By NBA insiders | ESPN, 2024-12-24 21:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
自从2024-25赛季赛程在8月份公布以来，NBA圣诞大战就备受期待。这五场比赛充满了超级巨星之间的对决、备受瞩目的竞争以及一些冉冉升起的新星的节日首秀。
文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)在刚刚完成一系列创造历史的比赛后，将迎来他的圣诞大战首秀，届时圣安东尼奥马刺队将迎战卡尔-安东尼·唐斯(Karl-Anthony Towns)和焕然一新的纽约尼克斯队。这位法国天才能否在圣诞节上演精彩扣篮，或者杰伦·布伦森(Jalen Brunson)和他的队友们能否在麦迪逊广场花园的主场观众面前取得胜利？在西部决赛的重赛中，明尼苏达森林狼队将在本赛季第二次对阵达拉斯独行侠队。这一次，安东尼·爱德华兹(Anthony Edwards)能否战胜独行侠队？
强大的波士顿凯尔特人队将在晚上率先迎战苦苦挣扎的费城76人队，而勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)和客场作战的洛杉矶湖人队将对阵斯蒂芬·库里(Stephen Curry)和金州勇士队。詹姆斯是圣诞大战历史上得分（476分）和出场次数（18场）的纪录保持者。最后，MVP热门尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)和丹佛掘金队将迎战主场作战的菲尼克斯太阳队，为节日庆典画上句号。
哪些球星将在这个假期大放异彩？哪些球队需要圣诞奇迹才能提升他们进入季后赛的希望？我们的NBA内部人士通过回答围绕这些球队的一些最大问题来预览所有五场比赛。
圣安东尼奥马刺 vs. 纽约尼克斯，美国东部时间中午12点 (ESPN)
对于马刺队来说，本赛季要与文班一起成为季后赛竞争者，下一步是什么？
在周四战胜亚特兰大的比赛中，马刺队终于派出了他们在训练营开始时设想的首发阵容。德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)和索汉(Jeremy Sochan)的伤病让他们缺席了很长一段时间，迫使新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)与神射手朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)一起进入首发阵容。现在每个人都恢复了健康，教练组需要找出与球队核心球员并肩作战的最佳阵容。代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)表示，这是一个幸福的烦恼，特别是考虑到替补球员在本赛季早些时候扮演更重要的角色所积累的经验。文班已经开始逐渐掌握各队用来防守他的不同策略，并学习如何在进攻中更有效地利用队友。 – 莱特(Michael Wright)
米切尔·罗宾逊(Mitchell Robinson)的回归是否足以让尼克斯队在季后赛中走得更远？
考虑到尼克斯队目前的战绩（东部第三）——以及他们在过去休赛期通过交易卡尔-安东尼·唐斯和米卡尔·布里奇斯(Mikal Bridges)来提升首发阵容的投入——他们对在季后赛中走得更远抱有期望，无论罗宾逊何时回归。球队在进攻端占据统治地位（联盟第二），并且尽管开局缓慢，但在过去一个月里在防守端取得了长足的进步。一个健康的罗宾逊将为球队的中锋位置提供深度（考虑到唐斯偶尔的犯规麻烦，这是必须的），并提高篮筐保护。 – 克里斯·赫林(Chris Herring)
文班的圣诞大战首秀对阵尼克斯队会是什么样子（唐斯 vs. 文班）？
如果以文班最近的表现作为参考，那将是统治级的。自从背部酸痛恢复以来，文班在五场比赛中场均得到29分，三分球命中率接近40%，场均还有5.2次盖帽，包括周六对阵波特兰开拓者队时追平职业生涯最高的10次盖帽。由于文班的投篮威胁很大，尼克斯队可能会派前锋奥托·波特(OG Anunoby)而不是唐斯来防守他。但这将给文班带来巨大的8英寸身高优势，波特将试图用他较低的重心来抵消这一优势。波特在2023年11月他们唯一一次交锋中防守过文班，当时文班16投7中得到20分。 – 凯文·佩尔顿(Kevin Pelton)
明尼苏达森林狼 vs 达拉斯独行侠，美国东部时间下午2:30 (ABC)
森林狼队需要什么才能摆脱附加赛的困境？
森林狼队必须成为一支精英防守球队，这是他们上赛季成功的基础。这在12月份已经实现，当时森林狼队拥有NBA最严密的防守，每百回合只丢108.2分 。 现在，森林狼队必须在进攻端找到出路，这可能需要丹特·迪温琴佐(Donte DiVincenzo)摆脱长时间的低迷状态。森林狼队在唐斯交易中得到了迪温琴佐，他们预计他的大量三分球出手会提升他们的进攻，但他本赛季的投篮命中率只有37.3%，三分球命中率只有33.1%。 – 蒂姆·麦克马洪(Tim MacMahon)
独行侠队需要什么才能像上赛季一样在下半赛季强势反弹？
保持健康。这是卢卡·东契奇(Luka Dončić)职业生涯中阵容看起来最好的一次，独行侠队在他们的超级巨星缺席的比赛中取得了6胜2负的战绩就证明了这一点。独行侠队可能会在交易截止日期前升级他们的前场深度，但与过去几个赛季不同，达拉斯没有任何明显的短板。一位对手球队的总经理上周告诉ESPN，雷霆队和独行侠队显然是西部最好的两支球队。在相对缓慢的开局之后，东契奇本赛季的最佳表现可能还没有到来，而且他身边有一群深度十足、全面均衡的辅助球员。 – 麦克马洪
