The NBA schedule won’t be released for a little while longer, but that hasn’t stopped the Christmas Day predictions.
Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing recently took a crack at projecting the league’s five-game holiday slate, and he has the Cavaliers opening the festivities against the Pistons at noon ET.
It’s easy to see the appeal. The teams have quickly developed into one of the Eastern Conference’s better rivalries after meeting in last season’s playoffs, when Cleveland knocked off top-seeded Detroit on its way to the conference finals.
Yoder also noted the matchup would reward a Pistons team that hasn’t played on Christmas Day since 2005.
His projected schedule also includes Celtics vs. Heat, Knicks vs. 76ers, Thunder vs. Spurs and Lakers vs. Warriors.
The marquee matchup, in Yoder’s view, would feature defending champion New York against LeBron James and the revamped 76ers in the late-afternoon window.
He also expects the NBA to continue leaning on one of its most reliable television draws by pairing the Lakers and Warriors in the nightcap, while Oklahoma City and San Antonio would renew what has quickly become one of the league’s most compelling Western Conference rivalries.
Of course, the NBA hasn’t announced its Christmas schedule, and plenty could change before opening night. Still, if Yoder’s projections are anywhere close, basketball fans will be in for another loaded holiday lineup.
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