The NBA's Christmas Day slate of games has turned into a holiday staple for basketball fans, rivaling the traditional NFL Thanksgiving matchups in cheer.
The Association released their latest promotion for the five-game Christmas action, featuring a song from recording artist and former Fifth Harmony member Normani called “Ballin' in a Christmas Wonderland.”
The NBA Christmas Day games start with a noon Eastern matchup between the reigning champion Toronto Raptors and Atlantic Division rival Boston Celtics. Both teams are currently in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Veteran wing Gordon Hayward is back from a fractured hand, which sidelined him for four weeks.
Next are two teams that fell to the Raptors in the 2019 playoffs: the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. Sixers point-forward Ben Simmons has been really playing well of late. However, the Bucks have one of the most efficient offenses in the league along with the best defense under head coach Mike Budenholzer and led on the floor by reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As the west coast awakens on Christmas Day, the next nationally televised matchup is the Houston Rockets at the Golden State Warriors. This might be the worst tilt, unfortunately, due to the Dubs' slew of injuries making them the worst team in the NBA at the moment.
The best matchup of the holiday will be the battle of the two Los Angeles teams, the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. This should be a full-strength affair since Paul George missed the season-opening bout back in October.
And lastly, Christmas night is wrapped up with the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets, which could finally feature prize rookie and first overall pick Zion Williamson, who hasn't taken the floor during the regular season yet due to a meniscus tear and subsequent surgery and recovery.
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