Breaking News:
Has Ice Trae finally gone Ice Cold (from three that is)? The 27-year-old All-Star is having his worst season since his rookie year, as he’s currently averaging 19.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, and 8.9 apg, according to Statmuse. These stats are a significant dip from Trae Young’s career average of 25.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 9.8 apg, and the Atlanta Hawks noticed. In the middle of the Hawks’ latest game against the Pelicans, the Hawks announced that they were trading Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Coley Kispert.
Knicks vs Cavaliers:
Knicks fans, I see y’all. 126-124 win against the Cavaliers while crawling back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter. I really think this was one of the best Christmas games in NBA history. It had me up on my feet each successful possession, picking up my Brunson jersey from the floor where I had dropped it just five minutes earlier.
Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson deserve a standing ovation from all Knicks fans, far and wide. Kolek, who, under Tom Thibodeau’s system, rarely touched the hardwood, dropped 11 points in the 4th to cut the gap for New York. Lastly, Big Mitch could not be stopped on the offensive glass, securing 12 rebounds in the fourth (four offensive), which gave the Knicks the second-chance opportunities needed to win the game.
Spurs vs. Thunder:
“Wembenyama! Wembenyama! Wemben-”, What? Can’t a man worship the dynasty-killer in peace? I’m sorry to say this, OKC fans, but that first Spurs win wasn’t a fluke. Not even close. In fact, prior to their Christmas Day game, the Spurs blew out the Thunder by 20 points! Now, can you guess how their Christmas matchup went? Let me give you a hint: one team won by 15 points and it WASN’T the Thunder!
That’s right, the Spurs are now three-for-three against the defending champions, with Wembenyama “spuring” in a new rivalry against OKC center Chet Holmgren. Ever since these losses, OKC has not shown the same animosity, as they recently got blown out by the 12th-seeded Hornets. Will the Spurs continue their streak against OKC? We’ll have to wait and see on January 13.
Mavericks vs Warriors:
If I’m being honest, this game wasn’t as exciting as I hoped it would be, mainly because Anthony “Day-to-Day” Davis got injured early in the second. Despite this, I’m not saying this game wasn’t an ABSOLUTE SHOWOUT from Cooper Flagg, who dropped 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one block, keeping the Mavericks in the game alongside Brandon Williams.
As for the Warriors, Steph Curry continued with his show with 23 points, three rebounds, and four assists. He shot an underwhelming 2-for-10 from three, which contributed to my conclusion about the excitement I felt during this game.
Rockets vs Lakers:
Again, this was a relatively underwhelming Christmas Game, with Luka Doncic only dropping 25 and LeBron 18 in their 23-point loss to the Rockets. “Well,” you might say, “At least the Rockets put up a lot of points, right?” WRONG! Kevin Durant had 25, Amen Thompson had 26, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16.
JJ Redick, the Lakers’ Head Coach, was fed up with their style of play that Thursday, criticizing several players for their lack of enthusiasm in playing. In what some critics believe is a jab at LeBron, Redick believes in a different situation, with him saying, “It’s a matter of making the choice, and too often, we have guys that don’t want to make that choice. And it’s pretty consistent who those guys are.”
Timberwolves vs Nuggets:
I know I say this a lot, but WHAT DID I SAY! To quote Gladiator, “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?” Nikola Jokic surely felt like Maximus Decimus Meridius that day, playing what could possibly be the greatest Christmas Day performance in NBA history. 56 points, 16 rebounds, 15 assists, and two blocks on 90% true shooting. Wow. Just wow. Only Jokic could drop such a ridiculous stat sheet and STILL look at the NBA like a 9-5.
It wasn’t just Jokic playing like a demon, however, as Anthony Edwards looked over at the Nugget’s center and said, “Now just wait a minute.” His 44 points, six rebounds, and three assists kept the Timberwolves biting at the Nuggets’ ankles, with the Nuggets only securing a 4-point win.
Conclusion
Overall, this Christmas Day did not disappoint. It was filled with elite matchups, broken records, inspirational comebacks, and budding new rivalries. Well, only 356 more days until we can see one of the greatest traditions in sports history return. Until then, happy New Year and merry hoopmas.
