Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics Headline NBA’s 76th Christmas Day: Rivalry, Schedule, and Key Matchups

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics will add another chapter to their historic rivalry when they headline the NBA’s 76th Christmas Day this Monday.

For the past 15 years, the so-called best basketball league in the world has held five games on December 25, pitting the competition’s top stars against each other.

What other commitments and figures complete the agenda for Christmas Day?

Likewise, we present a review of curious facts and more.

Knicks vs. Bucks – (1:00 p.m., hora de Puerto Rico por ESPN)

The New York Knicks are the only active franchise that played the first edition of the NBA Christmas Day in 1947, beating the Providence Steamrollers 75 89-75.

Now in 2023, they will host the Milwaukee Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and company at Madison Square Garden.

Milwaukee (22-7) arrives at the basketball mecca with seven consecutive victories, looking to continue putting pressure on the Eastern Conference leaders, the Celtics, who have a half-game lead (22-6).

The Knicks, for their part, sit in sixth place in their conference with a 16-12 record.

The Greek Antetokounmpo averages 25.2 points and 12.4 rebounds in Christmas games. He also has a positive record of 3-2.

The Knicks have lost all of their games (0-3) this season against Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks goes 3-2 on Christmas Day. (The Associated Press)Nuggets vs. Warriors – (3:30 pm, Puerto Rico time on ABC)

Four of the five Christmas Day games feature at least one MVP. This clash will be the only one that pits two against each other: Nikola Jokic against Stephen Curry.

The champion Denver Nuggets host an inconsistent Golden State Warriors, with Draymond Green suspended indefinitely, and who have been a disappointment on the road. Denver is 11-2 (at home) this season.

The Nuggets, who have won four in a row over Golden State, are in second place in the Western Conference with 21-10, while the Warriors do the same in Play-In positions, in tenth place, with 15-14 .

Curiously, Curry, one of the best scorers in the history of the “Association”, has not had them with him in nine previous Christmas days. He is 4-5 with records of 15.3 points and 6.7 assists per game.

Stephen Curry will play his tenth Christmas game. (Godofredo A. Vásquez)Lakers vs. Celtics – (6:00 pm, Puerto Rico time on ABC)

34. That is the total number of NBA championships between both organizations. The rivalry is always present, regardless of the moment they go through as franchises.

From the days of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, to those of the late star Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce, now LeBron James and Jayson Tatum lead their respective teams.

James, soon to turn 39, shows no signs of stopping. He is the ‘Benjamin Button’ of basketball. Despite the Lakers’ irregularity, with a 16-14 record, “The King” led the Angelenos to the championship of the new In Season Tournament.

It will be the first time LeBron faces the Celtics on Christmas. Up front, a Tatum who dominates the direct confrontations between the two with 5-4.

The Celtics have been, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the best team in the NBA with a 22-6 record.

For the Lakers, Anthony Davis recorded 27 points with 9.7 rebounds and four assists on Christmas Day.

Like wine. About to turn 39, LeBron James shows no signs that he is going to stop anytime soon. (The Associated Press)Heat vs. 76ers – (9:00 pm, Puerto Rico time on ESPN)

NBA MVP Joel Embiid will not play on Monday due to a sprained ankle, reported journalist Shams Charania.

Embiid averages 35.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and has the Philadelphia 76ers in third place in the East, at 20-8. In addition, he has a streak of 12 consecutive games with more than 30 points and 10 rebounds, the most since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.

In Embiid’s absence, the bulk of Philadelphia’s offense will fall into the hands of point guard Tyrese Maxey, who will have his first Christmas game. The point guard is the main candidate for Most Improved Player in the NBA with averages of 26.4 points and 6.8 assists.

The game will also serve as another reunion between Jimmy Butler and the 76ers, with whom he played in 55 games in the 2018-19 season.

Miami has a record of 17-12.

Jimmy Butler will meet again with the 76ers, one of his former teams. (File)Suns vs. Mavericks – (11:30 pm, Puerto Rico time on ESPN)

What better than to close the night with Luka Doncic against the Phoenix Suns?

Since the Suns “ignored” the Slovenian star in the 2018 NBA draft, Doncic, when given the opportunity, punishes them on the court.

For this game he will have more load than usual, since the Dallas Mavericks will not have Kyrie Irving due to injury.

The former Real Madrid player (Doncic) registers 29.5 goals and eight assists in two Christmas games.

The Suns, for their part, will once again be without guard Bradley Beal, who remains off the court (ankle).

But they will play star Devin Booker, who has transitioned this season to more of a point guard role. He averages 27.7 and 8.2 assists.

So will Kevin Durant, who has not played a game on this date for three years.

The Slovenian Luka Doncic, of the Dallas Mavericks, has a personal sports dispute with the Suns. (LM Otero)Other information about Christmas Day

• James is the leading scorer in NBA Christmas Day history with 460 points. He is followed by Bryant with 396 and Oscar Robertson, 377.
• James, too, will play his record-breaking eighteenth Christmas game.

LeBron James’ classic chalk toss has been a Christmas tradition in the NBA for years 👑

Watch LeBron James in action on Monday, Christmas Day against the Celtics at 5:00pm/et on ABC/ESPN! #NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/P2vOKDRyDY

— NBA (@NBA) December 24, 2023

• The Knicks are the team with the most participations on Christmas Day with 55.
• The Lakers are, however, the franchise with the most wins on this date with 24.
• Bernard King is the top scorer in a single Christmas game with 60 points.

2023-12-25 09:42:02
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