NBA set for Christmas extravaganza

NBA on Christmas

The NBA is once again set to be the front and center of sporting action on Christmas Day, with the 72nd edition sporting a five-game special that will last the whole day, with the whole world watching, as fans in 215 countries and 46 languages will have the opportunity to see some of the best and brightest show their skills on the basketball court.

In the Philippines, fans will have the chance to watch one of them on local television, with the Clippers vs Lakers matchup on CNN Philippines at 9am LIVE. Also, the Celtics vs Raptors matchup will be shown on the social media platforms of NBA Philippines live at 1am. For League Pass subscribers, all games are accessible to be watched from whatever device you choose to watch it on.

What can we watch from each of the games scheduled?

Celtics at Raptors

• This is the second game the Raptors have played on the holiday and the first at home.
• A lot of the players on both sides will be making their Christmas debuts, including Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam for Toronto, and Kemba Walker for Boston.
• Both teams have overcome the departure of their respective leading scorers with Siakam and Jayson Tatum making their case to be potential All-Stars.
• Expect a defensive battle, with both teams being ranked in the top 5 in Defensive Rating.

Bucks at Sixers

• This is the first Christmas game in Philadelphia since 1988.
• Both head coaches (Mike Budenholzer and Brett Brown) are from the Gregg Popovich coaching tree, having served as Spurs assistants before they were hired to take over head coaching duties elsewhere.
• Tobias Harris was the 19th overall draft pick by the Bucks in 2011. He's now fresh from signing a long-term deal with the Sixers.
• Kyle Korver was the 51st overall draft pick by the Sixers in 2003. He's now with the Bucks, reunited with Budenholzer who coached him with the Atlanta Hawks earlier this decade. The Creighton alum is also one of three remaining players from that fabled draft class still in the league, alongside LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 43-15.7-7.7 in his three regular-season meetings against Milwaukee. The Greek Freak is looking to raise to ante after becoming the Most Valuable Player last season, averaging 31 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks, and shooting 56.6% from the field (34.2% from three-point range) so far.
• Joel Embiid contributed a 34-13-13 triple-double against the Bucks last season, and he is currently putting up 23 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, .9 steals, and 1.4 blocks so far for the Sixers, who are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Rockets at Warriors

• They have met in the postseason in four of the last five seasons, but this is the first time they have met at Christmas.
• James Harden is averaging 38.6 points so far this season and is on pace to be the third-highest scoring average in NBA history.
• Draymond Green (2017) and Russell Westbrook (2013) have netted triple-doubles during Christmas, joining four others who have done the feat on that particular day. In what would be his tenth Christmas Day game, Westbrook has a chance to move up the all-time assists charts during the holiday, as four assists would move him past Dwyane Wade (80) for fourth place and nine assists would move him past Kobe Bryant (85) for third place.
• Only one player on the NBA active roster has a birthday on Christmas: Eric Gordon. The former Sixth Man of the Year winner will be sidelined due to a knee injury, though.
• Golden State may have struggled this season due to the absence of their key cogs that brought them championships, but a couple have stepped in to help try to fill the large hole: D'Angelo Russell was able to put up 52 points in a game last month, while Eric Paschall has been a positive surprise this season. The Villanova alum and the 41st pick in this season's NBA Draft is putting up 15.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in just under 50% shooting for the Warriors.

Clippers at Lakers

• The Clippers are currently 24-5 against their fellow Staples Center tenants since the 2012-13 season, including their 112-102 win on Opening Night.
• The Lakers are a Christmas Day staple. They have been playing on this day for the last 21 seasons., including this upcoming one. They have 23 wins on this day, which is the most amongst any team.
• LeBron James is the league leader in assists at 10.6 per game. He and Anthony Davis are currently questionable to play due to their respective injury knocks (muscle strain in rib for LeBron, right knee for AD).
• James is at the cusp of Christmas Day history if he plays. It would be his 14th Christmas Day game (only Kobe Bryant has more with 16), winning nine of those (only Dwyane Wade has more with ten). He will need to score forty points to move past Oscar Robertson for second place all-time in scoring during Christmas. He would also move past Oscar in field goals made if he makes eight buckets.
• The Clippers will be coming into the game without any injury issues. They are coming off a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder where both Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley sat out.
• Players in this game who have played for both the Lakers and Clippers: Avery Bradley and Jared Dudley for the Lakers and Lou Williams and Ivica Zubac for the Clippers.

Pelicans at Nuggets

• This is the first Christmas game in Denver since 1994.
• Even with their struggles, one of New Orleans' eight wins this season came against the Nuggets, a 122-107 Halloween blowout.
• Along with Westbrook, JJ Redick has played in nine Christmas Day games. Only LeBron James (13) and Udonis Haslem (10) have played in more such games among active players.
• The Nuggets have a template to which the Pelicans emulate their future. Denver's core is predominantly homegrown, with Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray coming through the draft, with veterans like Will Barton and Paul Millsap providing leadership. The Pelicans have a young core centered on this season's top overall draft pick Zion Williamson, alongside the youngsters that comprised the Anthony Davis trade in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart.