NBA: Ranking the Christmas Day games by entertainment value
The NBA recently revealed its Christmas Day slate. As fans decide what games to prioritize, how should the five contests be ranked for entertainment value?
The NBA owns Christmas Day. Not literally, or expansively. But in terms of sports leagues, Christmas Day belongs to the National Basketball Association. The NFL may have Thanksgiving, tennis has the Fourth of July, and college basketball owns the month of March. When it comes to the happiest holiday of them all, the NBA brings amazing to the table.
Their grip on the holiday looked to be in danger this year, as the late finish to the NBA bubble and the rise of COVID-19 cases (and restrictions) nationwide suggested a 2021 start to the season. A confluence of factors, including the potential of losing $500 million, encouraged the league and the players to start in late December, instead — just in time for Christmas.
The first day of December seemed a jolly time to find out about the Christmas Day slate, and ESPN’s NBA news wizard did not disappoint, revealing all five of the contests for our holiday enjoyment:
ESPN Sources: Tentative Christmas Day Schedule pic.twitter.com/MId025HKvB
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 2, 2020
The largest takeaway is that, as things stand, there are no bad games or bad teams taking up space on the schedule. The popularity of teams such as the Chicago Bulls or New York Knicks often made a place for them in the holiday schedule, with no concern for the putrid on-court product they presented.
This year we have been gifted five exceptional games. Eight of the ten teams made the postseason a year ago, and the two exceptions include a two-time MVP in Stephen Curry and rising superstar Zion Williamson. These are no gag gifts; every contest features star power and entertaining storylines.
With Christmas Day often being filled with traditions, family and food, not every fan can watch every minute of NBA basketball. To help out, we have ranked all five games by their entertainment value. Which games should you prioritize, and which ones can you simply leave on muted in the background while you try to put batteries in your daughter’s newest toy? Let’s start in Boston with the debut of a contender.