哪对组合会在圣诞大战中占据主导地位：东契奇-欧文(Kyrie Irving)还是爱德华兹-兰德尔(Julius Randle)？
首先，我们需要看看东契奇是否会在因脚后跟挫伤缺席两场比赛后回归阵容。在受伤之前，东契奇在对阵勇士队的比赛中打出了他本赛季最好的比赛，23投16中得到45分的三双。在休赛期失去了侧翼防守悍将德里克·琼斯二世(Derrick Jones Jr.)之后，独行侠队不再像以前那样有能力防守安东尼·爱德华兹，后者在10月份这两支球队在明尼阿波利斯的比赛中砍下了全场最高的37分。但最终是东契奇和欧文赢得了比赛，两人合力得到59分和13次助攻。 – 佩尔顿
费城76人 vs 波士顿凯尔特人，美国东部时间下午5点 (ABC)
76人队是否应该重新考虑他们的策略，并将本赛季标记为重建赛季？
不，原因有很多。首先，由于开局的彻底灾难，76人队在圣诞节来临之际拥有联盟第24差的战绩，有六支球队落后于他们，但拥有更好的乐透抽签概率。此外，在东部排名中排在他们前面的布鲁克林篮网队刚刚交易了他们的首发控球后卫，他们有可能打得更糟。费城在缓慢的开局后已经稳定下来，乔尔·恩比德(Joel Embiid)在过去几场比赛中表现出色。如果76人队能够保持健康一段时间——这是一个巨大的假设——他们应该能够进入附加赛，如果他们能够健康地进入季后赛——这是另一个巨大的假设——他们仍然相信自己能够走得很远。 – 蒂姆·邦坦普斯(Tim Bontemps)
凯尔特人队的这种统治力还能持续多久？
本赛季将在很大程度上决定这一点。在试图成为自比尔·拉塞尔(Bill Russell)时代以来第一支卫冕总冠军的凯尔特人队的同时，波士顿也拥有联盟最高的薪资支出之一——并且在2025-26赛季的总薪资和奢侈税预计将飙升至超过5亿美元。如果凯尔特人队赢得总冠军，就像他们被看好做到的那样，几乎不可能看到他们在进入下个赛季时采取节省成本的措施。但如果他们没有呢？那么，情况就会变得更有趣了，尤其是考虑到球队即将出售，预计将在现在和常规赛结束之间完成。 – 邦坦普斯
76人队和凯尔特人队在这场比赛中的愿望清单是什么？
对费城来说，是恩比德、保罗·乔治(Paul George)和泰瑞斯·马克西(Tyrese Maxey)的持续健康，他们整个赛季只一起打了五场比赛。根据NBA高级数据统计，在这三人同时出场的71分钟里，76人队每百回合净胜对手13分，但在这些比赛中他们的战绩是2胜2负。凯尔特人队主教练乔·马祖拉(Joe Mazzulla)已经实现了他的圣诞愿望：场均出手51次三分球，比其他任何球队都多8次，比排名第二的芝加哥公牛队多投进2个。 – 佩尔顿
洛杉矶湖人 vs 金州勇士，美国东部时间晚上8点 (ABC)
勒布朗能否继续成为洛杉矶季后赛之旅的持续礼物？
在竞争激烈的西部联盟中，湖人队的季后赛预测每周都有很大的变化。他们在11月20日以10胜4负的战绩排名第三。在接下来的九场比赛中输掉了七场，使他们在12月6日跌至第十位，勒布朗·詹姆斯看起来充其量是无效的，最坏的情况是破坏性的。詹姆斯利用赛程休息了八天来恢复他的左脚，只缺席了两场比赛。随着詹姆斯的回归，湖人队取得了三连胜，在12月21日回到了西部第五。詹姆斯在周六战胜萨克拉门托的比赛中表现出色，在防守端指挥若定，同时在内线惩罚国王队，24投13中得到32分。湖人队不应该也不需要 那个 版本的詹姆斯每晚都出现才能获得季后赛资格——如果他们想让詹姆斯在季后赛中还有一些余力的话。但是让他有这种程度的参与，再加上安东尼·戴维斯(Anthony Davis)恢复到赛季初MVP级别的状态，将使湖人队保持在季后赛的轨道上。 – 戴夫·麦克梅纳明(Dave McMenamin)
丹尼斯·施罗德(Dennis Schröder)到目前为止与库里和他的队友们相处得如何？
勇士队目前只和施罗德打了三场比赛，但他很快就展现了他能做什么。在周六战胜明尼苏达的比赛中，施罗德展现了他将在比赛之外带来的一些领导素质，主动发起球员间的讨论，尽管这只是他的第二场比赛。拥有另一名控球后卫也将有利于像布兰丁·波杰姆斯基(Brandin Podziemski)和乔纳森·库明加(Jonathan Kuminga)这样的年轻球员。波杰姆斯基在明尼苏达的比赛中打出了他本赛季最好的比赛，得到12分和7个篮板。勇士队需要施罗德投进一些外线球并得分，施罗德需要一些时间来适应，但他已经证明了为什么金州需要他。“那场（明尼苏达）比赛对我来说很有启发，”科尔(Steve Kerr)说。“看着丹尼斯，他的领导力，当我们谈论控球后卫时，不仅仅是如何执行挡拆或防守，而是领导力。他在那场比赛中所做的，他的第二场比赛，几乎不认识任何人，把年轻球员拉到一边，把整个团队团结在一起。他是一个真正的领导者，这也是我们想要他的原因之一。” – 奥姆·扬米苏克(Ohm Youngmisuk)
勒布朗还是库里：哪位超级巨星在圣诞大战中会有更好的表现？
我赌库里，部分原因是因为他可以面对较弱的防守。湖人队本赛季的防守效率排名第20位，比勇士队落后11位。库里在2023-24赛季场均得到33分，金州勇士队以3-1赢得了赛季系列赛，这是他面对任何交手超过两次的对手的最高场均得分。当然，詹姆斯对阵勇士队的表现甚至更好，在他参加的三场正面交锋中，场均得到36.3分、11.3个篮板和10.7次助攻。 – 佩尔顿
