The NBA’s annual Christmas menu has been released. No expense was spared.
A full day’s worth of meatloaf, cranberry slices, Brussels sprouts, eggnog, and fruitcake. I’m full.
enjoy.
Even better, get the NBA Cup and the bottoms.
In fact, bottom-up seems to be an unfamiliar concept to NBA schedulers.
Want to enjoy some fun holiday matches? How about a team that had a fun first third of the season?
Like the Cavaliers, Thunder, Grizzlies, and Rockets.
Even the Pacers and Hawks have seen their heart rate accelerate recently.
Same goes for LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Paul George, and Kevin Durant, but for different reasons.
Oh, it’s Christmas so we should all eat together. So here’s how we rank the five nationally televised games on a rigorous, easy-to-understand basis.
1. Spurs vs. Knicks
Here are cranberry slices. At least there’s some juice. Lou Alcindor vs. Elvin Hayes. Except for the 3-point line. Can you imagine John Wooden’s reaction when he saw the towering Alcindor Bomb eight feet away? Guy Lewis instructed the powerful Hayes to anchor near the sideline to space the defense. I wonder?
It became a game. And I must say that you can enjoy it in small quantities. Wenbanyama is the new LeBron-It will be an unstoppable force for the next few decades. He needs games like this to imprint upon himself the national mindset. Thankfully, Santa gets to work early in the West. The day’s best basketball tips off at 9 a.m.
2. 76ers vs. Celtics
November 8, 2023. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Required Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images This card depicts two regional rivalries that were once interesting but rarely return to their glory days. The 76ers seem to have found a winning formula, and this is one. Now, let’s see if the NBA cites office closures during the holidays when announcing Joel Embiid’s suspension one game late.
There are few players in the NBA as polarizing as Jayson Tatum. You either adore his son or hate his sense of entitlement. You’re going to be focusing on Tatum’s defense in this game. He is given the easiest assignments, 8 rebounds fall into his lap because no one is guarding him, and when he struggles offensively, broadcasters say he is under bright lights. will let us know, as he always does, that “He’s doing all the little things.” And his son will get more airtime than Taylor Swift.
3. Lakers vs. Warriors
October 25, 2024. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Required Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images LeBron vs. Curry used to be must-see on TV. Given its premium position within this lineup, clearly some advertisers must think that’s still the case.
But let’s be honest…if this game was on December 26th, they’d probably both be given an old man’s day off. LeBron has played through pain in recent games to prove his greatness. Curry…well, the guy who thought it was a great idea to take him off the ball doesn’t understand the first rule of defense. It’s easier to guard a player without the ball than a player with the ball. Tatum’s Law.
4. Nuggets vs. Suns
December 13, 2024. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and forward Royce O’Neal (00) react to a play during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Required Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images This game would have been rated higher if it weren’t for two major flaws, each of which were predictable a long time ago. First of all, this is a rematch of a match that took place on another site two nights ago, so I was there and got it done. Still, it won’t be difficult to improve from a 117-90 blowout loss.
And second, injuries on a team that always has injuries means that at least one potential player (Devin Booker) will be out, and likely a second (Jamal Murray) as well. That relegates this game to an exciting matchup between teams with more depth than the University of Arizona football team the day the portal opened. Fittingly, the Grand Canyon State is hosting its last Christmas pajama party.
5. Timberwolves vs. Mavericks
December 23, 2024. Dallas, Texas, USA. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates during the second half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at American Airlines Center. Required credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Where’s the flex schedule when you need it?The Timberwolves play the worst basketball in the NBA north of the Big Easy. Did you know the Mississippi River connects Minneapolis and New Orleans? – They’ve lost their last three games to the Knicks, Warriors, and Hawks by a total of about 100 points. Not the type of team you want to introduce.
Sure, the Mavericks have Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. But is it really so? Doncic is returning from injury, which makes him the top candidate for rest this night. At the same time, expect Irving and Thompson to see more than performance. Look at Olivier-Maxence Prosper. Or don’t. Fresh fruitcake can be very underrated, especially after meatloaf. or not.
