The 2014-15 NBA schedule won’t officially be released until Wednesday night, but we already know the matchups on Christmas, the NBA’s marquee regular-season day.
NBA Christmas Day schedule reportedly set
The headliner: LeBron James will return to Miami for the first time as his Cavaliers face the Heat. This will be either the 2:30 or 5 p.m. ET ABC game, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The undercard: The Spurs and Thunder will square off in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman.
The dessert: The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors will resume their rivalry, likely in the final 10:30 time slot on ESPN, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The two teams played an emotional seven-game series in the first round last year, with the Clippers winning. This is also a rematch of last Christmas' testy matchup that included a Blake Griffin ejection and a Warriors win.
The opener: The Washington Wizards are returning to the Christmas slate for the first time when they face the New York Knicks in the noon ESPN opener, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Washington last played on Christmas in 2008. The Knicks were blown out at home by the Thunder on Christmas last year.
The Lakers: Yup, they're a part of the Christmas slate even though a down year is expected. They'll face Derrick Rose and the Bulls, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. This is the 16th straight time the Lakers will play on Christmas.
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