Dec 25, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (left) reacts as Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (right) looks on in the first half of a NBA basketball game on Christmas at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA’s big Christmas slate is just around the corner. Which matchups are must-see and which offer the best individual matchups?
It is quite possibly the most exciting day on the calendar of the NBA regular season.
And what better way to celebrate Christmas than to sit down and watch five NBA games that have been conveniently scheduled so you can watch all five of them live.
But not everyone has the time on Christmas Day to watch all five marquee matchups. That’s why I’m here – to break down the games, from worst to first, so you can decide what game to watch if you’re strapped for time.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the Christmas Day slate of games…
Nov 11, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) controls the ball while New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) defends during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
5. Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (12:00 PM ET)Matchup To Watch: Isaiah Thomas vs Derrick RoseWhen two of the biggest franchises in the NBA are probably the least exciting Christmas Day matchup, that’s a pretty good sign. Just because the Celtics-Knicks clash isn’t the best game for viewing on the big day doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a watch.Boston and New York have been middle-tier teams in the East so far. Both be looking to gain a leg up in the standings in this game.The individual matchup to watch will be Isaiah Thomas vs Derrick Rose – Thomas has been on a tear all season and if Rose gets his groove going, this point guard duel will be quite the load of fun to enjoy whilst enjoying a Christmas lunch.Next: No. 4
4. Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 PM ET)Matchup To Watch: Chris Paul vs D’Angelo RussellThe latest game on the slate is the annual matchup between the crosstown “rivals” in Los Angeles.Now maybe if the Lakers hadn’t fallen off a cliff in recent games, this could be a more interesting matchup. This game drew its appeal last year because Kobe Bryant was to play in his final Christmas Day game.This time around, NBA fans were hoping for a legitimate contest between one of the best teams in the league and one of the best teams in league history that were on the rise once again.Seems like we might have to wait another year to see that happen. But, because it’s LA and there is somewhat of a “rivalry” between the teams, it should be somewhat enjoyable.At least we can all watch another intriguing point guard matchup, this time between the veteran Chris Paul and the sophomore D’Angelo Russell.Next: No. 3 Dec 8, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago defeated San Antonio 95-91. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
3. Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs (5:00 PM ET)Matchup To Watch: Jimmy Butler vs Kawhi LeonardThis otherwise mediocre matchup is helped by the potentially epic Christmas Day contest between Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.Most would argue that Leonard asserted himself as a superstar in the NBA last season. Butler has more than likely joined that elite tier this season.For nothing more than the matchup of these two perimeter stars, this game should be very entertaining.Having other big and notable names like Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo and LaMarcus Aldridge should only improve the appeal of this game.Any NBA fan who loves marquee player matchups can’t go wrong by picking this Chicago-San Antonio game.Next: No. 2 Nov 5, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
2. Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 PM ET)Matchup To Watch: Karl-Anthony Towns vs Steven AdamsThe Minnesota Timberwolves may not be who most expected them to be this season. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are still one of the youngest and brightest teams in the Association.This will be the first Christmas Day game of many for the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine and who better to compete against than Russell Westbrook and his Oklahoma City Thunder.Westbrook has been putting up monstrous stats all season long and fans should be excited to see what he’s saved for one of the best days in the NBA calendar.In terms of individual matchups, we’re all going to get the chance to see two of the youngest and most talented centers battle it out down low. While Towns certainly has the greater potential, Adams has already shown in his short career that he can perform when it counts in the playoffs.Whether you’re a fan of the Timberwolves young core, allured to the mystique of Russell Westbrook or just a fan of basketball, then this game is nearly as good as it gets.Nearly.Next: No. 1 Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) stares at Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the fourth quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 115-101. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
1. Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (2:30 PM ET)Matchup To Watch: Kevin Durant vs LeBron JamesI mean, c’mon!This is the most anticipated game of the regular season (excluding Kevin Durant’s eventual return to OKC). We all know what happened the last time these two teams matched up.Things have only heated up since then.More from Sir Charles In ChargeNBA: The Evolution Of Three-Point Shooting21h agoNBA Trade Rumors: 5 Fun Hypothetical DeMarcus Cousins Trades1 d agoNBA Rumors: Cavs’ J.R. Smith To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Thumb Injury1 d agoNBA Rumors: Wizards, Pelicans Interested In Will Barton1 d agoNBA: What Each Western Conference Team Needs For Christmas2d agoFor one, the Warriors have added this guy named Kevin Durant to their roster and he’s pretty good. In fact, he won an MVP a few seasons ago.That means the Warriors possess the players that have held up the last three Maurice Podoloff Trophies.Oh, but the Cavaliers are the reigning champions and they overcame a 3-1 lead against the Warriors to get there and they also have this really good basketball player named LeBron James who tore apart the Warriors for three straight games in the 2016 NBA Finals.This guy LeBron has almost always outplayed Durant in the past. As two of the top five players in the league, their matchups never fail to appease NBA audiences.There’s not much else to say apart from this – if you are unfortunate enough to be only able to watch one NBA game this Christmas, you better make sure that it’s this one.Because it really doesn’t get better than this.Must Read: What Each NBA West Team Needs This ChristmasAgree? Disagree? Leave your opinions in the comments section below!This article originally appeared on
