NBA Christmas Predictions 2015-2016

[Bob Mc-Back in Blue-Adoo]

The leaked match-ups for Christmas in the NBA this upcoming season are looking to be some high octane fun come this holiday season. So far, four of the likely five match-ups have been leaked leaving one match-up unknown. The NBA has already leaked the new Christmas jerseys for every team so it is with those that I have created my prediction on how Christmas day should go down in the NBA. I understand the any predictions made right now are not really worth much seeing that anything can happen between now and December, but these are just how I feel that these match-ups would go down should all teams be healthy. It is also worth noting that I used the TV schedules from last season for this prediction. So, here it is.

That's a lot to take in at one time so let me break down each match-up.

(NOTE) The scores are really just playing the role of place-holders. The important thing is who wins and who loses and whether it was a close game.

GAME 1: 12 pm. EST New Orleans Pelicans @ Miami Heat : This match-up is cool because it features two teams that are on the rise. New Orleans now with a premier coach and a perennial superstar in Anthony Davis and Miami with a brand new roster trying once more to be great following the unfortunate departure of LeBron James. The game will likely feature some intense moments and a close battle but I predict that a star performance from Anthony Davis will cause the Pelicans to upset the Heat in the first Christmas game of 2015.

GAME 2: 2:30 pm. EST Atlanta Hawks @ San Antonio Spurs : This was the only slot that has not been leaked yet so I offered my prediction for what two teams would fill the slot. I figured that the NBA would want to put together a match-up that would be off-the-chain exciting. So, why not a battle between Spurs-West and Spurs-East. That's right, the San Antonio Spurs would host the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs, with the addition of LaMarcus Aldrige and David West look to be a team that could top the Western Conference and the Hawks look primed to make a shot at coming out of the East. It would also be a chance for Tiago Splitter to play against his old team, but that's not really going to sell out a crowd. Now for the prediction of how the game would go. The game would likely be close at first but the amount of talent on the Spurs should eventually best the Hawks and lead to a clear victory for the San Antonio Spurs.

GAME 3: 5 pm. EST Chicago Bulls @ Oklahoma City Thunder : Here is a match-up that is sure to capture an audience. Two teams with injured superstars who are making the run at redemption this season with Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant. If both teams are healthy, it is bound to be an epic battle between two playoff bound teams. Kevin Durant (if he is healthy) may use the spotlight to show that he is not only back, but that he is back with a vengeance. That is why I predict that the Thunder will come out on top in this game.

GAME 4: 8 pm. EST Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers : The Lakers look to lose on Christmas for the third straight year. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home on the road as they square up against the Los Angeles Lakers. This match-up is kind of a disappointment as I would rather have seen a Clippers-Spurs match-up, (the most likely match-up for this season's WCF) but a win on Christmas day is nice also. There's sure to be lobs galore as the new and improved Clippers team will find and exploit every hole in the defense of a rag-tag Lakers team and coast to a blow-out victory. Then again, the Lakers do have what may be a rookie sensation in D'Angelo Russel but we will just have to wait and see if he will be a factor in this game.

GAME 5: 10:30 pm. EST Cleveland Cavaliers @ Golden State Warriors : Here is what everyone who will be watching on Christmas day will surely be waiting for. A Finals rematch between the Warriors and the Cavaliers will close out the festivities on Christmas day 2015. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love vs. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. I firmly believe that if both teams are perfectly healthy, that the Cavaliers will have NO trouble in beating the Golden State Warriors. One can use last year's Finals as proof of this claim. The Cavaliers were missing two stars in Kyrie and Love and still took the NBA champs to six games. That coupled with the fact that the Warriors lost one of the best offensive coaches in Alvin Gentry will contribute to a Cavaliers victory to close out Christmas day in the NBA.

Well, that concludes my predictions for Christmas in the NBA for this upcoming season. Thank you for viewing.

[2001mark]

I highly doubt they'd show Cavs-Warriors that late, on Christmas Night no less. Bump the LA-LA game up there instead.

[NJTank]

NBA Finals rematch will be the 5pm game

[Bob Mc-Back in Blue-Adoo]

So, a bit of news has come up since I first uploaded this picture and I am now updating my predictions to accommodate this. The fifth and final game's match-up has been announced and I was half right with my prediction. My prediction was Hawks and Spurs but the true game is going to be the Rockets hosting the Spurs. A much better match-up but a shame that such cool Hawks jerseys will go to waste. I also adjusted some of the times for the games as was suggested by some of the viewers of this post. Here are the newly updated predictions.

[48erhater]

Glad the Knicks won't be playing. It's terrible watching them every Christmas.