Category: Basketball

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country.

With the Lakers completely overhauling their roster this summer, it’s made predicting just how good they’ll be difficult. Most of last year’s rotation is gone, and it’s not fringe players that only played a shift or two. It’s starters like LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart.

Are the new players like Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Walker Kessler upgrades and a better fit around Luka?

Last season, the Lakers won 53 games. Can they repeat that success, or will these changes and adjusting to so many new pieces mean growing pains and additional losses?

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we’re keeping it simple and asking if the Lakers will win at least 45 games.

Whether your take is positive or negative about the 2026-27 Lakers, the one thing I do know is that you don’t have enough data to support it.

We don’t know how good the Austin Reaves, Luka, Kessler three-man rotation is going to be. We haven’t seen Mamu as Kessler’s backup big, or as the four next to him. Collin Sexton running the backup unit? We haven’t seen that either.

So, any take one has is fair until we can actually see some of these players together and get a better understanding of their fit.

However, experts consistently predict the Lakers will win far fewer games than they actually do.

Yes, there are a ton of roster changes, but Luka is their top player, which fixes a lot of things. During his career, Dončić has only had two seasons where his team didn’t have a winning year.

As long as he’s healthy, Luka is a shoo-in for All-NBA First Team, and the Lakers should easily reach 45 wins. During JJ Redick’s time as head coach, LA has won at least 50 games each season, even with massive roster changes.

Also, let’s not forget Reaves. He is Luka’s running mate and every year he has gotten better as a player. If he makes another jump this season, he’ll be an All-Star.

The only issue here is that health is never guaranteed. Luka played in 64 games last season and had a slew of injuries, including a hamstring strain that ended his year early. Reaves also missed a ton of contests, playing in just 51 games.

So with LeBron no longer here to carry an extra load when necessary, perhaps LA can’t win as much when Luka misses time. The Lakers went 10-8 in games Dončić missed last season.

With a lower ceiling, maybe voting for under 45 wins is an indication of one’s skepticism on Luka being healthy and the Lakers figuring out how to optimize all these new pieces.

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

So, if you trust Luka to be available and perform like he usually does, vote for 44-plus wins. But if you are worried about LA’s overhaul and Luka’s availability, then select under 44 victories. And as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Twenty-five days before its first game, Northwestern’s 2026 football season is off to a fine start.

The university has received a three-year, $35 million commitment from the Uihlein family to "support the continued growth and success of its football program," the school announced on Tuesday, August 11.

According to a release, the funding will be used for athlete development, operational priorities, recruiting and strategic investments "designed to position Northwestern Football for sustained success in the Big Ten and on the national stage."

REQUIRED READING: College football hot seat list: 11 coaches facing heat, with Bill Belichick on fire

"We are deeply grateful to the Uihlein family for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Northwestern University," Northwestern athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement. "Their support will help us continue building a program that delivers an exceptional student-athlete experience while competing at the highest level of college football."

The donation from Liz and Dick Uihlein comes as the Wildcats are preparing to play their first season in Ryan Field after an $862 million, privately funded renovation that shrunk capacity, and completely overhauled and modernized the aging venue.

The Uihleins are the billionaire owners of Uline, a business supply company, and are heirs to the Schlitz Brewing Company fortune. The couple lives in the Chicago area.

Northwestern is entering its fourth season under coach David Braun, who has led the program to bowl games in two of his first three seasons after taking over for Pat Fitzgerald in 2023. Last season, the Wildcats went 7-6 and won the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

In the years since college sports have been dramatically reshaped by NIL and the transfer portal, Northwestern has struggled at times, going 23-39 overall and 13-32 in the Big Ten since 2021. The donation it received should help in its efforts to stay financially competitive in the Big Ten, a league in which it has by far the smallest undergraduate enrollment.

"We are so grateful for Pat and Shirley Ryan’s contributions to Northwestern and Chicago and want to follow their lead. Northwestern is one of the nation's premier institutions, developing future leaders through its world-class academic programs, including the Kellogg School of Management," Liz and Dick Uihlein said in a statement. "As multigenerational Chicagoans, we love this city and want to see it thrive. To us, Northwestern University is Chicago. Chicago loves sports and we need Wildcat Football to be competitive. We are pleased to support the university as it enters an exciting new era."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Northwestern football receives $35M donation from Uihlein family

The date is officially set.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will open their season on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22nd.

This is the sixth consecutive season that Cleveland will begin away from home. The Cavs previously played the Knicks last season.

Cleveland will have a chance to measure itself against a team that they have been intrinsically linked to this offseason. Not only did the 76ers beat them in the hunt for LeBron James, but they also made the second-biggest splash of the offseason by trading for Jaylen Brown, as well. Many have speculated that Philly’s moves to upgrade their roster are what put them ahead of the Cavs in acquiring LeBron.

It’s unclear if the Cavs actually had a chance to sign James this summer. There’s no concrete evidence that James would have landed in Cleveland if they had been the ones to trade for Brown instead. That’s only speculation. But in this league, even the most unreliable rumor can be used as fuel for the fire.

The Cavs should view this opening game as an opportunity to make a statement. Even more than usual. This is their chance to flex their continuity and deliver a message to the league that Philly hasn’t passed them overnight. Cleveland’s been one of the best teams in the league for five consecutive seasons. They shouldn’t be prepared to fall behind the race just because another Eastern Conference team made a splash this summer.

A few other games for the 2026-27 season were announced today.

The NBA’s opening week National TV schedule + Christmas games.

A lot of bangers here. Absolutely love the early 3pm ET start time. pic.twitter.com/eJBf0GiHha

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) August 11, 2026

The season will formally tip off on Tuesday, October 20th. The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons start things at 3 PM, while the New York Knicks will have their championship ceremony later in the evening at 7 PM against the 76ers. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs cap off the first triple-header of the season.

Christmas Day has also been revealed.

We have an NBA Finals rematch between the Knicks and Spurs, followed by the Miami Heat taking on the Boston Celtics, before we see LeBron James and the 76ers head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers. The Thunder then play against the Minnesota Timberwolves before the night is concluded by Denver versus Golden State.

Cleveland will not be active this Holiday season.

The NBA Cup schedule will be released tomorrow, while the full regular season schedule is set to be revealed on Thursday.

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With the rollout of the 2026-27 NBA schedule, the league will again take its game overseas with a two games in Europe and one in Mexico, all of which were previously announced in May.

The NBA will showcase San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NBA selection, as he returns to his home country, with the Spurs playing two games against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The first game is set Jan. 14, 2027 at Accor Arena in Paris, in what should be a boisterous homecoming for Wembanyama. The rematch will take place at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, on Jan. 17. The last time the NBA played a regular-season game in Paris was in January 2025 when the Spurs and the Indiana Pacers split their two-game series.

NBA OPENING NIGHT: Tripleheader features LeBron James, 76ers vs. champion Knicks

NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY: Who's playing in 5-game holiday showcase

The NBA is also returning to Mexico for a regular-season contest that will pit three-time league MVP Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets against two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers on Nov. 7 at Mexico City Arena in Mexico City. It will be the 16th regular-season contest played in the country.

The league will return to Paris and Berlin for regular-season games in the 2027-28 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs headline NBA international games in 2026-27

We’re deep in the offseason. A summer of hype around new recruits and NBA Draft anticipation has now become quiet. To pass time, let’s take a look at the Illini’s returning core and their closest NBA comparisons.

David Mirkovic: Julius Randle

Mirkovic and Randle are almost identical when it comes to their body frames, with Mirk sitting at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds and Randle at 6-foot-8 and 250. The similarities are also seen in what they do with their bodies: they both love to play bully-ball. With both of them lacking elite verticals above the rim, they instead utilize their frames to fight through contact, dominate the glass and get buckets at the rim.

Julius Randle combines the bully-ball aspect of his game with his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter, making 33% of his 3-point shots throughout his career. David Mirkovic does the same, stretching defenses out to the arc to contest his triples when it isn’t working for him in the paint. Mirk shot 37.5% from long-range last season, attempting around four per game. Randle also attempted around four per game last season. Obviously, neither is a spot-up shooter, but they both pose a scoring threat from the paint and the perimeter. 

Both of them are primarily power forwards, but they both can act as point forwards. Randle occasionally initiates the offense from the perimeter and is able to grab a defensive rebound and push coast-to-coast. Mirkovic’s background as a point guard gives him similar traits, and they both possess high IQ and passing vision as power forwards. 

