Should the NBA end the Christmas day games?

[FromTheSouth]

Orlanda Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy feels that NBA Christmas Day games take away from the holiday. He added that he thinks it's sad that people are watching instead of spending time with their families. Of course all this came after a Christmas Day loss to the Celtics.

For years, Christmas Day has been the NBA's day. It is almost like an unofficial second opening day. The NBA starts right in the heat of the NFL and NCAA football seasons. By Christmas Day, many fans' teams seasons are over or winding down, and the NBA can take center stage. As a treat to the fans, we usually get some marquee matchups.

The number of games has increased over the years, from one during the height of the Magic/Bird games, to two when we had to see Jordan torch the Knicks and a Western Conference game, up to this year's five nationally televised games. It is considered an honor to play on Christmas, as these games have been traditionally between good teams. This year, however, the Clippers are being featured in a game against the Suns, who were not a playoff team last year either. Is this overkill?

I am sure that players would love to be with their families, and being that this is the NBA, most of the guys have more than one family to be with. Why can these games not be played on another day?

On the other hand, most of us are stuck with family members that we are bound to be getting tired of by mid day, so the NBA, like the NFL on Thanksgiving, provides respite from cheek pinching and baby pictures. Christmas is definitely a holiday that is over by the afternoon for most people, why should some NBA not help us relax? Everyone is off, ratings are bound to be high, as the other options are shitty movies and parades.

Which side are you on?

Out of pure selfishness, I couldn't care less if NBA players get to be with their families. We pay their salaries, and when I have a long ass day to kill with nothing to do, I love some NBA action. I know that the person who pays me has demands of me, and I work sometimes when I don't want to, so, life is tough millionaire, suit up and entertain me.

 

[Super Crazy]

I think that they should be able to spend time with their families. Why should they go out and play a game to entertain us? In this day and age, and the technology that is around, I'm sure that we could find something to do other then gathering around a television just to watch sports. Why not pop in a movie or something?

Although like you say, we pay their salaries, so we have every right to watch them play,and life is rough sometimes, but it should not be around Christmas. Christmas should be a time to be with your family and/or other loved ones. I believe that everyone should be with their family or someone they care about on Christmas, I mean how can you honestly enjoy Christmas from a hotel while on the road unless you and your teammates plan something?

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I think that the players should be with their families instead of playing on Christmas Day. They play seven or eight months out of the year and this would be the perfect day off. They don't play on Christmas Eve so don't let them play on Christmas Day and the day after. Three days off isn't going to hurt anybody. There are other sports on that you can watch. Five games on Christmas is overkill and they should have kept it at two or if you want to just have one, have it earlier in the day so the players can go back to their families for at least Christmas night.

 

[gd]

I am sure that players would love to be with their families, and being that this is the NBA, most of the guys have more than one family to be with.

Racist.

I can see both sides on this one. The players want to be with their families, but won't they just be on the road anyway? If they really want to, they could at least bring their wives and children in for Christmas. They have the money and I'm sure the coaches would allow it.

As for the fans watching, there's nothing wrong with that at all. Hell, we're posting on a wrestling forum right now. You don't have to spend every second of Christmas talking with family and friends, that'd be torture.

A sporting event is the perfect thing to have on in the background during a holiday. It's something that you can casually look at every few minutes and you can have conversations about it. I don't know how I'd get through a lot of holiday events without something like that on in the background.

 

[King Douche]

I agree with FFs, they get paid millinos of dollars so suck it the hell up and spend time with their families. We pay money out of our pockets in this poor economy to see you guys, even in bum ass games like LA/Cleveland today. so play the game and see your family later.

 

[Lancer]

I've come to enjoy the Christmas day games. There are usually interesting matchups and the games turn out to be pretty entertaining (except for Cleveland-LA today, haha). There's nothing wrong with that.

As far as the players getting to spend time with their families, oh well. Lots of people have to postpone Christmas celebrations due to work or other hinderances. My family is having Christmas dinner on Sunday because both my aunt and sister have to work overnight for the weekend. It's not hard to adjust.

 

[King Douche]

Their getting paid millions of dollars they better feaking adjust. Shoot! I would love to be in their position so I can collect that paycheck and play on christmas. Whether my team losing or not, the money will get me happy regardless. Besides NBA been having christmas games since way back in the day so nothing new here people.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Well, if we're looking out for players spending their holidays with families, let's go ahead and cancel all of the Thanksgiving football games.

Fact of the matter is that everyone's looking for a distraction on days like these. Nobody wants to deal with talking to relatives they barely like for an extended period of time, especially when all the women are around it usually deviates to "woman talk". The guys, or kids for that matter are going to try to find something to watch on television, and something all guys can find common ground on is basketball. My dad is a racist and refers to basketball as "n----- handball" and even he was watching the Celtics/Magic game the other day and sort of getting into it.

The Christmas day games are important to the NBA. A lot of people have it on, so it's huge for advertisers. The NBA also runs its marquee matchups on Christmas as well. Look no further than Kobe vs. Lebron and Shaq and a game between what is becoming a rivalry in the Eastern Conference between two of the biggest powerhouses in the conference between the Celtics and Magic.

The NBA absolutely should not end airing games on Christmas. For a lot of people (myself included), from Christmas on is when they start paying attention to the NBA and what's going on. I'm going to be posting a lot more about basketball from here on out because now it's on my radar.

 

[NSL]

I don't have a problem with games being played on Christmas. When you go into a professional sport, you expect to have to play on holidays, so it's just part of the job.

I do wish they would end the annual Shaq v. Kobe Christmas game. It's stupid, pointless, and their "feud" was over when Shaq left LA. It makes the NBA look childish for trying to make it a big deal, and it only creates a big media circus around a meaningless game.

 

[Toroc102]

I'd say their feud was over after like the second time Miami played LA at Christmas, and definately after they started dancing together at Allstar games. Also this one was more about LeBron VS. Kobe than anything.

Anyway, it's not like the NBA is real job y'know, like they have to be in an office in a suit doing paperwork and crap, they get to play basketball for 3 hours at the most. Lots of people have it worse. I'd take one of their spots for free darnit. Also I like Stan Van Gundy but he's likes to speak his mind, I don't think I've ever heard played complaining about it.