Wiz of Awes
Fansided

Predicting NBA Christmas games: Wizards deserve a matchup against Draymond Green

By Cem Yolbulan

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 25: "NBA on Christmas Day" message is display before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on December 25, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 25: "NBA on Christmas Day" message is display before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on December 25, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The NBA schedule for the 2023-24 season will likely come out in mid-August, and the opening day games will be on October 24th. Like in every NBA season, the first thing NBA fans will look for when the schedule is released will be the Christmas Day games. As always, these five games will be the most anticipated regular season games of the year, and it would add to this anticipation if the Washington Wizards were one of the ten teams playing on December 25th.

The NBA usually chooses rematches from the previous season as well as historical rivalries for the Christmas Day schedule. The 76ers versus the Knicks, the Celtics versus the Bucks, the Lakers, and the Mavericks were some of the matchups from last season.

Big-market teams like the Sixers, the Knicks, the Lakers, and the Celtics are almost guaranteed to have a game this year as well. The Denver Nuggets as the defending champions, and the Miami Heat as the defending East champions will also presumably play. The star-studded Phoenix Suns are heavy favorites to have a Christmas Day game as well. Potential matchups of Denver Nuggets-Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics-Miami Heat are mouth-watering.

This leaves three spots for the remaining 23 teams. The Wizards are likely low on the league hierarchy in terms of popularity and watchability. However, the Golden State Warriors are not.

The most likely potential matchup for the Wizards for a Christmas Day game would be against the Warriors. Now that the tensions between Jordan Poole and Draymond Green have been rekindled, a primetime matchup between the two former teammates would be an intense occasion.

After Draymond Green punched Poole in the preseason training camp last season, the two players were never the same. The chemistry issues plagued the Golden State Warriors all season as they suffered an early exit in the conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers. The locker room conflict was resolved this summer when the Warriors traded Poole to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul. Seeing how Poole is welcomed by the Warriors or how Draymond Green is welcomed in the Capitol One Arena will make for a fascinating tv event.

The Washington Wizards played 23 games on Christmas Day, winning an impressive 16 of them. The Wizards are 8-4 on Christmas since moving to Washington in 1973. The last Christmas game Washington played in was in 2017 when they beat the Boston Celtics 111-103. Let’s see if the league awards them a Christmas Day game after 7 seasons.

Home/Wizards News