On Friday, the NBA announced their Christmas Day schedule for the 2017 season. As usual, the league will host a total of five games featuring teams that will likely be playoff contenders this season. The headline game will take place second at 3 p.m. on ABC. It will be the rematch of the last three NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were able to win their second title in the last three season against the Cavs this summer and Kevin Durant finally got the better of LeBron James.
One of the biggest questions will be whether Kyrie Irving will still be a member of the Cavs when that game gets here.
He recently requested a trade from the team, but the team has not been able to find a deal suitable for a player of his value. The demand from Irving has reportedly caused a feud between he and LeBron. Kyrie was even spotted recently in a video with one of James' rivals, Steph Curry. In the video, Irving was seen laughing as Curry mocked a workout video LeBron posted shortly after the Cavs lost to GS in the Finals.
Only time will tell if he will still remain on the team until the rematch. Either way, the game will still gain the most attention of all five that are scheduled.
76ers vs. Knicks
On Friday, it was reported that the Knicks have re-engaged in talks with the Rockets over a possible three-team deal for Carmelo Anthony.
There is no doubt that the Knicks won't be giving up Melo for just anything. So, whether or not he's there by Christmas, New York will still be a possible playoff contender in the east. Philly, on the other hand, has higher expectations than the Knicks. With the addition of Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons finally making his NBA debut, the 76ers have been projected as a playoff team this season by critics around the league.
The game is also expected to feature the Knicks' newest first-round draft pick Frank Ntilikina. NBA fans are anxious to see what he can do, as he was not able to display his skills in the Summer League. Christmas Day will be the perfect opportunity for the youngster to do so.
Wizards vs. Celtics
The Wizards and the Celtics had an epic seven game series this past postseason with Boston coming out on top.
Isaiah Thomas had one of the best moments of the playoffs when he dropped 53 points in Game 3. John Wall then responded in Game 6 with a game-winning three in the closing seconds. So, the rematch is sure to be exciting.
The Celtics added all-star Gordon Hayward this offseason and drafted talented rookie Jayson Tatum with the No. 3 overall pick. However, they did part ways with Avery Bradley, who was the backcourt mate of Thomas and also his good friend. It will be interesting to see how the new-look Celtics will fare on Christmas Day in front of millions of viewers.
Rockets vs. Thunder
Both the Rockets and Thunder made the biggest trades of the offseason. OKC acquired Paul George and Houston got exactly what they wanted by trading for Chris Paul.
Fans are eager to see how CP3 and James Harden will play in the backcourt together. Paul has not had the best luck in the playoffs and Harden lost his one NBA Finals appearance in 2012 with OKC. The team is still interested in adding all-star Carmelo Anthony to form a big-three, but have yet to find a good enough deal -- remaining in the negotiation stage.
For the Thunder, reigning MVP Russell Westbrook will have another all-star to play alongside with the addition of George. OKC certainly felt the loss of Kevin Durant last season and got eliminated in the first round by Harden and the Rockets. Westbrook will definitely be out for revenge on Christmas Day.
T'Wolves vs. Lakers
Fans will be excited to see two teams with some of the most talented young players in the league.
Lonzo Ball is arguably the rookie everyone is most interested to see and Jimmy Butler will get to show the world why adding him with Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns was the best move of his career thus far.
The Wolves are expected to be a playoff team this year, while L.A. has not been able to do much convincing in that regard. Still, the game will feature some of the best players selected in the NBA Draft over the last few seasons.