丹佛掘金 vs 菲尼克斯太阳，美国东部时间晚上10:30 (ESPN)
在交易截止日期前，掘金队需要围绕约基奇做些什么？
掘金队不再是西部联盟的前两名，但三次MVP约基奇仍然像世界上最好的球员一样打球。贾马尔·穆雷(Jamal Murray)最近的得分有所回升，在周一晚之前的й三场比赛中得分都在24分或以上。迈克尔·波特(Michael Porter Jr.)（场均18.4分）和克里斯蒂安·布劳恩(Christian Braun)（场均15.0分）表现稳健，替补出场的拉塞尔·威斯布鲁克(Russell Westbrook)也是如此，但如果掘金队想要争夺总冠军，他们迫切需要另一位可靠的外线得分手，他可以在需要时自己创造投篮机会。在防守端，他们还需要另一位外线防守悍将来帮助阿隆·戈登(Aaron Gordon)、布劳恩和威斯布鲁克。掘金队总经理卡尔文·布斯(Calvin Booth)没有太多的筹码可以使用，尽管在任何涉及重要球员的交易中，波特都可能被交易。但他们的战绩并不能完全体现波特、约基奇和穆雷之间的冠军化学反应。 – 扬米苏克
本赛季阻碍太阳队前进的最大因素是什么？他们能否克服这些因素进入季后赛？
就像上赛季一样，阻碍菲尼克斯凝聚的最大因素是他们的球星接连不断的伤病。凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)和布拉德利·比尔(Bradley Beal)本赛季都只打了17场比赛。36岁的杜兰特在场上时表现出色——场均得到27.4分，投篮命中率为52/42/83——而太阳队没有他时表现糟糕，战绩为1胜9负。根据ESPN的沙姆斯·查拉尼亚(Shams Charania)的报道，虽然菲尼克斯与迈阿密热火队的吉米·巴特勒(Jimmy Butler)联系在一起，将其视为潜在的交易目标，但35岁的巴特勒也有他自己的耐久性问题。在过去的三个赛季中，他缺席了65场比赛。从积极的方面来看，即使他们的球星缺席了这么多时间，太阳队在新教练迈克·布登霍尔泽(Mike Budenholzer)的带领下仍然拥有联盟第八的进攻效率。如果他们能够保持健康——无论是否包括巴特勒——太阳队仍然可以利用他们的进攻火力冲击联盟其他球队，从他们在西部联盟排名第11位的位置向上攀升。 – 麦克梅纳明
太阳队如何阻止约基奇破坏他们的圣诞节？
太阳队上赛季对约基奇的比赛计划很扎实。尽管约基奇对阵太阳队场均三双，但他场均21.1的比赛得分是他对阵任何西部对手的第二低分。菲尼克斯赢得了这三场比赛中的两场，这并不奇怪。本赛季当对手将约基奇的比赛得分限制在25分以下时，丹佛的战绩为2胜3负。对于太阳队来说，熟悉程度是一个优势：不仅首发中锋优素福·努尔基奇(Jusuf Nurkić)在掘金队效力初期曾与约基奇并肩作战，新来的替补梅森·普拉姆利(Mason Plumlee)也是如此。 – 佩尔顿
点击查看原文：NBA on Christmas Day: Key questions, top players, big matchups
NBA on Christmas Day: Key questions, top players, big matchups
The NBA’s Christmas Day slate has been highly anticipated since the 2024-25 schedule was announced in August. The five-game schedule is filled with superstar matchups, highly anticipated rivalries and a few holiday debuts for some rising stars.
Victor Wembanyama, fresh off a handful of history-making performances, makes his Christmas debut as the San Antonio Spurs take on Karl-Anthony Towns and the new-look New York Knicks. Will the French phenom Dunk the Halls, or can Jalen Brunson & Co. get a win in front of the home crowd at the Garden? In a rematch of the Western Conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Dallas Mavericks in their second meeting this season. Will Anthony Edwards get the best of the Mavs this time?
