For the first time in five years, the NBA Christmas Day schedule will not feature LeBron James versus the Warriors.
The NBA Christmas Day schedule will pit James’ Lakers against the Clippers and Golden State against Houston, ESPN.com reported Friday. Network assignments were not reported. This year will mark the first time since 2014 that James has not faced Golden State on the holiday; that year, his Cavaliers played the Heat and the Warriors faced the Clippers.
According to the same report, the other Christmas games will include Celtics-Raptors, Bucks-Sixers and Pelicans-Nuggets. The defending champion Raptors will be making their first Christmas Day appearance since 2001.
In other NBA scheduling news, Lakers F Anthony Davis is expected to return to New Orleans for the first time as an opponent on November 27, according to The Athletic writer Shams Charania. Nets G Kyrie Irving would face his former Celtics team the same night. Other noteworthy returns include Clippers F Kawhi Leonard in Toronto December 11 and Rockets G Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City January 9.
The 2019-20 NBA season is starting a week later than last year. The Opening Night games, per Charania, will be Pelicans-Raptors and Clippers-Lakers on October 22. Opening Week will coincide with the World Series for the first time since 2016.
Notably, ESPN’s first two Wednesday night doubleheaders this season — October 23 and 30 — are tentatively scheduled from 7:30 and 10 PM ET, a half-hour earlier than the customary 8:00 and 10:30. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has expressed a desire to start West Coast games earlier on weeknights.
