After 27 years of existence, the Grizzlies will finally have their first NBA Christmas game, which will see them go up against the defending champs, the Warriors.
Elsewhere, the Knicks, Mavericks, Celtics, and Nuggets are also taking the hardwood, as they’ll host the Sixers, Lakers, Bucks, and the Suns respectively to round out our five-game slate on December 25th.
Christmas Day is always an exciting time to be a basketball fan. So, continue to read on below as SBOTOP previews all of the games on Sunday.
Philadelphia Sixers @ New York Knicks
The Sixers and the Knicks are two of the hottest teams heading into Christmas. Philadelphia are on a seven-game winning streak, whereas the Knicks have won eight straight prior to their ongoing two-game skid.
Despite injuries to their stars, the Sixers managed to stay afloat as they’re now fifth in the East standings with a 19-12 record, whereas the Knicks are right behind them at 18-15 because of their awesome month of December.
Joel Embiid and James Harden continue to put up big numbers and NBA 2022 highlights for Sixers fans to enjoy. During their winning stretch, Embiid averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, while Harden is posting 20.6 points, 12.7 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per contest.
The Knicks are led by the lefty triumvirate of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Jalen Brunson. In their last 10 games, they’ve averaged 26.1, 24.8, and 18.2 points per game respectively.
These two teams last met on November 4 when the Knicks won 106-104 as Joel Embiid and James Harden missed out.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks
The best player of this generation meets his potential heir once again, as LeBron James and the Lakers visit Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
Doncic is fresh from a 50-point outburst against the Rockets, while the ageless James now holds the record for most consecutive games of scoring at least 30 aged 37 or older. Both are having great seasons on an individual level, but their teams aren’t exactly on par.
A victory for either Dallas or LA would improve their NBA 2022 odds for a play-in spot. So far, the Mavs have the upper hand since they’re ninth in the West, while the Lakers are at 13th.
In their eight previous meetings, including their scintillating Christmas matchup back in 2020, Luka Doncic has only won twice against his idol, LeBron James.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics
The Bucks and the Celtics will meet for the first time since their thrilling seven-game series in the ECSF of last season’s playoffs.
These East teams own the two best records in the league. And hopefully, both squads will have a key player returning who was absent during the aforementioned playoff series.
Khris Middleton and Robert Williams III are back this season and they’re expected to make an impact should both of them be available on Sunday.
Middleton is the Bucks’ best perimeter scorer, but he has yet to find his groove with only 11.1 points per game thus far.
Williams III, meanwhile, has been the anchor of the Celtics’ defense, and he has blocked four shots in his first three games this year.
And of course, there’s Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, so this is going to be another compelling matchup.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors
Ja Morant wanted to face the Warriors on Christmas Day in a rematch of the WCSF last season, and now his wish is being granted.
Although this game won’t feature Steph Curry, who’s out for a few weeks due to a shoulder subluxation, this should still be a feisty affair in the Bay given the organic rivalry that has formed between these two sides.
Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will lead the way for the Curry-less Warriors, while Ja Morant is going to be flanked by Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and the now-healthy Desmond Bane.
Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets
This match between the Suns and the Nuggets is arguably the battle between two potential No. 1 seeds in the Western Conference. As of this writing, Denver are the pacesetters, while Phoenix are at the fourth spot.
Nikola Jokic continues to play at an MVP-calibre level, while Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are still integrating themselves after sitting out last season due to injuries. On the other side, Devin Booker is also playing like an All-Star, but he’ll need more consistency from his running mates Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
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