Ranking the NBA Christmas Match-ups

             The NBA on Christmas Day is a staple of the birthday of Jesus. Featuring the best match-ups, the NBA counters the NFL's Thanksgiving slate with a Christmas slate of their own. Here's how I'm ranking this year's slate of games.

1. Golden State vs. Cleveland: An NBA Finals rematch, the 26-4 Warriors might not have as good of a record as they did last year. However, Golden State does have Kevin Durant, who leads the team in PPG with 25.7 and blocks per game with 1.6. The match-up of Stephen Curry and LeBron James will be must-see TV.
2. New York vs. Boston: New York and Boston are rivals in almost every sport. Baseball. Football. Now, the rivalry between the two storied franchises is being revived on Christmas. Derrick Rose and the surprising Knicks will be taking on Isaiah Thomas and the Boston Celtics.
3. Chicago vs. San Antonio: Pau Gasol will take on his former squad, the Bulls, in the late cap of the ABC match-ups. What was supposed to be a transition year for Chicago has actually been a surprise as they're the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference at 14-14. As for the Spurs, well, they're the Spurs. With a record of 23-6 (good for second-best in the Western Conference), San Antonio has proven that they can hang without the presence of Tim Duncan.
4. LA Lakers vs. LA Clippers: The Tinseltown Rivalry has seen a role swap that is interesting, to say the least. The Lakers, who are known for winning titles, are sitting ten games below .500. The Clippers, a normally hapless franchise, are sitting in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 22-8. The Clippers may not have Blake Griffin, but they did beat the Spurs yesterday.
5. Minnesota vs. Oklahoma City: Will Russell Westbrook post another triple-double? Will Zach LaVine display some high-flying dunks? How will Karl Anthony-Towns fare against the Thunder? All these questions will be answered with this match-up.

Photo Courtesy of SI.com