Some names have become forever engraved with the Christmas season. Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé and of course, Santa Claus, to name a few.
However, for many NBA fans, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have also become synonymous with the holiday season.
Picture it: Your Christmas tree is lit up, there are presents scattered around the room, you’re sipping some eggnog with a splash of rum, and your TV screen has James slamming home a tomahawk dunk or Curry splashing a triple from the logo.
That is how most NBA fans would encapsulate an average Christmas Day, and they should expect more of the same this year with a loaded slate of games and plenty of top stars taking centre stage.
So, as you wrap your presents, prepare your meals, and await jolly old St. Nick, here is one storyline for each remaining game on Christmas Day.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+
2024 playoff rematch: All things were going well for the Nuggets in 2023, and that carried into 2024 as they were looking to become back-to-back NBA Champions. However, it all came crashing down when the Timberwolves gave their best Grinch impression and crushed the Nuggets’ dreams.
Minnesota outdueled Denver to eliminate them in the second round of the playoffs in an electric seven-game series. The defeat led to the memorable quote from Nikola Jokic: “I think (the Timberwolves) are built to beat us.”
A statement that hasn’t always proved to be true, but any game between these two teams, and more specifically between Jokic and Anthony Edwards, is typically must-see.
Jokic is having another unreal season, averaging 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 10.8 assists, while the Nuggets sit third in the West at 21-8. Edwards continues to improve every season in the NBA: he’s averaging a career-best 28.3 points on 48.9 per cent shooting this campaign. He’s guided the Timberwolves to a 20-10 start.
While Jokic and Edwards should be enough to keep everyone seated, fans can also look forward to watching Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and so many more. So, get yourself a Kevin McCallister-sized ice cream sundae and sit back to watch one of the Western Conference’s premier rivalries.