Additionally, they both use their physicality to excel at grabbing rebounds. Julius Randle career rebounds per game sit at 8.9, and Mirkovic snagged 8 per game in his freshman season. 

Zvonimir Ivisic: Mo Bamba

Frame-wise, Z and Mo are both freakishly lengthy. Zvonimir sits at 7-foot-2 and around 245-250 pounds, and Bamba at 7-foot and 230. But that’s not where the swatting abilities come from. Zvonimir Ivisic’s wingspan is speculated to be around 7-foot-5 or greater, and Mo Bamba’s 7-foot-10 wingspan is one of the largest ever recorded at the NBA Draft combine. 

As basketball players, they both primarily thrive at one thing: protecting the rim. They excel with their timing, reflexes and length to reject shots around the cylinder. Bamba has swatted roughly 6.5% of two-point attempts while on the floor throughout his NBA career, and Z’s 12.6% block rate ranked No. 4 nationally last season. 

Beyond rim protection, they both carry themselves as stretch 5s on offense, spacing the floor by offering a 3-point threat from the wing and forcing bigs to leave the paint. Bamba’s career 3-point percentage sits at 35%, while Zvonimir has made 33.6% of his triples so far throughout his NCAA career.

Neither of them are seen posting-up in the paint often, but they still score in the interior by catching lobs, running the floor in transition and crashing the boards for putback dunks. 

Tomislav Ivisic: Nikola Vucevic

Tomislav Ivisic and Nikola Vucevic’s styles of play are practically the same. The one thing setting them apart is the height difference: Tomislav’s 7-foot-1 frame towers over Vuc’s 6-foot-9 frame. 

Still, they score in the same ways. They both love a good pick-and-pop at the top of the key to offer a shot option and make space for guards in the lane. And when they’re given the ball there, they’ll knock down most of their triples from the top of the key. Vucevic has made 35% of his career triple attempts, and Tomislav 32% in his Illini career. Last season, Tomislav attempted 4.7 3-pointers per game while Vucevic attempted 4.2 per game. 

If the long-range shots aren’t going down, the pick-and-pop can turn into a pick-and-roll, but with a short roll. They both like to open themselves up to the free throw line for a floater instead of fighting through contact in the paint. 

Even though they don’t usually invite contact, they both possess shifty skills in the post for interior scoring and rely on their footwork, fakes, hook shots and creativity. 

Beyond scoring, these two centers love to playmake from the elbow and utilize their vision to find cutters. 

Andrej Stojakovic: DeMar DeRozan

DeMar and Andrej are both 6-foot-6, though DeMar’s 220 pounds is a little heavier than Stojakovic’s 205.

One thing they’re both unusually skilled at is relieving pressure late in the shot clock. They like to demand the ball at the perimeter, then use their isolation skills and explosive athleticism to bail their team out for a layup or midrange.

That same explosive athleticism helps them soar in the air vertically. DeMar recorded a 38.5-inch vertical at the 2009 NBA Draft combine, while Andrej recorded a 41.5-inch vertical in this year’s combine. That bounce gives both of them the ability to finish violently and posterize players in the paint, as Stojakovic did multiple times last season and DeMar did frequently in his Raptor years. 

Their body control allows them to finish off a lot of tough buckets in the mid-paint. Both take, and make, tough layups, floaters and short pull-ups while adjusting their bodies midair. 

Most of their scoring comes from these types of buckets, along with midrange shots closer to the arc and free throws from fouls drawn. Stojakovic was more comfortable knocking down the triple in his first two collegiate years than his first season as an Illini. At Stanford and Cal, he averaged 3.8 3-point attempts per game and made 32.2% of them. Last season, he only took 2.4 3-pointers per game and made just 24.4% of them. 

DeRozan on the other hand, attempted just 1.7 3-pointers per game and shot 28.8% from behind the arc during his nine seasons as a Toronto Raptor. As a Chicago Bull and Sacramento King, DeRozan attempted 2.4 3-pointers per game and made 33% of them. 

They both have the capability to knock down the triple, but cannot always find the rhythm. 

Jake Davis: Shane Battier

Battier has two inches and 10 pounds on Jake Davis, but they play almost identically. Both glue guys use their high basketball IQ and positioning to slide into help defense, take charges and close out on shots on one side of the court, and cut backdoor and make the extra pass on the other. 

