Reasonable people can disagree over whether this year’s NBA Christmas Day showcase features all of the “correct” teams. (We hear, see and honor the lived experiences of fans of the Thunder, Bucks, Cavaliers, and Anyone Else Who Might Be Mad About This.) It’s tougher to argue, though, that the annual holiday extravaganza isn’t overflowing with enticing talent.
The slate includes the last three NBA champions, plus last season’s runner-up, with five top-10 offenses and four top-10 defenses. We’ll (hopefully) see as many as four Most Valuable Player winners. The quintuple-header features 10 of last season’s 15 All-NBA selections, more than 30 players who’ve made All-Star teams, and a few more who might be mere weeks away from making their first.