Five NBA games take place on Christmas day as the New York Knicks host the Milwaukee Bucks, the Houston Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Philadelphia 76ers hit the road to take on the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers travel north to play the Golden State Warriors, and the Utah Jazz host the Portland Trail Blazers.
With Christmas already less than a month away here’s a brief look at these matchups:
All times Eastern
Bucks at Knicks
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Television: On ESPN – 12:00 Noon
Preview: It was expected to be the battle of Giannis Antetokounmpo against Kristaps Porzingis, but now that the Knicks center will most likely still be out as he recovers from an ACL surgery there is little reason for Knicks fans to watch this game as this is already looking like another lost season. For Bucks fans it will be a good opportunity to gather around with family and friends to watch what could be a rout at Madison Square Garden.
Thunder at Rockets
Venue: Toyota Center
Television: On ABC – 3:00 p.m.
Preview: Despite the Rockets disappointing start to the season this one should be a game worth watching as Russell Westbrook vs James Harden is always an interesting matchup as it could be a playoff preview. This was also supposed to feature Carmelo Anthony taking on OKC, but that will no longer happen because the Rockets decided to part ways with him after losing seven of their first 11 games. Despite Anthony’s absence, the game will have plenty of talent worthy of tuning in with the likes of James Harden, Chris Paul and Paul George taking the court.
Sixers at Celtics
Venue: TD Garden
Television: On ABC – 5:30 p.m.
Preview: If you’re only going to watch one game this Christmas, then this is it. This one is must-see television as two rivals square off in a rematch of the 2017 East Semis. With these two teams full of stars and expected to meet again this year in the postseason this is the match you want to make sure you tune-in to.
Lakers vs. Warriors
Venue: Oracle Arena
Television: On ABC / ESPN – 8:00 p.m.
Preview: LeBron James takes on the Warriors again, this time in a Lakers uniform. Even though the Lakers aren’t yet a real threat to the Warriors, this could tell the Lakers how much they need to improve to compete with Golden State. This matchup could become a classic in a season or two depending who the Lakers bring to play next to James.
Trail Blazers vs. Jazz
Venue: Vivint Smart Arena
Television: On ESPN – 10:30 p.m.
Preview: The Utah Jazz have struggled out of the gate in 2018, but the Blazers are in the midst of the playoff race and should stay there the remainder of the season making this a decent match to watch. Should the Jazz find a way to turn things around in the next four weeks this game could become one of the most interesting of the day as both these teams were expected to be playoff contenders this season.