Beyond their intelligence on the court, their hustle and grit don’t always show up on the box score. They both box out, crash the glass and fight for loose balls relentlessly through toughness. 

Lastly, but certainly not least, they’re both primarily known for one thing: knocking down the catch-and-shoot corner triple and being absolutely elite at it. Davis shot 40.6% from behind the arc last season, knocking down 54 out of his 133 attempts. In the 2012-13 season with the Miami Heat, Shane Battier shot 43% from 3-point range, nailing 103 of his 276 attempts. 

TCR readers, do you agree or disagree with these comparisons? Offer your own in the comments below!

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

The New York Knicks’ first game of the 2026-27 season might be their highest profile of the year.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart’s defending NBA champions host LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in their Philadelphia 76ers debut at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

“[They’re] going to be electric. [The 76ers] going to be definitely a team to keep your eye on. They reloaded this year,” Brunson said on NBC’s Today Show. “It’s going to be a tough test, but we’ll be ready.”

In addition to all the hoopla, Mike Brown’s club will also receive their championship rings and raise their 2025-26 banner — the team’s first since 1973 — to the rafters before tipoff.

If you’d like to be there, tickets are already available for this much-anticipated season opener.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for the Knicks/Sixers showdown was $2,219 including fees on SeatGeek.

100-level seats start at $3,479 including fees.

Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).

Prior to this marquee matchup, the last time the two Eastern Conference powerhouses met was in the Conference Semi Finals this past May. At that time, New York was in the middle of their historic postseason winning streak and swept Philadelphia 4-0.

As of now, the full NBA schedule hasn’t been announced but two other notable Knicks games were revealed today.

Following their Oct. 20 battle with the Sixers, Shamet’s squad has regular season duels with Jayson Tatum’s formidable Celtics (Friday, Oct. 23 at Boston’s TD Garden) and Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs in an NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day at MSG.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Knicks’ 2026-27 MSG home opener against the 76ers below.

How much are tickets for the Knicks’ MSG home opener against the 76ers?

A complete breakdown of all the best prices on seats by section at Madison Square Garden for the Oct. 20 Knicks vs. 76ers game are listed here:

Madison Square Garden sections	Ticket prices start at
400 level	$2,219(including fees)
300 level	$2,718(including fees)
200 level	$2,415(including fees)
100 level	$3,479(including fees)
Lower level	$3,536(including fees)
Courtside	N/A

When are the other Knicks’ games?

New York’s other two announced 2026-27 games with dates, start times, opponents and venues are listed below.

2026-27 Knicks games
Knicks vs. CelticsFriday, Oct. 23 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA 7 p.m.
Spurs vs. KnicksFriday, Dec. 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY12 p.m.

Huge concerts at Madison Square Garden in 2026

Jonesing for a little live music?

You’ve come to the right place.

Here are just five of the biggest artists coming to MSG these next few months that you won’t want to miss IRL.

• Bryson Tiller (Sept. 13)

• Gorillaz (Sept. 29)

• Dave Matthews Band (Nov. 12-13)

• Doja Cat (Dec. 1)

• Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 16-17)

Who else is headed to the Garden? Take a look at this list for a comprehensive look at all the concerts, games and events at MSG this year and next.

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Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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It’s no secret that having LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster for the past eight seasons heightened the Lakers’ profile.

The Lakers are already arguably the most famous and iconic franchise in NBA history. That is why it was fitting that arguably the NBA’s most famous and iconic active player was playing in Los Angeles.

But now LeBron is gone, which is a hit to the team’s star power and cultural impact. And that seemed to manifest with the NBA schedule for next season, which was releasedin part on Tuesday morning.

The Lakers aren’t playing on the NBA’s Opening Night for the first time in eight seasons. The last time this was the case was in 2019—which was the first season LeBron James was on the Lakers’ Opening Night roster.

This reveals a tough pill that the Lakers’ franchise and fan base must swallow: their team isn’t as must-see as they were with LeBron.

Granted, the Lakers are still a massive draw.

Luka Doncic is a superstar, and the team has several marquee games on the schedule, including facing LeBron’s Philadelphia 76ers at home on Christmas Day.

Not to mention that the Lakers’ season opener is against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on October 21 at Crypto.com Arena. That’s still a massive matchup, even without LeBron, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that California showdown draw more viewership than any of the Opening Night games.

