On Christmas, the NBA presents 5 showcase video games. Except they’re repeats of video games from two days earlier.
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 130-11 in a Ssaturday afternoon sport at Madison Sq. Backyard. On Christmas Day, the slate of video games begins with these very same groups taking part in in the very same place.
There isn’t any challenge with the NBA that includes the Bucks, a title contender that includes superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, or the Knicks, a wildly standard crew that made the second spherical of final yr’s playoffs.
However why schedule a sport for 2 days earlier than in the event that they’re making an attempt to make the Christmas sport particular? Primarily the NBA is kicking off one among its greatest days with a rerun.
It is one among a sequence of unusual scheduling choices this yr. The NBA will not play any video games on Christmas Eve, making the third Sunday in December they’ve gone with no single sport. Two of these had been for the in-season event, but it surely’s a baffling choice.
The event was supposed to extend curiosity within the NBA. However after the ultimate, any newfound basketball followers noticed a day with no basketball in any respect. Not an effective way to protect the momentum of the event.
What is the cause? It could possibly be worry of the NFL, which dominates scores on Sundays. However the scheduling is not doing them any favors.
It is arduous to make viewers suppose a Christmas Day matchup is particular when the league itself does not suppose so.