The league has announced their 2019 NBA Christmas Day schedule and it looks like another fun day for some great basketball. Christmas day is probably the most important and exciting day in the regular season when the NBA introduces a lot of rivalries and key match-ups. In years past, they had players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry starring on Christmas day. Seven of the ten teams featured this year have traded for an All-Star or have a future All-Star. This year’s Christmas Day slate will not disappoint.
2019 NBA Christmas Day Schedule
Celtics vs. Raptors
The Boston Celtics will face off against the defending champion Toronto Raptors. The NBA missed the opportunity to have this game last year on Christmas Day when Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard were on these two teams but it’s still going to be an exciting one. The Celtics might have lost Irving but they gained another star in Kemba Walker. They still have a rising star in Jayson Tatum and the pieces around them. The Raptors didn’t gain but they still feel that that can do without Leonard and still win. It will be interesting if that will be true.
Pelicans vs. Nuggets
This might not be a sexy pick but if you take a look at who is playing, then this will be a very intriguing match-up. The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Zion Williamson with the number one overall pick. Everyone is waiting for the debut of Williamson in the NBA and putting him in the spotlight on Christmas Day is a great way for people to see him. He won’t be the only one in the spotlight though. The Denver Nuggets have a rising star in this league in Nikola Jokic. Seeing these two against each other will be a treat.
Bucks vs. Sixers
This match-up is likely to be a Western Conference Finals preview. These two teams are on the rise and are here to stay for a while. The Milwaukee Bucks, led by star Giannis Antetokounmpo, had the best record in the whole NBA last season. They signed Brook Lopez to reunite him and Robin Lopez. The Philadelphia 76ers finished third in the East last season. They have a good team Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and they added big man Al Horford to the mix. This game will be good on both sides of the ball. Both have offense but the defense is really good as well.
Rockets vs. Warriors
These two teams have fought for first place in the East for a few years now and it will be the same. It will be tougher though as a lot of teams in the West have got better. The Golden State Warriors are featured on Christmas day because they are the Warriors but it won’t be like in years past. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. They also won’t have Klay Thompson until after the All-Star break due to a torn ACL. They will still have Steph Curry and Draymond Green out there and they added D’Angelo Russell. Even though they lost players, they still have plenty of stars to trot out there.
The Houston Rockets will be a very interesting team this season. They made a huge traded in the off-season. They traded Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Russell Westbrook and draft picks. Many wonder if James Harden and Westbrook can work together but both think they can. They both are best of friends and they already played together in OKC. They are returning just about all of their players barring another trade. This game will be one of the most exciting.
Lakers vs. Clippers
These two teams are an obvious choice for Christmas day. These two added stars or already had stars. The Los Angeles Lakers already had LeBron James but they added guys like Anthony Davis, Danny Green, and DeMarcus Cousins. LeBron James is a focal point like every year he is playing on Christmas but he isn’t the only focal point.
The Los Angeles Clippers added Kawhi Leonard which was the biggest story of the offseason. Days later, the Clippers traded for Paul George to have one of the best defensive duos in the league if not the best. Leonard and George have pieces around them as James and Davis have. The Clippers already have a defensive presence with their two stars but another. They have Patrick Beverley who is on top of the offensive player every time. They also have Lou Williams who has carried this team since he has been there. With a diminished role, he will be very effective yet again. This battle of L.A will be one for the ages.
Final Thoughts
This off-season was one of the best in history. Stars moved and teams got better. The NBA for a few years was top-heavy and was filled with the super team. Now the NBA is more balanced and now have a lot of dynamic duos like James-Davis, Harden-Westbrook, and Leonard-George. The regular season is fun but it isn’t as exciting as it could be but this season will be different. Fans are excited to see these newly formed teams in action. Christmas day will be the center of the action.
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