LeBron’s 76ers squad will face the defending NBA champion New York Knicks on Opening Night as well. That game will probably have the Lakers beat, because that’s the LeBron James effect.

Season's greetings from the NBA, who gifted us all with future cheer as LeBron James will make his return to the West Coast for a game against Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day.

James spent eight seasons with the Lakers before departing during the offseason as a free agent.

After 24 days, he committed to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, July 24, over teams such as the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.

James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option for the 2027-28 season.

James and the Sixers head west amid a packed NBA Christmas Day schedule. It will be LeBron's 21st Christmas game and comes as the perfect headline for the holiday.

It will be nestled just after the Heat take on the Celtics and will be followed by the Thunder taking on the Timberwolves. Here is the day's slate of games. All times Eastern.

• San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks, 12 p.m.
• Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics, 2:30 p.m.
• Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 5 p.m.
• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
• Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m.

LeBron James's final Lakers game

James produced a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes of play during his last appearance for the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on May 11 in a 115-110 Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Luka Doncic did not play in the game due to injury.

After the Western Conference semifinal series, James stated that he needed to think about his future and was unsure of his plan.

“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James shared on his social media accounts on July 24. “I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game.

“I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA gifts LeBron to LA with Lakers-76ers showdown on Christmas Day

Ahead of the full 2026-27 NBA schedule release Thursday, we now know a few of the marquee games for the Sixers this season.

LeBron James returns to Los Angeles on Christmas Day for Sixers-Lakers. Home opener against the Cavs. pic.twitter.com/EnV6cMui1r

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) August 11, 2026

The Sixers begin the season at MSG against the defending champion New York Knicks. They’ll also take on two of LeBron James’ former teams — the home opener is against the Cleveland Cavaliers while the Sixers will be in Los Angeles for Christmas in a primetime matchup with the Lakers.

It’s a little surprising we didn’t see a matchup with the Boston Celtics, especially when Jaylen Brown returns to TD Garden for the first time as a Sixer. That almost felt like a lock for Christmas Day. Alas, we’ll have to wait to find out when Brown gets his first crack at a revenge game.

Any thoughts on these games or any other Sixers questions? Drop them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer as many as possible!

The Lakers will be featured front and center on the Christmas Day schedule against a new opponent, but a familiar face.

LeBron James’ return to Los Angeles will highlight the special day of games as Los Angeles will host the 76ers in the middle of the five-game slate. The league announced the games for Christmas and the opening week on Tuesday morning.

The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25) for the 19th consecutive year, with ABC and ESPN both televising each matchup.

Highlights include the first meeting between the Knicks and Spurs since the 2026 NBA Finals, as well as new 76er LeBron James’ return… pic.twitter.com/CgWdaaFJXN

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 11, 2026

This will be the 28th consecutive season the purple and gold feature on the Christmas schedule. However, it will be just the second time they have faced the Sixers on Christmas. However, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

There will be few games more notable or marquee for the Lakers this season than LeBron’s return to LA. While there were other games based on competition or rivalries that the league could have slotted the Lakers into, no game will have more narratives or storylines around it.

Aside from the LeBron aspect of this, it’ll also be a meeting between, presumably, two of the best teams in the league. The Lakers will be led by Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves still while the Sixers were arguably the biggest winners of the offseason by stealing Jaylen Brown from the Celtics.

Outside of that contest, an NBA Finals rematch will start the day as the Knicks host the Spurs. The Celtics will host the Heat in the precursor to the Lakers-Sixers. The Thunder will face the Wolves with LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards before the nightcap of the Warriors and Nuggets.

Left off Opening Night slate

For the first time since the beginning of the LeBron James era, the Lakers will not play on Opening Night. Between the Knicks getting their rings and a rematch of the Thunder and Spurs, the purple and gold were left off the slate on the league’s first night of games.

Instead, LA will open against the Warriors at home a day later.

The first four days of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will feature nine national games across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime Video.

Fans can purchase tickets at https://t.co/kQADBA8FDD.

NBA Schedule Release presented by @Ticketmasterpic.twitter.com/0qep3dyAvw

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 11, 2026

In recent years, the league pulled the Lakers-Warriors card whenever they needed a ratings bump. But the LeBron-Steph Curry rivalry isn’t there anymore, so we’ll see how much weight a Luka-led showdown carries.

