Surprisingly, perhaps the most anticipated time in any basketball season is in December and not May or June. The NBA Christmas Day slate of games, which typically goes on all day starting a noon EST, provides some of the juiciest matchups and even special uniforms. The Christmas games here in 2019 appear to keep that trend going, with some intriguing matchups.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, three of the games include five playoff teams and one team who just so happened to draft Zion Williamson. The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly play host to their inter-city counterpart Clippers, a matchup featuring arguably three of the best five players in the entire league. Wojnarowski also reports that the upstart Denver Nuggets will host Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, while the defending champion Toronto Raptors will play host to the visiting Boston Celtics.
Sources: Christmas Day games set for 2019-2020 NBA season include —
Clippers-Lakers at Staples Center
New Orleans at Denver
Boston at Toronto— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 2, 2019
ESPN’s Malika Andrews also reports that the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the best record in the NBA last season, will travel to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day as well. Both of these teams figure to be in the top-four of the Easter Conference and perhaps an early playoff matchup preview.
The Milwaukee Bucks will travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Christmas Day, league sources tell ESPN.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) August 2, 2019
The defending Western Conference champions have something to say too, and will reportedly play on Christmas Day for the seventh year in a row. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports the Golden State Warriors will play the Houston Rockets in their new arena in San Francisco. Both of these teams feature a fresh set of stars, with Russell Westbrook now in Houston and D’Angelo Russell sporting the Warrior gold.
Another Christmas showcase game: The Rockets will play the Warriors in San Francisco, sources told ESPN. https://t.co/CkP0jT29DK
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) August 2, 2019
Every matchup listed has some level of intrigue, from both Los Angeles teams vying for both city and NBA supremacy to James Harden and the Rockets getting another crack at the Warriors.