The dominant Boston Celtics will take on the struggling Philadelphia 76ers to kick off the evening slate, while LeBron James and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers will face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. James is the career leader in points (476) and games played (18) on Christmas. Lastly, MVP-favorite Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will take on the host Phoenix Suns to wrap up the holiday festivities.
Which stars will shine the brightest this holiday season? What teams will need a Christmas miracle to boost them to the postseason? Our NBA insiders preview all five matchups by answering some of the biggest questions surrounding these teams.
San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks, noon ET (ESPN)
What are the next steps this season for the Spurs to become playoff contenders with Victor Wembanyama?
In Thursday’s win over Atlanta, the Spurs finally played with the starting lineup they envisioned at the start of training camp. Injuries to Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan kept them out for extended periods, thrusting rookie Stephon Castle into the starting lineup along with sharpshooter Julian Champagnie. Now that everybody is healthy, it’s up to the coaching staff to figure out optimal lineups to play alongside the franchise centerpiece. Acting head coach Mitch Johnson said it’s a good problem to have, especially considering all the experience gained by reserves playing more prominent roles earlier in the season. Wembanyama is already doing his part by gradually picking up the diverse strategies teams are using to defend him and learning how to use teammates more effectively in attacking them. – Michael Wright
Will the return of Mitchell Robinson be enough to give the Knicks a deep postseason run?
With how the Knicks are playing (third in the East) – and with how much they invested in upgrading their starting five this past offseason, with trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges – they have expectations to make a deep postseason run regardless of when Robinson comes back. The team is dominant offensively (second in the league) and has made considerable strides on defense over the past month despite a slow start. A healthy Robinson will give the team depth at center (a must given Towns’ occasional foul troubles) and improved rim protection. – Chris Herring
What will Wemby’s Christmas debut against the Knicks look like (KAT vs. Wemby)?
