For as much work as Santa Claus put in last night, the sports world was undeniably quiet on Christmas Eve. Yeah, we were all busy watching Elf for the fifth time this week, and you were probably finishing off your seventh cheesecake of the holidays. But the NBA? College basketball? They were silent. We’re about a quarter of the way into the NBA season, and nothing is decided yet. Yeah sure, Kevin Durant looks like the MVP at this point, having turned his all-around game up to “Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II” levels, the Clippers haven’t lost in forever, and the Sacramento Kings still look like the most dysfunctional team we’ve seen since Richmond High pre-Sam L.. Almost nothing will be decided on Christmas day, but with five nationally televised games featuring 10 possible playoff teams (yes, even you Houston), we should get a good idea of what to expect the rest of the way (Kobe shooting ’til his arms give out) and what not to (Linsanity). Here’s your Dime guide for the holiday…
Boston at Brooklyn (12 p.m. EST, ESPN). Remember the last time these teams faced off? Rajon Rondo ruined his chance at history because he decided it was a good idea to put his hands on Kris Humphries, while Gerald Wallace and Kevin Garnett nearly threw their hands up for real and Tommy Heinsohn threatened a referee … Brooklyn dominated that game by the way … Gerald Wallace needs a big game defensively against Paul Pierce or else we’ll have to start reassessing whether the whole “shutdown defender” label he’s carried for almost a decade still persists considering the East’s other big-time SF (‘Melo) has repeatedly turned him into fresh squash this year … Our prediction: The Celtics rise up as KG is more ornery than usual having to play on a holiday, and they secure a W in one of those basketball games that feels like a football game …
New York at L.A. Lakers (3 p.m. EST, ABC). The league’s two most flip-flop fanbases get a chance to see who can outdo the other with outrageous statements/excuses … Since New York beat the Lakers earlier this month, the Purple and Gold have won four in a row. Yeah, besides Golden State, the other teams they beat were garbage, Kobe‘s shooting percentages are sliding, Dwight Howard looks lost, and Steve Nash‘s return is still too new to really expect any major changes. But any under .500 team will take four in a row … For the Knicks, Amar’e is still out, Carmelo is still flowing, and Tyson Chandler still looks like the NBA’s most valuable role player … Our prediction: New York’s shooting and spacing wears down the Lakers in the second half, leading to a slightly easier than expected win …
Keep reading to hear about the biggest game of the day …
Oklahoma City at Miami (5:30 p.m. EST, ABC). The biggest game of the day involves squads that still look like the league’s two best teams (*cut to Knicks fans screaming, “Hey, what about us!?”). LeBron is still the best player in the league, but this is Kevin Durant‘s chance to really take control of the MVP driver’s seat. Go into South Beach and take out the King? We can see it happening as OKC is somehow better this year than they were last year. Now imagine how good this team would be if they still had James Harden? … Miami looks like a rapper coming off a mega-smash debut album: they’re going through the motions, living off the success of their initial hype, and aren’t worried about anything until it’s time to get back in the studio/playoffs … Our prediction: the Thunder come out with something to prove, and take control of a back-and-forth game in the fourth quarter. Prediction No. 2: LeBron’s Christmas sneakers > KD’s Christmas sneakers. Prediction No. 3: Mario Chalmers will get yelled at …
Houston at Chicago (8 p.m. EST, ESPN). For all the conversation about James Harden and Jeremy Lin‘s inability to play together, the Rockets are better than expected. In fact, when these two squads faced off earlier this year, the Beard sliced up Chicago for 28 points while Lin played like he was Toney Douglas‘ backup. It still didn’t matter. Houston won … Someone needs to wake Chandler Parsons up. This dream has gone on long enough … Before they laid an egg in the ATL the other night, Chicago had won seven of nine, with the two losses coming against the Clippers and Grizzlies. Their defense is getting stronger as the year goes on, and are currently the No. 4 seed in the East. That deserves an All-Star right? Luol Deng might be their high scorer, but Joakim Noah is the best player on that team, averaging 13.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.8 floor burns a night … Our prediction: Chicago puts the clamps on Harden, and the Bulls run away fairly easily with this one …
Denver at L.A. Clippers (10:30 EST, ESPN). Recently, a reporter asked JaVale McGee what he wanted for the holiday. His response? “Nothing.” If it were up to the Nuggets, they’d be asking Santa to bring Pierre some consistency. If that happens, he turns Denver into the most dangerous team in the West during the season’s second half (we feel like we’ve said this before) … L.A. has seven guys averaging at least nine points a game, and everyone is forgetting they still have Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups in the longterm bullpen. The whole season turned around once Chris Paul took over the coaching duti… wait, what? Vinny Del Negro is still coaching this team? Then seriously, how have they won 13 in a row? We’re still not ready to give VDN credit – this run simply comes down to this: the Clippers are really athletic, they force a lot of turnovers, and score in bunches … Our prediction: the Clippers and Nuggets have a shootout that ends with Chris Paul dissecting Denver on the final few overtime possessions … Prediction No. 2: at some point, you’ll be asking yourself whether it’d be better to have Eric Bledsoe than Ty Lawson …
We’re out like McGee’s Christmas.
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