"KD deserves to play on Christmas", "2 non-playoff teams playing on Christmas, unserious league" - Fans react to NBA releasing Christmas day schedule
The NBA has revealed the Christmas Day slate for the 2022-23 season. Their announcement has got fans talking about the potential matchups.
There isn't much basketball action right now, except the occasional exhibition game, as the draft, summer league and free agency is behind us.
Fans and pundits reacted to the Christmas Day schedule after The Athletic's Shams Charania tweeted a list of teams playing on Boxing Day. Unlike the NFL's traditional Thanksgiving Day games, the NBA showcases the top teams and players on December 25th.
Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:
Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors
Unlike in recent years, this season will not feature a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals. Fans expected Boston to take on Golden State at the Chase Center, but the league decided to milk the newest rivalry between the Warriors and Grizzlies.
@Money23Green twitter.com/LegionHoops/st…
we got what we wanted dray. 😤 @Money23Green twitter.com/LegionHoops/st… https://t.co/ti8PAdtMyC
That’s the power of your voice Young! Let’s goooo! Bring the fam to the crib for dinner after twitter.com/JaMorant/statu…
The only game that fans seem to have no problem with is the Suns facing the two-time reigning MVP at Denver. Many wanted Jokic to have a Christmas Day game and he got one against the West's former top seed.
However, fans have complained against every other game as they expected better matchups.
Fans react to the NBA Christmas Day slate on Twitter
The Milwaukee Bucks take on the reigning Eastern Conference champions in Boston and the Memphis Grizzlies face the Western champs in San Francisco. The problem with these games is that the fans wanted a traditional NBA Finals rematch.
NBA really trying to make Warriors Grizzles a rivalry twitter.com/bleacherreport…
They said forget tradition having the NBA finals rematch on Christmas 😂NBA really trying to make Warriors Grizzles a rivalry twitter.com/bleacherreport…
If i was in charge of making the Christmas Day schedule…
Nets @ Knicks
Bucks @ 76ers
Warriors @ Celtics
Grizzlies @ Lakers
Mavs @ Nuggets
- This way you still get the Nets in there and hedge against no Kyrie/KD
- Finals rematch
- All the likely top MVP candidates
- Balkans
I can’t believe we not getting a finals rematch on Christmas Day
Absolutely. Finals rematch feels like the best course of action for NBA Christmas. twitter.com/jeremycguerin/…
Additionally, fans were enraged over the LA Lakers and New York Knicks getting a game. Other playoff teams like the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and Minnesota Timberwolves didn't get one.
The reality is that big markets like Los Angeles and New York City demand viewership and arenas like Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) and Madison Square Garden put on a show.
@ShamsCharania 2 non playoff teams playing on Christmas, unserious league https://t.co/WRVPRHbFOJ
@ShamsCharania nobody wants to see the knicks
@ShamsCharania KNICKS? https://t.co/isV3iBtn8S
@ShamsCharania Knicks 💀💀💀💀💀 https://t.co/vvHWKQ4w5M
@ShamsCharania stop putting the knicks on Christmas Day🤦🏿♂️
@ShamsCharania So Miami once again getting no love lol we love to see it
@bbrican305 @ShamsCharania Heat should have played against the 6ers
@ShamsCharania Knicks and Lakers are so overrated
@ShamsCharania WHERE IS BULLS
@ShamsCharania no heat one more time. this league is really pathetic
@ShamsCharania The NBA forcing the Knicks on us on Christmas Day when there’s always better, more exciting teams. A tradition like no other.
@ShamsCharania where’s the bulls
@ShamsCharania Knicks https://t.co/wcDUrh2hHi
@ShamsCharania The fact that the Knicks have made the playoffs once in the last 10 years but get a Christmas game every year is wild 🤦🏾♂️
Moreover, fans were surprised to see superstar-studded teams like the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers not get a game on Christmas. That is especially since they are from the same big market cities as the Knicks and Lakers.
There’s no way the Clippers aren’t getting a Christmas Day game… https://t.co/J05YJpYcpQ
The Nets not being on the Christmas Day schedule 🤔 https://t.co/z7TuIOKHnJ
@ShamsCharania clippers not here? https://t.co/GQaCFyZlW2
@ShamsCharania No KD or Kawhi on Christmas is a joke😭
@ShamsCharania I don't see us https://t.co/GSMk54Qg9L
@ShamsCharania Kd deserves to play on Christmas.
@ShamsCharania No clippers smh
How are the Clippers not playing Christmas day, I'm telling y'all right now they are a top 5 team this year, if not the NBA betting fav
No Clippers on Christmas Day
https://t.co/I5gcFXzB49
🗑No Nets on the Christmas Day schedule, no Heat … and no Hawks to the apparent dismay of a rather prominent Hawk: twitter.com/thetraeyoung/s…
It's notable that the Brooklyn Nets aren't playing on Christmas Day. Clearly the NBA doesn't feel comfortable giving a marquee slot to a team that could be in at least semi-rebuilding mode come Christmas.
(Yes, I know who else is playing. Feel free to make your jokes anyway.)
Regardless of the matchups that fans want, we are going to witness some incredible games on NBA Christmas Day. These matchups feature most of the potential MVP candidates and title-contenders anyway and we are about to witness some wire-to-wire thrillers.