https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-christmas-day-2022-lakers-mavericks-warriors-grizzlies-among-five-scheduled-matchups-per-report/

NBA Christmas Day 2022: Lakers-Mavericks, Warriors-Grizzlies among five scheduled matchups, per report
Although not yet official, we know the five matchups expected to take place on NBA Christmas Day

By Jasmyn Wimbish

The 2022-23 NBA schedule is expected to be released in the coming days, but there's already been several leaks of important games on the league's calendar. It's already been reported the reigning champion Golden State Warriors are expected to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night of the season, which is set for Oct. 18.

In addition to one of the opening-night games on the league's calendar, all five Christmas Day matchups have also been reported. As one of the most important days on the NBA's calendar, these games are typically star-studded and sometimes feature rematches from the previous year's playoffs or pit two of the league's top stars against each other. Though the regular season will already be two months old by the time Christmas rolls around, the full slate of games also serves as the unofficial start of the NBA season for some casual fans.

Although nothing has been made official just yet, here are the five games expected to take place on Christmas:

Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns
New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The NBA has certainly hit the mark in featuring some of the league's top stars, both young and old, and all of these reported matchups have enticing storylines.

The Warriors vs. Grizzlies game will be a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals last season, where both teams didn't shy away from trash-talking, even well after the Warriors put the Grizzlies away. When the Warriors eventually won the championship, several Golden State players made sure to take some not-so-subtle jabs at the Grizzlies, including Draymond Green and Ja Morant hoping their two teams meet on Christmas Day. Well, Green and Morant got their wish, and that matchup will surely be a highly anticipated one.


Though the Lakers and Mavericks don't have the playful trash-talking the Warriors and Grizzlies possess, it will feature the face of the league in LeBron James, and one of the future faces of the league in Luka Doncic. These two teams met on Christmas two seasons ago, which resulted in the Mavericks getting blown out in Los Angeles, but a lot has happened since that dud of a matchup in 2020. The Mavericks are coming off a run to the Western Conference finals due to Doncic's MVP-level performance throughout the playoffs, and the Lakers will be trying to get back to the playoffs after missing the cut last season. It's difficult to read how this game will play out given both teams could still make roster moves before this game, but it should be more entertaining than the matchup we got two seasons ago.

The third reported game on this list may be a preview of the Western Conference finals as the Nuggets play host to the Suns. Denver should be fully healthy with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. expected to be back in the starting lineup after both players missed all of last season with injuries. Then there's reigning two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic at the center of it all. He will have some help again as Denver hopes to prove its place in the championship-contending conversation. The Nuggets will reportedly be hosting the Suns, per the Denver Post, which is a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals from two seasons ago. The Nuggets were without Murray in that playoff series against the Suns, so now they'll get to show Phoenix what it's like playing against a Denver team at full strength.

The Knicks and Sixers matchup may not be the most exciting matchup on this list, but it does feature some of the league's best players in Joel Embiid and James Harden. Though the Knicks don't have the brightest names on their roster to match up against Embiid and Harden, it'll be a good test for a New York team that hopes its big offseason acquisition of Jalen Brunson can lift this roster to a playoff contender.


The final reported matchup between the Celtics and Bucks is a rematch of the Eastern Conference semifinals from last season. In what was one of the best playoff series a season ago, the Bucks lost to the Celtics in seven games, all without their second-best player in Khris Middleton who suffered an MCL sprain in the first round of the postseason. Middleton recently underwent wrist surgery in July, but is expected back near the start of the season, so he will be ready to go by the time this rematch is set to take place. However, this matchup could look a whole lot different if the Celtics manage to pull off a trade to land Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant. We'll have to wait and see what becomes of the Durant sweepstakes, but regardless of what happens with that, this matchup -- as well as the rest on the full slate of games -- won't be short on excitement on Christmas Day.

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"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

They not fucking with the nets lol
nba stay wanting the knicks to be good
Memphis and phoenix..bleh
i'd rather have seen LAC, Pels and ATL

ATL v Philly
Bos v Milwaukee
Dal v LAC
GS v LA
Den v NO

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

>They not fucking with the nets lol
>nba stay wanting the knicks to be good
>Memphis and phoenix..bleh
>i'd rather have seen LAC, Pels and ATL
>
>ATL v Philly
>Bos v Milwaukee
>Dal v LAC
>GS v LA
>Den v NO
>

LA plays GS on opening night

Memphis vs. GS is the new rivalry

Phoenix is expected to be a top team in the West again and if they end up with KD?

nobody cares about the Pelicans, Clippers and Hawks

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

I am not mad at that matchup.

funniest times on here was when every team in that division except the Nets and 6ers sucked, that was PEAK OKS IMO.

Yes, I'm mad. Let's move on.

Jays | Cavs | Eagles | Sabres | Tarheels

PSN: Dr_Claw_77 | XBL: Dr Claw 077 | FB: drclaw077 | T: @drclaw77 | http://thepeoplesvault.wordpress.com

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

Not anymore.

Like, the fact that we're not on the opening night schedule
and the Christmas games used to annoy me because I saw that
as the league showcasing their best teams.
Especially being in a major market, I wanted us to get love/respect.

Yeah...I don't care.

The only reason I love national TV games is so I can hear a different broadcast team.

I can only take so much of Stacey King.

- 3 TNT Games
- 7 ESPN Games
- 4 NBATV Games

https://digife.com

11 rivalry games from Jan. 24-28:

- Celtics/Heat
- Clippers/Lakers
- Nets/76ers
- Grizzlies/Warriors
- Lonzo Ball/LaMelo Ball
- Suns/Mavericks
- Timberwolves/Grizzlies
- Raptors/Warriors
- Nikola Jokic/Joel Embiid
- Knicks/Nets
- Lakers/Celtics

https://digife.com

An attempt to garner some interest between xmas and all star break

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

Do you think the branding is naive or forced?

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

I dont think the non basketball junkie is gonna tune in bc the nba told them its a rivalry.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

>I dont think the non basketball junkie is gonna tune in bc
>the nba told them its a rivalry.

outside of their teams people watch the games they’re going to watch

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

I don't watch a ton of college sports, but when they brand things as "rivalry week" or whatever I'm a lot more likely to tune in. I'd imagine a similar thing could happen for casual NBA fans.

Reminfs me of when they started calling the weeks 'week 1' 'week 2' wtc to get the fantasy interest. Shit aint last.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

I don't necessarily see a significant spike, but it's a strong effort that will most likely prove worthwhile.

January and February are the dog days for the NBA.

Scheduling a week's worth of games with inbuilt backstory adds a bit of intrigue to a typically dull stretch of the season.

I doubt they're expecting a massive spike, but it's a worthwhile marketing tact that could create yield dividends.

Long athletic big who can move his feet in switches

Nothing but respect for the young man