
Jamal Murray, Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon are with the team for the near future. Jokic is the league’s reigning MVP, but more importantly, the Nuggets are good. Jamal Murray added 23 points.įor similar reasons as Doncic, Nikola Jokic is one of the most exciting players in the league. On Christmas, he gave the world a gift with a line of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. The center nearly averaged a triple-double. Nikola Jokic won the MVP last year and we got an early taste of what his season would become. After a five-year extension, the Mavericks could be on Christmas no matter the good or the bad. As long as he plays like an MVP and contends for triple-double numbers, the NBA is going to include Doncic on Christmas day.

Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the league. Kristaps Porzingis was out, so maybe this time around the team can play more competitively. Luka Doncic scored 27 points but the Mavericks were embarrassed on national television.

The Mavericks allowed 138 points to the Lakers. The last time the Mavericks played on Christmas, virtually no defense was played. If LeBron decides to close out his career in Cleveland, maybe he alone can bring the team back. There’s a reason the team hasn’t performed once LeBron left in 2018. The Cavaliers have a long way to go before they make an appearance again. Like the Finals, the Warriors came out on top with a 99-92 victory in a game where Steph Curry didn’t even play. Christmas was a rematch of the 2017 NBA Finals between the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Given how the team finished that season, it wasn’t the worst move. The final year of LeBron James in Cleveland was enough for the league to take the Cavaliers off the Christmas schedule. As long as Zach LaVine is in a Bulls uniform next year, expect to see the team on Christmas again. With Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic brought to the team in 2021, the Bulls are back to competing at a high level. The Bulls should be back in the rotation next year. However, the Spurs, led by 58 combined points by Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, came out victorious with a 119-110 win. At the time, Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, and Rajon Rondo formed the big three in Chicago. It’s been five years since the storied franchise last played on Christmas. If the Hornets can make the postseason and Ball can make an All-Star appearance, it might be enough to get a spot.

With that said, Kemba Walker was a star at one point too and the team had little to show for. With a future including LaMelo Ball, there is hope that Charlotte could be inserted. Don’t expect Durant to have a silent night. Even with Harden having a down year, Durant is in consideration for MVP and a scoring title. Still, both Harden and Durant lead a team that is the No. Now, it’s Irving that is now tight with the team due to his beliefs about the vaccine. At the time, James Harden was not on the team. It was the third game of the season due to the delayed start, so even Spencer Dinwiddie even played. Kyrie Irving had one of his best games of the season with 37 points and eight assists. With that said, both Tatum and Brown are stars, so the team isn’t going in with a lackluster team.Īs previously mentioned, the Nets defeated the Celtics by a score of 123-95 with a second-half outpour. The team has struggled the last year and a half, which has included a coaching change. Tatum and Brown continue to lead the Celtics, but it feels like the Celtics are more likely to be included based on history.
