NBA Announces Christmas Day Schedule, Other Marquee Matchup Games

It’s that time of the Summer when some of the biggest games of the upcoming NBA season are announced.

The Christmas day schedule is out and it’s a doozy!

For the first time in a long time, the New York Knicks – a marquee NBA franchise – will miss out on the Christmas Day fun.

Taking their place are the NBA champion Toronto Raptors who finally get their Christmas day game. The Raptors are penciled into play host to their Atlantic Division rivals, the Boston Celtics. Surprisingly, the Raptors weren’t scheduled for a Finals rematch with the Golden State Warriors nor a game against their former star Kawhi Leonard on Christmas Day, but that’s water under the bridge at this point.

NBA CHRISTMAS DAY GAMES:

Clippers vs. Lakers
Pelicans at Nuggets
Celtics at Raptors
Bucks at 76ers
Rockets at Warriors

(via @wojespn, @espn_macmahon and @malika_andrews) pic.twitter.com/BBs6Sbrfhg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 2, 2019

Elsewhere, the Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Philadelphia 76ers in a battle of Eastern Conference powerhouses. The exciting and young New Orleans Pelicans will square off against the Denver Nuggets, while the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors will do batter in a playoff rematch. The top off the list, the battle of Los Angeles will be revisited as the Lakers take on the Clippers on Christmas night.

Sources: Notable superstar return games on 2019-20 NBA schedule:

Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard at Toronto: Dec. 11
Lakers‘ Anthony Davis at New Orleans: Nov. 27
Nets‘ Kyrie Irving at Boston: Nov. 27
Rockets’ Russell Westbrook at Oklahoma City: Jan. 9.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2019

Additionally, the NBA released a number of other marquee games.

Leonard returns to Toronto for the first time with his new team on December 11, while Anthony Davis makes his return to The Big Easy on November 27. On the same day, Kyrie Irving returns to TD Gardens in Boston. In what will assuredly be a special night, Russell Westbrook will receive a hero’s welcome when he makes his way back to Oklahoma City with his new team, the Houston Rockets on January 9.

Other big games include Kristaps Porzingis’ return to New York, slated for November 14 and Mike Conley’s return to Memphis taking place the following day.

The 2019-20 NBA regular season is coming!