The 2021 Christmas Day slate features five blockbuster matchups to keep you entertained oncethe presents are opened, withMadison Square Garden tipping off the action at lunchtime.NBALeaguePa s:Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial) Will LeBron James claim the record for most wins on Christmas Day? Can the Knicks avenge their playoff defeat to the Hawks?Five members of our Sporting News Staff give their predictions for all five games acro s the marquee day.MORE: | All odds are courtesy of. NBA Christmas Day 2021 odds, lines, point spreads, predictionsAtlanta Hawks atNew York KnicksGame time:12:00 PM ET | 9:00 AM PTHawks ML:+200Knicks ML:-245Spread:Knicks -6.0 (-110); Hawks Chris Beck Jersey +6.0 (-110)Over/Under:206.5(-110)Tipping off the Christmas Day action is a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff battle between the Knicks and Hawks at Madison Square Garden.There will be no love lost between these two teams, who have developed one of the East’s newest and best rivalries as two teams on the rise.The Knicks are making their return to the Christmas Day stage after not playing since 2018, while the Hawks haven’t played on Christmas since 1989.Staff Predictions Scott Rafferty Carlan Gay Benyam Kidane Kyle Irving Nick Metallinos KnicksHawksHawksHawksKnicksBoston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks Game time:2:30 PM ET | 11:30 AM PTCeltics ML:+235Bucks ML:-290Spread:Bucks -6.5 (-114); Celtics +6.5 (-106)Over/Under:220.5 (-110)Two Eastern Conference teams with differing fortunes this season collide Albert Pujols Jersey on Christmas Day.The Celtics have hovered around .500 all seasonbut have received a big boost with Jaylen Brown returning to the lineup after an extended absence with a hamstring injury.Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo has cleared the league’s health and safety protocols, with optimism growing that he could play on Christmas Day. The Bucks have been ravaged by injuries and absences this season, with 13 different players starting for them at some point this season.Milwaukee is 3-4in 2021-22without Antetokounmpo. Who will step up for them against the Celtics?Staff Predictions Scott Rafferty Carlan Gay Benyam Kidane Kyle Irving Nick Metallinos CelticsCelticsBucksCelticsCelticsGolden State Warriors at Phoenix SunsGame time:5:00 PM ET | 2:00 PM PTWarriors ML:+205Suns ML:-250Spread:Suns -6.0(-110); Warriors +6.0(-110)Over/Under:215.0 (-110)On paper, the Nets andLakers is the marquee game of the day, but Phoenix and Golden State have been the two best teams in the league this season.They’ve already played twice this season, Bob Gibson Jersey each winning on their home floor, setting the stage for what will be the best quality game of basketball on Christmas with both teams largely escaping the health and safety protocols.For the Warriors, they will be without Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, while the Suns have a clean bill of health.Staff Predictions Scott Rafferty Carlan Gay Benyam Kidane Kyle Irving Nick Metallinos SunsWarriorsWarriorsSunsNetsBrooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Lakers Game time:8:00 PM ET | 5:00 PM PTNets ML: +102Lakers ML:-120Spread:Lakers -1.5(-110), Nets +1.5(-110)Over/Under:223.5 (-112)History beckons for LeBron James, who is just 13points shy of eclipsing Kobe Bryant on theall-time Christmas Day scoring list. A win against the Nets would give LeBron his 11th on Christmas Day, clearing Dwyane Wade (10)for sole position of the record.Christmas Day top 5 scorers1. Kobe Bryant 395 points in 16 games (24.6 ppg on 40.8 FG%)2. LeBron James 383 points in 15 games (25.5 ppg on 48.4 FG%)3. Oscar Roberson Steve Carlton Jersey 377 points in 12 games (31.4 ppg on 47.0 FG%)4. Dwyane Wade 314 points in 13 games (24.1 ppg on 45.7 FG%)5. Kevin Durant 299 in 10 games (29.9 ppg on 51.7 FG%)With James Harden cleared of health and safety protocols, the Nets receive a huge boost ahead of the game, however, they will be withoutKevin Durant,who is currently in the league’s health and safety protocols. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis (knee) will mi s the game due to injury.Staff Predictions Scott Rafferty Carlan Gay Benyam Kidane Kyle Irving Nick Metallinos LakersLakersLakersLakersNetsDallas Mavericks at Utah JazzGame time:10:30 PM ET | 7: Roger Maris Jersey 30 PM PTMavericks ML:+700Jazz ML:-1,100Spread:Jazz -13.0 (-112); Mavericks +13.0 (-108)Over/Under:213.5 (-110)The final game of the day will see the Mavericks travel to Utah, but they will be without Luka Doncic, who has mi sed their past eight games with an ankle injury. He is the most recent player to enter the health and safety protocols, making a win on the road all the more difficult for Dallas.Without Doncic, it will be the battle of the bigs that takes center stage between Kristaps Porzingis and Rudy Gobert.Staff Predictions Scott Rafferty Carlan Gay Benyam Kidane Kyle Irving Nick Metallinos JazzJazzJazzJazzJazz
