Wednesday, December 25th, 2019

Merry Christmas!

We ranked all five of today's games in terms of watchability, and added some gifs from the great Christmas moments of yesteryear.

Enjoy, and, oh, try and spend some time with your family, too.

We're off until Thursday, Jan. 2. Talk to you then.  

1. The Lead: Today's games, ranked

5. New Orleans at Denver (-9.5), 10:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

In September, this looked like one sexy game. Now it looks akin to all the times the NBA scheduled the Knicks to play on Christmas throughout the 2010s.

Obviously, Zion was supposed to be up and running by now; instead, he's acting like the linebacker on the high school football team

for some shots. 

Betting advice:

We kind of don't trust the Nuggets to win by 10 points, and we kind of don't trust the Pelicans to lose by nine points. Was that helpful? Take it easy ... you'll be asleep by the time this game tips anyways.  

4. Houston (-11) at Golden State, 5 p.m. EST, ABC 

Instead of watching Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, the Warriors this year will trot out names like Eric Paschall, Alec Burks and Willie Cauley-Stein, who, for what it's worth, has some

pretty sweet

face tattoos.  

Anyways, the Warriors (7-24) are riding a two-game win streak, which spawned

from Draymond Green a few days ago: 

"It feels fucking amazing. I never thought I’d be so excited about two regular season wins in my life."

Betting advice:

Houston's won six of its last seven games and might be feeling complacent, and Oakland probably has some good ...

gentleman's clubs

... to distract James Harden, so throwing some cash on the Warriors' money line (+450) might be a good idea.

3. Boston (-3.5) at Toronto, noon EST, ESPN

This will be a fun matchup between two of the top teams in the NBA by net rating -- Boston's third at 7.9; Toronto's seventh at 5.5 -- and record. 

Enes Kanter and Gordon Hayward, both previously questionable for

drastically

different

reasons

, will suit up for the Celtics, as well. 

Betting advice:

The Celtics WILL cover. And, if they don't? We're just a friendly NBA newsletter whispering sweet nothings in your ear. Don't blame us. 

2. Milwaukee (-3) at Philadelphia, 2:30 p.m. EST, ABC

The 76ers probably have four of the top-five players in this game (Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Al Horford, Tobias Harris) but the Bucks have Giannis, which is pretty much sufficient for a win these days. 

Of note:

Over his last 10 games, Giannis is shooting

44.4 percent

from deep on 5.4 attempts per game. So, basically, he's Shaq with a 3-point shot now. He has a profound understanding of the big moments, so don't be shocked if he goes for a 40-point triple-double today. 

Betting advice:

 Find $20 and run to your most mischievous friend and ask him to pull up his betting app (he’ll have one) so you can put your cash on Milwaukee to cover, thus earning yourself some free micro income from us to you. 

1. Clippers at Lakers (-2), 8 p.m. EST, ABC

This is the big boy, the top of the line -- this is as good as it gets

, and it's all made better by the fact that Anthony Davis and LeBron James

play today. 

So, for the first time, we'll get to watch LBJ and AD vs. Kawhi and Paul George. If you have to sacrifice the very-sacrificable 5:30 game to make room for this one, then do it; pull some strings, say your goodbyes, shoo your loved-ones out the door, clear your head, and plop yourself in front of the TV. 

Betting advice:

Don't. Just enjoy.  

[

READ:

One big question for every team playing on Christmas Day

]

 2. Gifs from NBA x Christmas past 

1. December 25, 1984

Playing against the Nets at Madison Square Garden, Brooklyn's own Bernard King dropped 60 points on 30 shots for the Knicks ... in a 120-114 loss for New York, which is somehow very Knicks.[Highlights]

2. December 25, 1986 

Young Patrick Ewing beats young Mike with a Christmas buzzer-beater at MSG. [Highlights]

3. December 25, 2016

In one of the best Christmas Day games in recent memory, Kyrie Irving's fallaway 2-pointer sinks the Warriors in their first season with Kevin Durant. [Highlights]

• The first trailer for ESPN's mega doc on the 1998 Bulls dropped yesterday. You can watch it here.  

• Kawhi's Christmas Eve plans: "Private. I don't discuss that with you guys."

• Of course you want to see Tacko Fall conduct an orchestra.  

• Little Cody's wish before the season: For the Knicks to make the playoffs

• Justin Holiday hanging kangaroo style with his daughter is beyond adorable. 

• The Jazz traded Dante Exum to Cleveland for Jordan Clarkson on Monday.