the boat fittings of all four conference finalists, two returning contenders and superstars from last season in a single day in the last lander. Here is the ranking of all five of our games.
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks
No, it’s not the game we expected. The Lakers-Clippers Part V will probably be their second consecutive opening night tilt rather than another Christmas duel, and with the Miami Heat largely starting the season at home, it will be a while before the NBA gives fans a rematch of the finals. It should suit the audience to watch. The Lakers vs. Mavericks is still the best basketball game on board.
The Lakers took their four bouts with the Mavericks last season, including a controversial November game that went overtime after officials missed a clear illegal screen on Dwight Howard that set Danny Green’s game-building shot. The description is simple enough to sell. LeBron James, after receiving his fourth Finals MVP award, is once again the undisputed best player in the NBA. Luca Dnick is MVP’s favorite over obstacles, but also LeBron’s favorite to take the throne. This will be the first attempt to do so this season. It will not be his last.
2. Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Net
If not for Covid-19, this will get the top spot. But alas, despite limiting attendance in many areas or banning fans altogether, Carrie Irving has managed to quell the anger of Boston fans once again. Luckily, he’s no longer Brooklyn’s headliner. All eyes are on Kevin Durant as he returns from a torn Achilles tendon that cost him the 2019-20 season. All reports of anyone who has seen him work and play pickup games have been positive, but none match the intensity of the actual NBA game. This will probably be his second, with the expectation of playing a major part in the Brooklyn NBA’s early night lineup as well.
In it, he will face an NBA player who closely matches his playing style. Jason Tatum isn’t at Durant’s level yet, but he saw the MVP potential as a tough shotmaker last season. Gordon went to Hayward and struggled with Kemba Waker’s injury, this will be Tatum’s team from the start. Which could make the season one of the best scorers in the duel.
3. Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers
The rivalry between Irving and Boston fans will probably be off, but there is bad blood between the Clippers and the Nuggets and it is very ongoing. The Clippers are still treating their own lead-1 lead wound, and further Jamyachal Leela reduced the Clippers a bit by signing with Nuggets and appreciating Denver’s heart and fighting spirit.
The Clippers believe they have broken the Nicola Jokic code by signing Serge Ibaka. The Nuggets lost two important elements of their discomfort, Jeremy Grant and Mason Plumley. On paper, he would pick clippers in the game. But, well, if you think that means you don’t have to watch it, you clearly don’t remember the last time Clippers were a favorite against Nuggets.
4. Miami Heat vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The invisible force meets the immovable object. In one corner is Zion Williamson, the most effective rookie scorer in NBA history, with a 280-pound pogo stick that could end up on the basket in front of anyone. In the other corner are Balm Adebayo, the one-year candidate’s defensive player and the bubble’s breakout stars. The appeal is clear. If Williamson’s pressure to become the face of the NBA is going to get any ground this season, the defense is likely to beat the Eastern Conference champions and their star defender at the bottom of their home. The right place to start.
The damage here is twofold. We all remember what happened last year when Pelican was put on national TV at every opportunity by the league only to see Williamson miss out on those different injuries in those different games. Judging by his track record, he will definitely know if he is playing until the game is tip-toed. What if it sits? This is a dude. Even if he plays, there is not exactly a rivalry between these two teams. They don’t even play in a single conference. It’s hardly a prerequisite for a Christmas Day basketball, but a little narrative interest never hurts.
5. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors
What if Clay Thompson was healthy? The potential final preview should be on our hands. Instead, we probably don’t have a match. We saw the accepted thinner version of the season rears try their hand at clay-less basketball at last season. It didn’t go particularly well, as the Warriors were outscored by 47 points in the first four games of the season before Stephen Curry went down with an injury. This year’s squad will be better, but is it better to hang out with regular-season two-time champion players on their home court? Probably not.
But hey, it’s not every day that you see two two-time MVPs sharing a floor. The brawl between Curry and Genius Antatook oun Nmpo will create some social media buzz before and after a certain game. The No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman, will probably play in his second NBA game, and Jru Holiday will play in the same way as his second game as a Milwaukee Buck. Here are the storylines for sleeping even if the bucks run away with the game as soon as possible.
