When the 2019/20 NBA season ended in October, it didn’t seem likely that we’d see another NBA game played until some time in the new year, perhaps even as late as February or March. But the league accelerated its plans for the 2020/21 regular season in the fall, ensuring that an annual tradition was preserved: the five-game Christmas Day slate.
Today’s schedule is as follows:
- New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat (11:00am central time)
- Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks (1:30pm CT)
- Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (4:00pm CT)
- Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers (7:00pm CT)
- Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (9:30pm CT)
A couple of these matchups look even more tantalizing today than they did a week ago. The Pelicans, for instance, looked awfully impressive in their opening-night game against Toronto on Wednesday and will be going up against the defending Eastern champion Heat, who are hungry for their first win of the season.
A Stephen Curry/Giannis Antetokounmpo showdown between the Warriors and Bucks will be followed by a matchup of two potential Eastern Conference contenders who looked great on opening night, the Nets and Celtics.
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks and LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers will all be looking for their first win of the season in the evening.
And the night is capped off with a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the Clippers visiting Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Nuggets.
Which game are you most looking forward to watch today? Which five teams are you picking to win the Christmas Day games? Use the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and make your predictions!
Pels, Bucks, Celtics, Lakers, Nuggets
Heat, Bucks, Nets, Lakers, Clippers
I’m on board with mnsportsfan’s picks, though I’ll be cheering for the Mavs and Nuggets to pull upsets.
Absolutely same here deathbydeathwest
Maybe the Warriors can pull the upset? Or maybe not embarrass themselves on national TV and somehow manage to lose by less than 20-30 points.
The only team the injury Warriors can beat is Rockets and Harden mvp
Do you remember last Christmas?
@harden (mvp),wall, and wood STOP TROLLING ITS ANNOYING
Being that they have only played like a week together, and no Draymond = Giannis running wild, other than Steph going nuclear there is zero chance the Warriors lose by less than 10. They are going to get destroyed today, no argument there.
The Warriors are going to start the year 5-10, then gel once they actually get more than like 0 minutes of playing time together. When Draymond gets back they will get the spacing they missed vs BK.
Stop making Warriors comments please. You are not wanted. You speak no truths. Just trolling and nothing else.
Warriors also have the toughest 1/2 schedule so they will rebound the second half. Play Nets and Bucks away to start the new year is a 0-2 start for most teams.
@arc89 strongly agreed. This first month will be the transition from bad last year and no Steph, to the new, Curry/Wiseman era.
Has twitter made “CURRY/WISEMAN 2021” shirts yet? haha
Warriors also still have Klay’s $9.3 million exception. They will add a veteran mid-season so it like getting a $18.6 million veteran at half price.
I’m sorry if the Warriors are terrible, it’s not my fault.
So sweet still bitter about your Rockets never winning a championship during the warriors dynasty years. Now the Rockets boat has sunk.
harden (mvp),wall, and wood Warriors performance still not as embarrassing as Harden’s antics in Houston right now. You really need to stop trying to troll any article involving GS, there’s just too much ammo to shoot you Rockets fans down with these days.
losing by 40 making anyone feel better?
dunker45 was right about GSW… Wiseman is already effective, GSW not. Wiseman was awkward at times, but his effort at his height was remarkable, including a quick deep back-bend. No stiff is he!
Pels.warriors.nets.Mavs.nuggets
Heat, Bucks, Nets, Lakers and Nuggets.
It’s just as well they didn’t schedule a game today for the Rockets.
But they will next year against one of the other top Western contenders.
Why don’t you put on last Christmas Day’s game, where Draymond and some guys from the Y destroyed the Harden, Westbrook MVPs?
Heat, Bucks, Nets, Lakers and Clippers
Pulling for Wiseman and Steph today but the Warriors are a mess til Draymond appears and makes Wiggins, Looney and Oubre terrified of playing badly in front of him.
I went 5/5 and nailed the bonus, who else on my level?
Early reaction:
Glad to see the Pels are who I thought they were. The Heat are really good, but this is a route already.
Zion doesn’t look constantly injured like he did all of last season when he was on the floor, which is awesome.
Bam picks up an early nomination for over-dramatic dive of the season, and Tyler is still my Herro.
Merry Xmas basketball world!
What a terrible lineup of X-mas games. Warriors lose by 39 points, Celtics lose at home by 28, Mavs lose by 23. At least next year will be better with Houston.
Houston got destroyed by GSW with Draymond and no one else last Christmas, they are going to lose by 40 next year. All Rockets Are Chokers. You picked the dumbest possible team to be a homer of.