It’s hard to believe by the NBA is about 30 games into the season which is more than 35% into their 82 game schedule. As we near 2023 and the second half of the season, one of the league’s biggest milestones is the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule.

It’s an important date for the visibility of the NBA that they go all out in marketing the teams playing that day. Fans that usually don’t pay attention end up in front of the TV as Christmas dinner is being prepared (or after presents have been unwrapped). From having no games scheduled the Saturday before to holiday-inspired commercials to alternate Christmas day jerseys that are created only for the teams playing on December 25th.

Christmas Day Schedule 2023

The teams that are featured in on Christmas day are often determined by the a few factors. The slate of games always includes the NBA champions and last season’s runner’s up, franchises that have the largest markets, and teams with some of the league’s most popular players. You know LeBron and Luka, Ja and Steph, Embiid, Jokic, Booker, Giannis and Tatum. aThis season’s schedule is no different.

A new twist the last couple seasons is the introduction of official sports betting and you know that NBA fans (and non fans) are livening up their Christmas day festivities by placing bets on a game or on all five. On that, Casinority you will find no deposit bonuses in the UK.

Here’s the Christmas Day game schedule for 2022:

Breaking Down NBA X-Mas Day Schedule

It’s no surprise to see the New York Knicks taking on the Philadelphia 76ers in the first match up. Not only is New York one of the largest NBA markets, but there’s always been a light rivalry between the two East Coast franchises. This year it’ll be especially spicy as Joel Embiid is the league’s leading scorer and the Knicks coming into the game having won eight of their last nine games.

In the second game on Xmas day will see another big market team in the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks. This is also a match up between the best player in the last two decades in LeBron James and future GOAT in Luka Doncic. You can catch that game on ABC also.

In perhaps the most competitive game is the Boston Celtics taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at home. This pits the two best teams in the NBA record-wise in a clash of not only Eastern Conference powerhouses, but also between the two leading MVP front-running candidates in Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Though the Celtics have had a rough stretch going into Sunday’s game, they’re at home and favored by sportsbooks — find the best Apple Pay online casinos in the UK by following this link.

In what was supposed to be the main attraction pitting the Golden State Warriors against the Memphis Grizzlies in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals. But as you know, Steph Curry is out with an injury and the Warriors have been a mess without the greatest shooter of all-time.

In the fifth and final game of the night, we see the Denver Nuggets taking on the Phoenix Suns in a battle for the top of the West. Two time MVP Nikola Jokic’s numbers aren’t as gaudy as his last two seasons, but there’s no doubt who the centerpiece of the Nuggets offense is. The Suns have stumbled as of late with Devin Booker missing a couple games and continued drama between Deandre Ayton and teammates and coaches.

As you can see there’s no shortage of storylines and high-level matchups going into Christmas Day this year. Outside of Curry’s injury — and no one could have predicted that — the NBA schedule makers really hit on every game. A fantastic job considering they didn’t now how things would shake out. Our only complaint? Adding Zion Williamson and New Orleans and the Brooklyn Nets to the schedule would have knocked it completely out of the park.