Fans won’t have to wait long, though, to see the new-look Lakers in official action in what will be the exciting first step into a new era of LA basketball.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The 2026-27 NBA schedule is slowly leaking out before it is fully released on Thursday. So far, we know about the opening night triple-header, which includes the New York Knicks getting their championship rings in front of LeBron James in his Philadelphia 76ers debut, and also another San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder showdown. For as good as opening night is, the Christmas schedule is even better.

So many of the league’s biggest stars will be on display on Christmas day, from Victor Wembanyama to LeBron James to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Luka Doncic to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Anthony Edwards to Nikola Jokic to Stephen Curry. There’s five games on the Christmas slate, and not even the biggest NBA diehard can watch them all. We’re here to help.

Let’s rank every game on Christmas day from least-watchable to most-watchable. It’s never too early to start planning your holiday so you can fit in some basketball.

5. Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET

Curry and Jokic are always brilliant. So why is this game last? The late night start time is the first factor, because after a long day with family it might be hard to make it through this game for those on Eastern or Central time. There’s also the pesky fact that both of these franchises feel like they’re going in the wrong direction. I see the Warriors as a lottery team in our early power rankings, and they’re already talking about this season like a gap year. The Nuggets just got bounced in the first-round of the playoffs, and haven’t done anything to improve the team over the summer. I might look like a fool for this ranking when Curry and Jokic pop off, but for now I’m putting this as the skippable Christmas game.

4. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics at 2:30 p.m. ET

The Boston Celtics almost traded for Giannis this summer. The Miami Heat actually did. This is another chapter in the defining rivalry of the Eastern Conference in the 2020s with both franchises still in the early stages of retooling after some big offseason moves. The best thing about Heat-Celtics is that each team has an entrenched identity. Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics are the ultimate math-ball team, and will be bombing away from three. Erik Spoelstra’s Miami squad is defined by Heat Culture, with toughness and defense taking centerstage. This should be a good contrast of styles in the early afternoon session.

3. Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers at 5 p.m.

LeBron goes back to LA for Christmas to see family and play his former team, the Lakers. This game should feature tons of offense, with James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and maybe Joel Embiid running up the score as Luka and Austin Reaves try to keep pace. New Lakers center Walker Kessler is going to be fighting for his life to try to keep Philly away from the rim, but that’s where Maxey’s movement shooting can get you. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Luka pick apart what should be a spotty Philly defense, especially if Embiid is out. This one should have plenty of fireworks.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 p.m.

The Wolves traded for LaMelo Ball over the offseason, in the process making a bold bet that the best way to try to take down the Thunder and Spurs is with high-volume pull-up three-point shooting. Ball and Anthony Edwards are among the best off-the-dribble shooters from deep in the league, and it will be fascinating to see them try to solve the might OKC defense with tough shot-making. I’m also interested in seeing how Chet Holmgren responds in a spotlight game. He has been excellent when he’s not playing Victor Wembanyama, but it feels like he needs to re-establish himself as an elite player this season after such a terrible performance in the Western Conference Finals. This is also a big opportunity for the Thunder youngsters like Bennett Stirtz, Nikola Topic, and Aday Mara in a national TV game against an elite opponent. I predict we see this series in the playoffs, and not in the first round.

1. San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks at noon

The Knicks always seem to have the noon game on Christmas, and this year it’s an NBA Finals rematch. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs head back to Madison Square Garden to try to avenge their frustrating Finals loss from last season, and both rosters mostly remain intact. All eyes will be on Wemby as he tries to take over in the Garden, but it sure feels like the Knicks unlocked something special last season that could sustain into this year. The Finals might have ended in five games, but that was some of the best basketball we’ve witnessed since LeBron led the 3-1 comeback over the Warriors in 2016. I can’t wait to see the next chapter.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Timberwolves fans and fans across the country.

As the Minnesota Timberwolves are across the Atlantic enjoying team bonding time in France, it feels good to see that somebod(ies) is taking a leadership role this offseason.

However, once the season begins, will there still be the calming voice to help guide the ship? Who’s going to break the huddles in Mike Conley’s absence? Who’s going to make wisecracks from down the tunnel without Joe Ingles? Who will test Rudy Gobert’s boxing skills in a timeout now that Kyle Anderson is gone? All important questions.

With a couple empty roster spots available, would it be wise to use those on more depth pieces, or find a wily Master Splinter to sit on the bench all year?

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