As the NBA announces its Christmas slate ahead of the full-season schedule, sometimes matchups can look better upon inception than when the basketballs are rolled out onto the floor. This year, we won\u2019t see an NBA Finals rematch as the Pacers are without Tyrese Haliburton who\u2019s rehabbing from a torn Achilles as his team struggles with a 6-24 record<\/a>. The defending champion Thunder will play on Christmas, though, in a battle with new Western Conference foe Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, who have had Oklahoma City\u2019s number recently<\/a>. When the league pitted Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks against Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and the Warriors, the league could not have imagined that neither team would be above .500 on Christmas, but that\u2019s just the glory of the chaotic NBA.<\/p>\n Without further ado, let\u2019s take a look at all five NBA matchups on Christmas Day and rank them all from worst to best:<\/p>\n Cooper Flagg will make his NBA Christmas debut \/ Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/p>\n While stars will be on the floor in the Christmas Day matchup between the Mavericks and Warriors, both squads have struggled out of the gate in a loaded Western Conference. The Mavs had a brutal start to the year, but have looked better as of late with seven wins in their past 11 games. That\u2019s largely in part to the immediate breakout of this year\u2019s No. 1 pick who is must-see TV any time he hits the court. Flagg is averaging 24.1 points per game over the month of December and nearly recorded his first career triple-double <\/a>in a close win over the Nuggets on Tuesday with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Mavs\u2019 best win of the season.<\/p>\n The Warriors have been up and down over their first 30 games as the franchise hopes to capitalize on what\u2019s left in the careers of 37-year-old Curry, 36-year-old Butler and 35-year-old Draymond Green. Green and coach Steve Kerr got into an argument on the bench<\/a> Monday, which led to the veteran forward walking off into the locker room. Warriors-Mavs should still be an exciting game with stars galore, but a matchup between two middling teams isn\u2019t what the NBA hoped for.<\/p>\n The Cavs will take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden \/ Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/p>\n As the only Eastern Conference matchup of the day, the struggling Cavaliers hope to make a statement on the national stage at Madison Square Garden. Cleveland has had a disappointing start to the season, sitting at 17-14 and seventh place in the East after earning the conference\u2019s top seed last year with a 64-win campaign. The Cavs have won two straight games heading into Christmas, which came against the Hornets and Pelicans. Before that, they dropped three straight\u2014two in a row to the Bulls and a disappointing overtime loss to the Hornets.<\/p>\n Evan Mobley is currently sidelined due to a calf strain, but Donovan Mitchell continues to do his thing, currently fourth in the NBA in scoring with 30.6 points per game. The Knicks, on the other hand, are coming off an NBA Cup title with an impressive win over the Spurs. New York has won 13 of its past 15 games, sitting toward the top of the East only behind the surprising 24-6 Pistons. Cleveland hopes to make a statement that its up-and-down start is in the rearview, while New York hopes the MSG crowd can help keep the Knicks\u2019 heater rolling.<\/p>\n LeBron James is back for yet another Christmas game \/ Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Luka Don\u010di\u0107 missed the Lakers\u2019 most recent game Tuesday\u2014a 132-108 loss to the Suns as Austin Reaves came off the bench due to a calf strain that caused him to miss three games. Don\u010di\u0107 sat out against the Suns due to a left leg contusion <\/a>and is considered day-to-day.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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