Charlotte Hornets’ Christmas Day Drought Continues With Salt in Wound This Time

The Charlotte Hornets have never played on Christmas Day. It is one of the biggest NBA days of the year, with "primetime" matchups all day to celebrate the holiday and take advantage of audiences who are at home and ready to watch.

Historically, it's been a pretty good day of matchups, too. The schedule-makers often put really good teams against one another for maximum watchability. They also try to put revenge games or rematches and rivalries on Christmas.

That's why the Hornets haven't played on the day. They've really never been relevant enough to warrant that. There are no big rivalries they are a part of, nor have there ever really been any major revenge games.

That continued this year, with the following slate confirmed for December 25:

Spurs at Knicks: Noon ET
Heat at Celtics: 2:30 pm ET
76ers at Lakers: 5 pm ET
Thunder at Timberwolves: 8 pm ET
Nuggets at Warriors: 10:30 pm ET

Most of these matchups make sense, although why the NBA would prioritize the rapidly declining Warriors over the rising Hornets is surprising. Spurs-Knicks is a Finals rematch and sure to be an excellent game.

The Celtics and Heat are rivals, and the Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 76ers now have LeBron James, and they get to face off with James' former team, the Lakers.

The Thunder are arguably the best team in the sport even still, and the Timberwolves are a perennial playoff team that might've gotten significantly better. Therein lies the unfortunate irony of this Christmas Day schedule.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) is challenged by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wolves would have a good case to play on Christmas anyway, but with LaMelo Ball in town, they're even more box-office, so the NBA wants them to take part in the holiday slate.

Can you think of any other team that, with Ball, was also must-watch, sported the best offense in the sport, and had a sizzling finish to the season? That's right, the Hornets.

The trade was already tough to swallow, but fans desperate for the team to be relevant once again will not enjoy the cruel twist of fate that Ball made it onto the Christmas Day NBA schedule the very first year he plays anywhere else.

The Hornets may one day play on Christmas, and with how things are going, it may not be long, but the drought continues, and in a particularly cruel way this time.

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