Breaking Down And Evaluating 2022 NBA Christmas Day Games
In this week’s episode of The Fast Break Podcast, Fastbreak on FanNation NBA insider and reporter Brett Siegel is joined by The Painted Lines’ Austin Krell, LakersNation’s Ryan Ward, Mavericks media member Lauren Gunn, CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning, The San Francisco Chronicles’ C.J. Holmes and PHNX Sports’ Gerald Bourguet to discuss and break down the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule!
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76ers vs. Knicks Breakdown [1:50]
The first game on Christmas Day will feature two teams that have no love lost for one another in the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks! Both teams are playing well right now and inside the Top-6 of the Eastern Conference standings, but only one will be able to come away with a key victory on Sunday.
Joel Embiid and the Sixers have proven to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, but on offense, they have been without Tyrese Maxey, a key scoring weapon for them in the backcourt.
Without Maxey, others in De’Anthony Melton and Shake Milton have stepped up on the offensive-end of the floor, yet this game against the Knicks may come down to physicality and who wants the ball more in the paint.
Previewing what the Sixers need to do to limit the Knicks’ opportunities, Austin Krell talked about who Philadelphia really needs to focus-in on during this Christmas Day game.
Krell [5:03]: “Mitchell Robinson is a big name for New York to keep an eye on. He’s a really good rebounder and the Sixers really struggle on the glass. The more shots he creates, the more it will tire the Sixers out because they will have to stay in defense. The more shots the Knicks get, the more chance the Knicks have of winning this one. If the 76ers can do their job on the glass and limit Robinson’s offensive rebounding abilities, they will have a very good chance to win this game.”
Lakers vs. Mavericks Breakdown [6:35]
The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need a big win and so do the Dallas Mavericks, who are looking to prove that their trip to the Western Conference Finals a season ago was not a fluke.
Without Anthony Davis, the Lakers will ask LeBron James to do most, if not all, of their heavy lifting offensively, giving the Mavericks an early advantage in this one. Luka Doncic and Christian Wood have been great for Dallas, but inconsistencies on the offensive-end of the floor still present themselves for this team.
This second game on Christmas between the Lakers and Mavs will surely be an intriguing game to watch and possibly one that will end up being a low scoring affair.
Both Ryan Ward and Lauren Gunn previewed this game for their respective teams, each talking about what to expect from this game beginning with Ryan and the Lakers.
Ward [10:46]: “I think they need to just try and stop Luka [Doncic]. Luka is just that engine right? If you stop that, then you force the other guys to beat you. Luka has been playing out of his mind this year and even though they really don’t have that ‘second guy,’ I would just focus on him. I mean, the Lakers are screwed! They’re not beating the Mavericks on Christmas Day unless LeBron [James] just has an insane day right? And even then, Luka Doncic may just match him shot-for-shot! I think this one is going to be rough for Los Angeles.”
Lauren talked about this game from the Maverick’s point of view, stating that Christian Wood is the difference-maker for this team.
Gunn [18:52]: “I think the key is to get Christian Wood in that starting lineup. I think that is what everyone is pushing for, especially since he and Luka seem to have great chemistry. They just work really well together and with the lack of overall movement on the offensive-end, playing those two together is only going to open things up for the shooters… The X-factor in this game for Dallas is Christian Wood. Luka is going to get his, that is just kind of expected on a night-to-night basis, but to me, it’s Christian Wood. He needs to maximize on the fact that Anthony Davis is not in there for the Lakers, especially on the glass.”
Bucks vs. Celtics Breakdown [21:10]
The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics met in Milwaukee on Christmas a season ago, with the Bucks beating the Celtics, and then they met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals a season ago, with the Celtics winning this series in seven games.
This has suddenly turned into a new rivalry in the East simply because both teams are title contenders and they once again hold this status this year, as they own the best records in the NBA.
Two All-NBA First Team players in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum will be leading their teams in this game, one that could very much come into play in regards to late-season tiebreakers for the top-seed in the conference.
Bobby Manning discussed his stance on this matchup and talked about why the Celtics need Robert Williams III, who just returned from offseason knee surgery, to be their X-factor not just in this game, but through the remainder of the season.
Manning [28:00]: “I think there are a lot of good options in terms of being the X-factor for Boston, but to me, it’s Robert Williams. He looked like himself in his first few games back and more importantly, when he’s in there, the rim gets taken away from the Celtics’ opponents for the most part. When you talk about rebounding, he’s probably their best rebounder too. I think sometimes his value gets overshadowed a little bit because of how limited his usage is, but when he is out there, I think the Bucks will have a hard time scoring, I think they are going to face a lot of resistance at the rim and that rebounding component of his game will be a major factor.”
Grizzlies vs. Warriors [31:16]
The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors faced off against one another in the Western Conference Semifinals a season ago with the Warriors winning this series in six games. However, these two teams have been very evenly matched through the years in the regular season.
Ja Morant has the Grizzlies at the top of the Western Conference standings right now and on the other side of things, the Warriors have really struggled and they will continue to search for answers with two-time MVP Stephen Curry sidelined with a shoulder injury.
C.J. Holmes talked about the Warriors’ recent struggles and what the points of emphasis for this team need to be not only against the Grizzlies, but moving forward.
Holmes [38:30]: “You know, I agree with the idea that the Warriors need to limit their turnovers. The way that they turn the ball over and play freely is Golden State Warriors basketball, but against a team like the Memphis Grizzlies, an athletic team who like to get out in transition and make you pay with second-chance points, you cannot afford to turn the ball over. From that standpoint, the Warriors will have to be sharp. Offensively speaking, the Warriors just have to be solid and it will have to be a collective approach. I expect a lot of ball-screens, a lot of situations where you will see Golden State’s guards going downhill. And on top of all of that, of course they will need to have a hot shooting night.”
Suns vs. Nuggets [42:40]
The final game on Christmas Day may get overlooked by some because they are not two of the bigger market teams, but the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets are both championship contenders in the West.
Devin Booker has proven to be an MVP-like candidate for the Suns and Nikola Jokic is the two-time defending NBA MVP!
Another one of those younger rivalries beginning to form in the NBA, the Suns and Nuggets have been known for their matchups getting a little chippy, so we could very much see some fireworks in this night game.
Gerald Bourguet who covers the Suns closely examined the Suns’ recent stretch and explained why Deandre Ayton is the key for Phoenix getting past the Denver Nuggets and possibly getting back to the NBA Finals.
Bourguet [48:17]: “Obviously the Deandre Ayton vs. Nikola Jokic matchup is huge in this one. Ayton has been a little inconsistent this season, but with Devin Booker out, he’s really taken a step forward in terms of being the center of their offense. Over the last nine meetings against the Suns, Jokic has a 3-6 record and he’s shot about 52 percent, which sounds good until you realize that over the last two seasons, he has shot like 56, 58 and 61 percent from the floor. Ayton is one of those rare guys in the league who does give Jokic trouble. Obviously they will need a healthy Devin Booker to have any chance in this game, but Deandre Ayton is able to limit Jokic, then that would go a really long way in Phoenix being able to field an offense that is able to take advantage of Denver’s defense.”
