NBA Christmas Preview

This year's NBA schedule will feature 5 games, which more or less were desgined to give some family entertainment during the "best time of the year." These 5 games all have interesting backstories behind them and aims to capture even those non-basketball fans because of the hype and telenovela like stories being built up.

The NBA made this schedule even before the season started. Let's see if they got their gut-feels right...

Miami vs New York

This game is simply all about one man. Dwyane Wade is on the free agent market next year, and is probably the 2nd target of the New York Knicks after LeBron James. HE provides the struggling Knicks franchise with a superstar big enough to handle the bright lights of the big city. Hell, even Jay-Z made a comment about Wade in New York...


Boston vs Orlando

Everybody was saying last year that D12 and the Magic were only able to get through the Celtics was because they were missing Garnett and the defensive tenacity he brings to the floor. This year, we get to see it. In the Finals, Paul Pierce even mentioned that he thought that the Magic was a "poodle" compared to the "rotweiler." Unfortunately for the Truth, he'll be observing this Christmas day game as he was diagnosed to miss the next 2 weeks with a knee injury.


Cleveland vs Los Angeles Lakers

With the help of these dudes, Nike has been building up this match since the playoffs started last year. They were hoping it would happen in the Finals, but we all ended up waiting another half year to see it. Individually, I think we cannot contest that Kobe and LeBron are the 2 best players in the league, and they hope to lead their star-studded teams in clash in Hollywood. Just enough of a bright lights, big stage, right time set-up for a primetime, national television broadcast. The Mamba vs the King.

LA Clippers vs Phoenix Suns


Initially, I was supposed to label this match-up as a battle of "failure of the 2009 season" with both teams having stocked line-ups, stubborn coaches and too little wins to get into the playoffs. Then I remembered the crazy stuff their 2 starting point guards do during their free time. Yes folks, that's Steve "Two Time" (MVP, not Tiger Woods two-time) Nash and Baron "Boom Dizzle" Davis. If you can find a clip of it online, these 2 made a video in the style of Will Ferrel's and C. THomas Reiley's Stepbrothers, hence the stupid outfits... Now, on the basketball side of it, The Suns are resurgent and now seem to be contenders in spite of their recent struggles, and the Clippers seem to be getting there. The added bonus of Blake Griffin was supposed to be highlighted here as well, but a broken kneecap has said no.


Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trailblazers

Here's is where the league was bitten in the ass by the injury bug. Oden, Roy, Outlaw, Batum, Pryzbilla, Billups and Martin might all miss the game due to one injury or another. It was supposed to be a battle for supremacy of the US Northwest, and instead it will be Carmelo Anthony vs LaMarcus Aldrigde. Sort of an anti-climactic way to end the night...