Major League Baseball has the Fourth of July. The NHL has its Winter Classic. The NFL has Thanksgiving Day. And the NBA showcases its sport on Christmas. ESPN/ABC again will offer five games starting at noon on ESPN with Chicago at New York — followed by a double-header on ABC starting at 2:30 p.m. with Boston at Orlando and Miami at the Los Angeles Lakers. At 8 p.m. on ESPN, Denver plays Oklahoma City, followed by the nightcap of Portland at Golden State.
Since the NBA started playing on Christmas in 1947, there have been plenty of memorable moments. Knicks great Bernard King scored 60 against the Nets in 1984. Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing staged an epic duel in 1986, with New York prevailing on Ewing’s last-second jumper. As a matter of fact, Kobe isn’t the first Bryant to play on Christmas; father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant and 76ers teammates who included Julius Erving, Henry Bibby and Doug Collins took the floor against Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden back in 1978.
ESPN/ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy and I talked about the NBA and Christmas.
JW » Do players get up for the Christmas Day games?
Van Gundy » Everyone wants to be home for the holidays, but there is something special about playing on Christmas Day that is wonderful. You know that fans will be watching and that they might be watching a game for the first time. So we get a great many new fans that join our regular fan base to watch the games. So all in all, it’s great for the NBA, the fans and the players that Christmas Day is a showcase day for our sport.
JW » The NBA always has the top teams playing on Christmas Day.
Van Gundy » You really want to give the fans what they want on Christmas. I will have the pleasure of being in Los Angeles watching the Lakers and Kobe Bryant host the Miami Heat and LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on ABC. I really feel the Lakers are the team to beat in the NBA, so it will be great to see this early season matchup.
JW » How will Gilbert Arenas do in Orlando?
Van Gundy » That depends on which Gilbert comes to the Magic. If the Gilbert who has a true passion for the game, the guy who is dedicated to really working and who can shoot comes, then he will be a great help to the Magic. If the guy we saw who mopes from time to time and isn’t into the game shows up, then the trade will set the Magic back. But I really feel that Gil wants to prove he can still play, so I hope he finds his game in Orlando.
Examiner columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this!
