NBA Christmas 2014, Knicks vs. Wizards: Time, TV schedule and live stream

John Wall and the Wizards get the easiest matchup on Christmas Day as the Knicks play host at MSG.

Dec 25, 2014, 2:30 PM UTC

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA's complete slate of Christmas Day action begins at noon ET with the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks tipping off. This is the least exciting matchup of the day; I suppose we can thank the league for at least getting this one out of the way early.

The Wizards may be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, even after a loss to the Chicago Bulls at home on Tuesday, but the Knicks have settled into the basement of the league standings with a 5-25 record. Only the Philadelphia 76ers have been worse overall than New York this season, making this a somewhat-underwhelming holiday matchup.

The Knicks’ last victory at Madison Square Garden came back on Nov. 22 -- a 91-83 victory over Philadelphia -- and that actually represented a two-game home winning streak. Since then, however, the team has gone 1-15 overall, with increasingly loud whispers of discord in the locker room.

Those recent issues are one red flag for New York, but things only get worse when you consider the team's recent Christmas track record. Two years ago, a then-rolling Knicks team fell flat and ended up losing to the "Dwight n' Kobe" edition of the Lakers, 100-94. Last season saw the Thunder deliver a 123-94 beatdown in the Big Apple as Russell Westbrook went off for a triple double.

This time around, that means the Wizards are licking their chops at the chance to make a big statement on national television, something the franchise has rarely had the chance to do in past seasons. Being assigned a Christmas Day game was a reflection of the team’s rise in the East, and now it’ll look to make good with a big win at MSG.

Even after a loss to Chicago earlier this season, the Wizards are still third in the conference with a 19-8 record, though they’ll need to keep winning to stay ahead of the Bulls, who are just a half game behind. Luckily, they’ve been blessed with the easiest matchup on Christmas Day, and that means a win should be well within reach.