NBA Christmas Day Preview

The most anticipated day of the NBA regular season is upon us, with a great slate of games on Christmas Day as usual. The usual suspects in the Warriors, Thunder, and Knicks are all in action once again in what should be another memorable Christmas Day in the NBA. Here's a preview of all the action coming up:

New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks

The odd game of this lot really. There are people wondering how this game entered the fold and the answer is that the Knicks almost always play on Christmas. The Knicks have played the most games on Christmas and are 22-30 all time. You can expect another L to that record and there is some bad blood involved to add some spice to the matchup. In their last encounter, Mario Hezonja walked over Giannis Antetokounmpo after a dunk which led to the Greek Freak signalling that retaliation will be on his mind the next time they meet in the form of a punch below the belt. Giannis didn't exactly back down from those comments, but there is a chance Hezonja doesn't play tonight, but I sure hope he does.

As for the game itself, the Bucks are coming into this matchup on the back of a disappointing loss to the Heat and Giannis had his worst game of the season, scoring only 9 points and he would be gunning to get back on track against the lowly Knicks. As far as the Knicks are concerned, they come into this one having lost 4 straight having lost to the likes of the Suns and Hawks. I'd expect a comfortable win for the Bucks who would be looking for revenge, not just for Giannis, but also for that loss to New York on December 1st. Don't expect the Bucks to hand the Knicks another win as Christmas present.

Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder

The Rockets and Thunder meet again on Christmas Day, but with a very different outlook as compared to this time last season. This time last year, the Rockets were on a roll after adding Chris Paul, while the Thunder were still trying to figure things out with Carmelo Anthony and Paul George in the lineup. Now, it's the Rockets who are struggling, barely staying afloat thanks to James Harden and things are going to get tougher with CP3 out injured. Meanwhile, for the Thunder, Carmelo is gone and Paul George has taken over the team as they sit 3rd in the West.

Houston comes into this one after a win over San Antonio which was their 1st win in 6 games without Chris Paul in the lineup while OKC lost the 2nd of a back to back against the Timberwolves. New addition Austin Rivers is expected to play against OKC, to provide some much-needed backcourt support to the Rockets, but I still see the Thunder winning this one relatively easily.

Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers

A matchup between two teams who were supposed to take that next step this season but haven't quite been able to live up to those expectations. The Sixers are doing better since the Jimmy Butler trade and are currently tied for 3rd in the East while the Celtics are 5th. Touted as the defining rivalry of the East for the years to come, Boston has won 5 out of 6 against Philly, but those wins came without Jimmy Butler and he has had a big impact on the Sixers who are coming off a win over the East-leading Raptors. Sixers coach Brett Brown stated that they now have the best starting lineup in the NBA and they'll get a chance to prove it on the national stage. As for the Celtics, there are issues. They come into this one after beating Charlotte, but that win was preceded by 3 straight losses that led to a couple of team meetings which Coach Stevens said went well. With some tension around the Celtics right now and with the Sixers on a roll, I'd go for the upset, a close hard fought win for Philly.

Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers

The Main Event on Christmas and the matchup we are all looking forward to, as the Lakers led by LeBron James take on the Golden State Warriors. We usually have the two teams who made it to the NBA Finals playing against each other on Christmas, but the NBA decided that it should be LeBron and the Lakers facing the Warriors and not the lowly Cavs. James will face the Warriors for the 4th year in a row and has managed to win one of the previous encounters. Last year, Golden State won despite Steph Curry's absence thanks to Kevin Durant getting it done on both ends of the floor. They do have Curry this time and he's coming off a 42 Point night in a close win over the Clippers. The Lakers, on the other hand, are stumbling and have lost 3 out of their last 4, most recently losing to the Grizzlies who were on a 5 game losing streak. Considering the circumstances I'd have to go with a Warriors win in Oracle, but expect James to ball out like he always does against Golden State.

Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers

The Jazz have been one of the biggest disappointments so far this season and it's pretty easy to explain why. They were the best defense in the league last time around and had a wrecking ball in Donovan Mitchell, but none of it has translated to this season. They're middle of the pack in terms of defense and Mitchell's efficiency has dipped big time, so it's not a surprise that they're in the doldrums. The Blazers meanwhile continue to be solid and are currently tied for the 4th seed in the West. They are coming off an OT win over the slumping Mavericks and will be looking to avenge their blowout loss to the Jazz a few days back. That win for Utah along with their win over Golden State a week back was looked as a potential turning point, but they lost a close one to the Thunder which stymied their momentum. I'd expect the Blazers to get revenge for their previous loss, as it was their only one in their last 5 games and come away with a victory to close out Christmas Day.