2023 NBA Christmas Day Schedule: Who plays who?
The NBA’s 2023 Christmas Day schedule has been released and we can look forward to a clash between eternal rivals, and one between the last two champions.
Undoubtedly, the highlights of the 2023 NBA Christmas Day schedule will be the games between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, and a meeting between the last two teams to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy, the Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors.
Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, and Nuggets headline NBA’s Christmas Day schedule
As per tradition, this year’s NBA Christmas Day schedule will feature will be five marquee games running all day long. The Boston Celtics in their 7th appearance on Christmas day will play their long-time rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers in what will actually be the fifth meeting between the two teams on the day. The last time they faced each other on Christmas Day was back in 2008 when the Lakers managed to get themselves a 92-83 win courtesy of a stellar performance from the late and legendary Kobe Bryant, who posted 27 points, nine rebounds, and five assists that day.
The other headlining game will be that between the Golden State Warriors and reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets. The Warriors who were champions in 2022, will be making their 11th consecutive appearance on Christmas day and will face a Nuggets team that has also made several appearances during the yuletide season, however, they’ve never actually squared off against each other. That said, they have done that multiple times over the last few seasons, and each and every one of those meetings has been thrilling. With the same core of players still among the league’s best, we expect this one to be no different. Indeed, it could well be the game of the day.
Who else plays on Christmas Day in the NBA?
While many will be focused on the above-mentioned quartet, there are in fact some other tasty treats in store on Christmas Day. Take the Milwaukee Bucks for example who will head to the iconic Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks. Then, Joel Embiid and his Philadelphia 76ers have a showdown with this year’s NBA finalists, the Miami Heat, while the Dallas Mavericks will have a date with the new-look Phoenix Suns. Where the Bucks and Knicks are concerned, the game will actually be a rematch of the one they played on Christmas Day back in 2018. On that day, it was Giannis and his men who got the win and to be fair it’s been somewhat of a constant whenever the Bucks have been in the ‘Big Apple.’ With that said, we imagine the Knicks will be looking to put a stop to that this year.
As for the 76ers and the Heat, it’ll be interesting to see what the rosters of both teams look like when they meet. You probably know that both are involved in what can be considered the most intriguing trade sagas of the summer. Philly are trying to sort out the James Harden situation after the former MVP asked for a trade - he wants to play for the Clippers - while the Heat have their hearts set on a the Portland Trail Blazers star, Damian Lillard, who has made it clear that he only wants to play in Miami. We’ll see in December. Last but not least, we’ve got the Mavs and the Suns. That’s to say Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on one side, and Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the other. By the time they meet, they will be one year removed from the blockbuster trades that now sees them featuring some of the league’s best. It will be interesting to see how they gel now in what will be their first Christmas Day meeting. Expect fireworks in this one.