Christmas day is a very special occasion for the NBA. The league always produces a praiseworthy slate that features some of the top teams going head-to-head in marquee matchups that usually have significant implications for the rest of the season. One fine example is Sunday's highly-anticipated contest between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jayson Tatum will once again take center stage on Christmas day. This time around, he will share the spotlight with former back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. For his part, Tatum is just living in the moment as he soaks up the significance of these Holiday games:

It means a lot,” Tatum said following Boston’s 121-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden on Friday night, via Greg Dudek of NESN. “Everybody in the NBA is watching Christmas Day as a kid and dreamed of being in that position. It’s become a tradition for me and for us. To be able to play these last six years, it’s a big deal. It’s special.

“Everybody and their families watch basketball all day, so it’s usually the biggest matchups or games everybody wants to see. I’m always looking forward to playing on Christmas. It’s always fun, the energy and the excitement around the day and just all the games in general.”

I see no lies here. The fact that Tatum and the Celtics have become regulars on Christmas day slates speaks volumes of how consistent Boston has been in terms of establishing itself as one of the top contenders in the NBA through the years.

Despite the fact that this has become a bit of a common occurrence thing for Tatum and Co., the 24-year-old still fully appreciates the gravity of these moments:

“I never take that for granted,” Tatum said. “So, looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.”

It goes without saying, however, that Tatum enters these marquee matchups with the objective of coming away with the win. It's going to be a tough test for them on Sunday, though, as they look to fend off the Bucks, who are currently just half a game behind them for the top spot in the East.