The NBA season never stops here at Hoops Rumors, but a lot of casual fans don’t start following the league until Christmas Day. That means their first taste of the 2018/19 campaign was watching the Knicks get steamrolled by Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Yikes! Luckily, there were no hockey games for them to switch to.
Things got better for those who stayed around. James Harden took down Russell Westbrook and Paul George in a Western Conference battle, then the Celtics and Sixers followed with an overtime thriller. The Lakers put on an impressive performance in taking down the two-time defending champions, then the Jazz capped off the night by beating the Trail Blazers.
It was an impressive 13-hour Christmas showcase featuring many of the league’s best players, but there were still a few things missing. Like the Raptors, who arrived at Christmas with the league’s best record. And the Nuggets, who boast the best mark in the West. Also nowhere in sight were the Pacers (22-12 and third in the East) or the Clippers (19-14 and fifth in the West).
We understand the league office can’t predict everything when the schedule is being formulated in mid-summer, but Toronto seems like an egregious omission. After the trade that brought Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors, it seemed like the NBA office missed an easy way to score some holiday points with the TV audience north of the border. Instead, many Toronto fans spent the day complaining about the slight on social media.
We want to get your opinion on this year’s Yuletide selections. Were there other teams or players you would have preferred to see? Is it time to end the tradition of scheduling the Knicks on Christmas Day until they get good again? Should the Nets replace them to keep the New York audience? Is five straight games too many for one day? Or maybe too few? Please leave your responses and any other suggestions in the space below.
Canadians don’t even celebrate Christmas they celebrate Boxing Day, which was today. And the Raptors played today so I don’t see the problem. If anything they should be thanking the NBA for accommodating them!
:)
As Boxing Day is celebrated in Canada by exchanging presents they still celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day….. it is a religious holiday not a national one. So all Christians in Canada celebrate Christmas a little different by reflecting on the actual religious part of the holiday on Christmas Day and exchanging presents on Boxing Day
I was born in Canada and we exchanged gifts Christmas Eve. Lots of fun.. and then when I asked my mom why do they call the 26th boxing day, she said because it’s time to pack up all the boxes from the gifts. That’s how it was explained to me and I lived there.
I think Christmas day was still the present day… we just did it the night before. I think a small percentage of families did it Christmas eve.
This might be the stupidest thing I have ever read.
Lakers had no business playing. The jazz were questionable to be playing as was milwaukee. Should of been the top teams from last year.l, or marquee matchups. Only decent game was rockets and thunder.
???? The jazz had the same record as the thunder last year
So you’re saying you’d rather the Cavs play the Warriors because they were one of the best teams last year? Obviously, the best “team” in this case was LeBron and he wears purple and gold so that’s why they played the Lakers.
*played the Warriors
3 games on Xmas eve 3 games on Xmas. 5 in one day is crazy.
I actually love the Christmas Day schedule. I love it… one game right after another starting in the morning.
It’s the one day NBA fans get of all day basketball. I love it.
I would have like to see AD, Jokic & KAT instead of teams like the Knicks or Jazz. But it really is a special day for fans, great games, Giannis & Embiid were absolute beasts. Lakers Lebronless demolishing GSW was a highlight of the season… Good day it was!
Listening to Chauncey Billups for that long (NYK/MIL) made me happy he turned down the Cavs. Not fair I know, not his regular job.
The Canadians have a point, and good idea about replacing NYK with NYK*or*BRK. That is only fair also, as well as making the matchups better.
It’s not too much basketball, just all bunched up.
How about The 12 Games Of Christmas– 5 on the day, then a week’s worth of 7pm games! The networks (or just ABC) are not taking advantage of holidays days off for some folks. ESPN is sure making hay with bowl games.
Hey geniuses, Canada celebrates Christmas just the same as Americans. Gifts are given on Christmas Day, Boxing Day is an English holiday that we just carried forward as an extra day off.
Got some Christians up there eh. And some FINE lady Olympians!
Here in America, we get a day off before Christmas for Gift Boxing Day.