Christmas is a time for family, friends and the gift of sports. Here are 6 players worth watching on Christmas day to kick off your holiday season.
The “who is the best basketball player in the world 2020” is a question that many people ask. The answer to this question, depends on what you are looking for. There are 6 players who will be taking the court on Christmas Day, and they are LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard.
The NBA’s finest players get to show off at a time when most people are simply sitting out in front of the television with their family members, so Christmas is usually a big day for the league. Due to the continuing COVID-19 epidemic, this year’s season may be a little different, although lots of players, such as LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, intend to play for their teams.
We chose to evaluate the best players participating on the big day this year ahead of the NBA’s Christmas showcase in 2021. Our criteria are primarily centered on the stats they’re presently putting up (this isn’t an all-time rating), although we did look over their résumé.
Luka Doncic, for example, who won’t be playing on Christmas Day because to the COVID-19 regulations but would have otherwise made the list, has stats similar to LeBron’s, but James gets the edge because, you know, he has four league MVPs and four NBA titles. He has a proven track record of unbelievable success that Doncic has yet to match.
So, without further ado, here is our ranking of the top six NBA players who will be on the floor on Christmas Day. Oh, and don’t be concerned. We double-checked everything, just like Santa Claus.
6. Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell
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Donovan Mitchell is just 25 years old, yet he’s already in his sixth season of averaging at least 20 points each game. The guard has his Utah Jazz following just the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference rankings, averaging 25.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while making 45.8 percent of his field-goal attempts and 34.2 percent of his 3-pointers.
The Jazz have a strong roster with Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, and other top-tier rotation players, but Mitchell has been the most important factor in their success. His athletic scoring ability demands a lot of defensive attention, propelling him to the No. 6 place in our Christmas Day rankings, ahead of James Harden, Rudy Gobert, and Chris Paul.
5. Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum
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Jayson Tatum has only continued to climb the NBA’s individual ladder after establishing himself as a potential star with a stunning playoff performance as a rookie in 2017-18.
The Boston Celtics haven’t been able to break through to the top of the Eastern Conference yet this season, but that has nothing to do with Tatum’s performance. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 41.9 percent.
Tatum has left his up-and-coming reputation behind and established himself as one of the league’s top players, having been in two All-Star games. He’s just 23, but he’s no stranger to the Christmas Day stage, having made four prior appearances in his NBA career.
4. Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker
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This past summer, Devin Booker showed he was the genuine thing by guiding the Phoenix Suns to their first trip in the NBA Finals since 1993. And it’s because of that run that he’s one of the top five NBA players on Christmas Day, averaging 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his first-ever playoff participation.
Booker has continued to transform the Suns into perennial contenders thus far this season. He’s averaging 23.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists as a two-time All-Star. He has also guided Phoenix to the top of the Western Conference rankings, where they are vying for the No. 1 spot with the Golden State Warriors.
3. Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James
On Dec. 9, 2021, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers poses before a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. | Getty Images/Justin Ford
Naturally, if this were an all-time list, LeBron James would be at the top. We can’t elevate him much higher since his Los Angeles Lakers have struggled this season, and he has missed a significant amount of games due to injuries.
The King, on the other hand, is still putting up his usual stats, which, along with his Hall of Fame background, explains why he’s still one of the best NBA players on the field this time of year. James has a 26.8 point, 6.7 rebound, and 6.5 assist per game average. In addition, he’s shooting 51.4 percent from the field. If it weren’t for him, the Lakers would be substantially lower in the NBA Play-In Tournament race than they are now.
2. Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, fresh off his first NBA title, has been a man on a mission once again this season. Two-time MVP Carmelo Anthony is averaging 27.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. In addition, he’s hitting 52.9 percent of his shots.
Despite dealing with injuries and COVID-19 troubles so far, Antetokounmpo has his Milwaukee Bucks in an excellent position in the Eastern Conference rankings, with a decent opportunity to win him his second championship later this season.
The 2017 NBA Finals MVP has clearly confirmed his reputation as one of the best athletes in the world, which is why he’s so high on our Christmas list.
Note: As of publishing, Antetokounmpo had passed the health and safety standards but was unsure whether he will play.
1. Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry
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The Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry took a two-year hiatus from title contention, but they have stunned everyone this season, indicating they have as good a shot as any team to win the championship.
The Warriors have been battling the Suns for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference all year, thanks to Steph’s 27.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, as well as his incredible 3-point shooting. Stephen Curry is the three-time NBA champion, which is why he’s at the top of our Christmas Day wish list.
Stats are from Basketball Reference and are up to date as of Dec. 24.
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