5 NBA news you should know before Christmas Day

Christmas Day, that most special time of the year when the NBA is front and center on our televisions.

So, what better time to discuss big league news?

As we head into a packed day full of the league’s premier talent, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ record-setting 19-year Christmas Day streak, and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama making his first holiday appearance his, let’s check what’s going on. the league continues.

Here are five major story lines.

1. What’s up with LeBron James and the Lakers?

The face of the league turns 40 next week. And there are two big questions surrounding him. How long will you play? And before he hangs up his jersey, will the Lakers be competitive enough to make another run? James recently said that he is not sure if he will play one or two more seasons, but he is sure of one thing: “I will not play until the wheels fall off.”

So far, he has had an up and down season, of his standards. He can still be the best basketball player on the court on any given night, and he’s coming off his eighth double-double of the season in Monday’s loss to Detroit in which he had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. But the player who got the most minutes in NBA history has struggled at times, including last month when he missed 3 consecutive 20-point games in five games.

The good news is that Anthony Davis has been playing MVP-caliber basketball, which he recently opened up about in an exclusive interview with FOX Sports. Not to mention, the Lakers have also made major improvements on the defensive end as of late, which has resulted in them winning four of their last five games before falling to the Pistons. But with the trade deadline fast approaching, Lakers brass must be wondering if this team is ready to go all the way, or if they should take a big swing to acquire another star to play alongside James and Davis. After all, the sand is quickly entering the hourglass to see how long James has been gone.

2. Will Boston repeat as champions?

After making some very smart drafting decisions (Jaylen Brown at No. 3 in 2016, Jayson Tatum at No. 3 in 2017) and relying on their roster for years, the Celtics’ patience finally paid off last season in championship fashion. Brown and Tatum proved they can make it to the biggest stages, something they were hungry to show after reaching the Finals in 2022, but they fell to Golden State. Now that they have tasted success at the highest level, the question is whether they can repeat it.

The Celtics ended up standing well, but much of the league is making changes to try and replace the dominant players. The Celtics are currently ranked 3rd in offense and 8th in defense, which is impressive. But considering they finished last season No. 1 overall and No.

When the 76ers acquired Paul George in the offseason to play with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, they were immediately considered title contenders. Instead, they entered the NBA playoffs.

They have been plagued by injuries (George has played 16 games, Embiid has only played seven). There was drama (Embiid pushed a reporter after he wrote about his dead brother and son in a way that Embiid felt was out of bounds). There have been internal squabbles within the team (Maxey called Embiid out for always being late to a team meeting). The 76ers are in 12th place with a 10-17 record, far from competitive. But they are clearly capable and have shown signs of digging themselves out of their deep hole, winning seven of their last ten games. Can they turn things around after their bad start?

4. They can know future groups like this Oklahoma City and Cleveland actually goes far in the playoffs?

Looking at the standings, the teams to watch are Oklahoma City (No. 1 in the West) and Cleveland (No. 1 in the East). They seem to be crushing their competition. But winning in the regular season is a much different animal than winning in the playoffs. Do either of these teams have what it takes to be a real contender?

Let’s start with Kuduma. They are the youngest team in the league, with an average age of 24.14. After last season, they became the youngest team to win a playoff series, sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round before falling to the Dallas Mavericks, who reached the finals. The Thunder have a very talented core in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. They also dealt with issues in terms of experience and playoff size by acquiring Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein during the offseason. This team has a high ceiling, but does it have what it takes to get past the teams that can really win?

Then there are the Cavaliers, who have exceeded expectations this season. They are No. 1 on offense, with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley each averaging over 18 points per game. They strengthened their lineup in the offseason and got off to a good 15-0 start. They have shown they have good chemistry, sharp ball movement and a selfless roster. They are on the rise, but can they keep up when the competition heats up?

5. Apart from popularity, who is the team to watch in the West?

As usual, the West is loaded with talent, with 11 teams at .500 or better. Let’s take a look at a few storylines in the highly competitive conference.

Anthony Edwards was a playoff darling last season en route to leading his Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. But after the Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns, they struggled. Edwards called his team no uncertain terms whenever they skated, most recently showing their offensive woes. Can he light a fire under them?

The Golden State Warriors are the league’s modern-day dynasty, winning four championships in eight years. After they missed the playoffs last season and Klay Thompson left for Dallas in the summer, questions arose as to whether the dynasty was over. But Steph Curry opened the season Steph Curry-ing and Draymond Green is playing with a renewed sense of excitement after struggling to be himself amid the drama of the past few years. This team looked good at the top of the season. But they have lost 10 of their last 13 games. Can they stop the free fall and return to the top of the league?

How about the Memphis Grizzlies, who are in the spotlight after Ja Morant played in just nine games last season amid a 25-game suspension followed by a season-ending shoulder injury. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins recently praised him for his increased leadership skills. Will you be able to steer this group away?

The Rockets play high-level basketball. Kevin Durant wants to show he can win a championship without Curry and Green – can he take the Phoenix Suns all the way? Can Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and Thompson get the Mavericks, who reached the finals last season, over the hump?

In the overcrowded West, who did you find?

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He previously managed the Sports Illustrated league, i Los Angeles The Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio The Express-News. Follow him on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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