Miami Heat Jimmy Butler (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
We seem to know which teams will be facing off for the NBA’s Christmas day slate and none are likely to lack in the theatrics we’ve all come to expect.
As if the start of training camp wasn’t enough of a reason to get excited about the upcoming 2020-21 season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski gave fans an early Christmas present by releasing the tentative schedule for the NBA’s premier regular-season date.
It’s quite strange to receive this news so close to showtime when its anticipation is typically used to send a jolt through what is an otherwise lifeless August NBA news cycle. Even weirder that this Christmas will nearly serve as the starting point for this upcoming season instead of the traditional quarter mark it holds in a normal timeline. Such is the result of circumstances that warrant such drastic changes.
Though an argument could be made for the new-look Phoenix Suns or the traditionally disrespected Toronto Raptors to make the cut, it’s hard to hold much resentment towards the 10 teams the NBA chose to represent itself on such an important day. The Miami Heat earned a spot after their unexpected Finals run. The star power of Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson is too bright for the league to ignore.
Assuming COVID-19 doesn’t have too big a say in the matter, Christmas will bring the elite hoops fest we’ve grown accustomed to, a tradition everyone is looking forward to maintaining. Here is one thought for each of the games.
December 2, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Additionally, it’s going to be difficult for however many fans are allowed in the building to find much unadulterated rage when their team remains just fine in the aftermath, having quickly moved on to Kemba Walker while coming off a conference finals appearance. Part of Cleveland’s crazed emotions stemmed from the pile of garbage that sat in the wake of LeBron’s departure.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, if there’s one thing Celtics fans have earned a reputation for over the years, it’s their politeness in the face of confrontation. Especially for a star player who basically set the entire roster on fire only to bolt and never look back as soon as he got the chance.</p>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416915" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1057813028.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1057813028.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1057813028-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The NBA is acting like Luka Doncic has next (as they should)</h2>
<p><a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html" ref="nofollow">Luka Doncic</a> is the future of the NBA. It’s a statement of fact that grows harder to ignore with each passing game, even more so after his incredible playoff display of 31.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game at just 21 years of age.</p>
<p>To what extent the league was willing to acknowledge this inevitable truth always seemed up for debate because they weren’t short of equally promising alternatives. Giannis Antetokounmpo won consecutive MVP trophies. Zion Williamson was tantalizing enough to earn the New Orleans Pelicans a Christmas day spot before even making his NBA debut.</p>
<p>Considering the layout of the Christmas day schedule, it looks like we have our answer. The Dallas Mavericks didn’t just slip into that undesirable 12 PM EST start time when most of the west coast viewers haven’t even opened their gifts yet. They’re arguably part of the day’s headline matchup, set to take on the defending champion <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/los-angeles-lakers/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> at Staples Center during primetime.</p>
<p>To fully comprehend the magnitude of the 8 PM EST timeslot, the 2019 matchup featured a battle for Los Angeles between the Lakers and Clippers. The year prior, the Lakers took on the reigning two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors.</p>
<p>Dallas last played on Christmas the same year it hung up the only championship banner inside American Airlines Center.</p>
<p>A lot has changed since then. It wasn’t always for the better. The Mavs’ return to the festivities indicates that things are on a steep upswing and Doncic is the driving force to explain why.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Clippers @ Nuggets </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-416944" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2369,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1272289290.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2369" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1272289290.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1272289290-768x569.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The LA Clippers are going to get some payback</h2>
<p>Blowing a 3-1 series lead isn’t a good look under any set of circumstances. When that team has astonishingly high championship expectations tied to the future they mortgaged to aim that high only to let three straight double-digit leads slip away before even the conference finals, it’s so much worse.</p>
<p>The ridicule you’d expect is the type the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://hoopshabit.com/western-conference/la-clippers/">LA Clippers</a> have had to deal with ever since. It was a flat-out embarrassing display that never should’ve happened against a youthfully inexperienced Denver Nuggets team.</p>
<p>LA has every reason to feel confident about getting the revenge that will be on the table in this game after the changes made this past offseason.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Blowing the 3-1 lead, you know they had heart. It wasn’t a tough decision.”</p>
<p>JaMychal Green on choosing to join the Nuggets.</p>
<p>— T.J. McBride (@TJMcBrideNBA) <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/02/1-thought-for-each-of-the-nbas-scheduled-christmas-day-games/"https://twitter.com/TJMcBrideNBA/status/1333871978961309696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 1, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Tyronn Lue is the ideal coach to bridge much of the discord that fractured the Clippers locker room when they needed to come together, specifically in the playoffs. Despite fewer counting numbers, Serge Ibaka’s floor spacing is an unquestionable upgrade to Montrezl Harrell who should unlock more dimensions to LA’s offense.</p>
<p>Nothing will erase the history written in the bubble. The Clippers franchise has to live with that heartbreak moving forward. The healing process can only be completed with a championship, but it’ll start by dolling out punishment to the team that took them down.</p>
<p>Think of the absolute thrashing the Miami Heat imposed on the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 after their disappointing showing in that year’s Finals. They piled onto a lead that grew to as many as 35 points in a game never as close as the 11-point loss indicates.</p>
<p>If only to quell the trolls and reset the focus towards the new season, you can bet the Clippers will look for a similar performance.</p>
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