NBA on Christmas Day: Five games live on Sky Sports Action
Watch five NBA games on Christmas Day from 5pm, live on Sky Sports Action
Wednesday 25 December 2019 22:26, UK
Settle in for a five-game NBA feast on Christmas Day, live on Sky Sports Action from 5pm, featuring two heavyweight marquee match-ups: Bucks @ 76ers and Clippers @ Lakers.
Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors, 5pm, Sky Sports Action
The Raptors, defending NBA champions, host their Atlantic Division rivals the Boston Celtics in the opening Christmas Day fixture.
Toronto (21-9) come into the game in the middle of an injury crisis with starters Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell all out indefinitely after picking up knocks in last week's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite that setbacks, the Raptors reeled off five straight wins, including a franchise-record 30-point comeback against the Dallas Mavericks, before their streak was snapped by the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
The Celtics (20-7) come into Christmas on the back off three straight wins and with Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown at the top of their games. The trio combined for 78 points on Sunday night as Boston easily dispatched the Charlotte Hornets 119-93.
Marcus Smart, who has missed time with an eye infection, is unlikely to return to face the Raptors. Gordon Hayward has missed the last three games with a foot injury.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30pm, Sky Sports Action
Defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee into Philadelphia to face Joel Embiid and the Sixers in what could be a preview of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Bucks (27-4) lead the Eastern Conference thanks to an 18-game winning streak that was finally snapped by the Dallas Mavericks on December 17. The 76ers (22-10) opened the season with 14 straight home wins but have lost to of their three most recent games at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 76ers' huge defensive line-up of Embiid, Al Horford, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons will provide Antetokounmpo with one of the strongest tests he will face this season.
However, thus far, no team has found an answer for the dominant play of the 'Greek Freak', who is averaging 31.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors, 10pm, Sky Sports Action
What should have been a marquee match-up will likely be a one-sided affair thanks to the injuries that have decimated the Warriors' season.
With no Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson in uniform for Golden State (6-24), the onus will be on D'Angelo Russell to somehow keep pace with the Rockets' high-scoring offense.
James Harden has repeatedly demonstrated his elite scoring skills, either with his mesmeric dribbling and drives to the baskets or from long-range with his trademark step-back three-pointer. The 2017-18 MVP is leading the league in scoring at 38.6 points per game while also supplying 7.4 assists and 5.8 rebounds each time out.
The Rockets (20-9) possess a duel offensive threat in the form of Russell Westbrook. Also a former MVP, Westbrook is scoring 23.9 points a game and the intensity and pace of his game offsets the slower, more deliberate play of his backcourt partner Harden.
LA Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers, 1am, Sky Sports Action
The Christmas Day main event is the latest chapter of the Battle of Los Angeles, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis facing off against Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The Lakers (24-6) lead the Western Conference and the spectacular interplay between James and Davis have triggered memories of the Magic Johnson-leg 80s Showtime Lakers.
However, both players missed practice on Monday and are considered questionable to face the city rivals. James sat out Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets with a thoracic muscle strain in his back and Davis suffered a knee injury on Sunday when he awkwardly fell during the game.
Pre-season title favourites the Clippers (22-10) have yet to consistently play to their huge potential but, even with George missing extended time at the start of the season and Leonard not playing in back-to-back games, they have shown they have the depth to keep pace with the West's best teams.
While Leonard (25.5 points per game) and George (24.2 points per game) lead the way, the Clippers also have firepower off the bench in the form of dynamic duo Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, who both average more than 19 points per game.
Both teams rank in the NBA's top 10 in terms of offensive and defensive rating. If both are at full strength, expect an epic encounter complete with an intense playoff-level atmosphere.
New Orleans Pelicans @ Denver Nuggets, 3:30am, Sky Sports Action
The prolonged absence of No 1 overall draft pick has left the Pelicans (8-23) treading water near the foot of the Western Conference. Alvin Gentry's team have won just twice in their last 10 outings.
Without Williamson, veteran guard Jrue Holiday and young forward Brandon Ingram have led the way for New Orleans, but that hasn't been enough to prevent them from sliding down the West standings.
By contrast, the Nuggets (21-8) sit second in the West thanks to a current seven-game winning streak. Led by the passing wizardry on 7ft Serbian center Nikola Jokic, Denver are making good on their preseason promise to improve on their trip to the Western Conference semi-finals last season.
Unlike last year, when the Nuggets' calling card was their slick offense, defense has been at the heart of Denver's success so far. They rank second in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing their opponents 103.3 points per 100 possessions. Only the Milwaukee Bucks boast a better rating.