Dominant, if Wembanyama’s recent production is any indication. Over five games since returning from low back soreness, Wembanyama has averaged 29 PPG on near 40% 3-point shooting as well as 5.2 BPG, including a career-high-tying 10 Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers. Because of Wembanyama’s dangerous shooting, New York may put forward OG Anunoby on him rather than Towns. But that would give Wembanyama a massive eight-inch height advantage that Anunoby will seek to negate with his lower center of gravity. Anunoby defended Wembanyama in their lone meeting in November 2023, when Wembanyama scored 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting. – Kevin Pelton
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks, 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
What will it take for the Wolves to climb out of the play-in?
It’s a must for Minnesota to be an elite defensive team, which was the foundation of the Timberwolves’ success last season. That has happened in December, when the Wolves have had the stingiest defense in the NBA, allowing only 108.2 points per 100 possessions**.** Now, Minnesota has to work its way out of the muck offensively, which likely requires Donte DiVincenzo busting out of an extended slump. The Wolves anticipated that DiVincenzo’s volume 3-point shooting would boost their offense when they acquired him as part of the Towns trade, but he has shot only 37.3% from the floor and 33.1% from long range so far this season. – Tim MacMahon
What do the Mavs need to have a second-half surge like they did last season?
Stay healthy. This is the best the roster has looked during Luka Doncic’s career, as evidenced by the Mavs’ 6-2 record in games missed by their superstar. The Mavs might upgrade their frontcourt depth before the trade deadline, but unlike the past couple of seasons, Dallas doesn’t have any glaring needs. An opposing general manager told ESPN last week that the Thunder and Mavs are clearly the two best West teams. After a relatively slow start, Doncic’s best is likely yet to come this season, and he’s surrounded by a deep, well-rounded supporting cast. – MacMahon
Which duo dominates Christmas: Luka-Kyrie or Edwards-Randle?
First, we need to see whether Doncic returns to the lineup after missing two games with a heel contusion. Before the injury, Doncic delivered his best game of the season against the Warriors, a 45-point triple-double on 16-of-23 shooting. Having lost wing stopper Derrick Jones Jr. in the offseason, the Mavericks are no longer as well-equipped to defend Anthony Edwards, who went off for a game-high 37 points when these teams played in Minneapolis in October. But it was Doncic and Kyrie Irving who walked away winners, combining for 59 points and 13 assists. – Pelton
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics, 5 p.m. ET (ABC)
Should the 76ers reconsider their strategy and mark this season as a rebuild?
No, and for a variety of reasons. First, with the completely disastrous start, the 76ers enter Christmas with the league’s 24th worst-record with six teams behind them with better lottery odds. Plus, the team in front of them in the Eastern standings, the Brooklyn Nets, just traded their starting point guard, and there’s a chance they could play worse. Philadelphia has stabilized itself after its slow start, and Joel Embiid has impressed in his past couple of games. If the 76ers can have any sort of healthy stretch, they should be able to get themselves into the play-in, and if they can get into the playoffs healthy – a couple of huge ifs – they still believe they can make a deep run. – Tim Bontemps
How long will this dominant Celtics run last?
This season will play a large part in determining that. In its attempt to become the first Celtics team to defend a title since Bill Russell was playing, Boston also has one of the league’s highest payrolls – and is on pace to skyrocket to over $500 million in combined payroll and luxury taxes for the 2025-26 season. If the Celtics win the title, as they are favored to do, it’s virtually impossible to see them making a cost-saving move going into next season. But if they don’t? Well, then the math gets a little more interesting, especially when factoring in the looming sale of the team, which is expected to be completed between now and the end of the regular season. – Bontemps
What’s on the 76ers’ and Celtics’ wish list for this matchup?
For Philadelphia, it’s continued health for Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, who have played together just five times all season. The Sixers have outscored opponents by 13 points per 100 possessions in the 71 minutes all three have played, according to NBA Advanced Stats, but are 2-2 in those games. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has already gotten his Christmas wish: 51 3-point attempts per game, eight more than any other team, and two more makes than the second-place Chicago Bulls. –Pelton
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Can LeBron continue to be the gift that keeps on giving through a postseason run for Los Angeles?
In the crowded Western Conference, the Lakers’ playoff projection has varied vastly week to week. They ran out to a 10-4 record and were in third place on Nov. 20. Losses in seven of their next nine games dropped them to No. 10 on Dec. 6, with LeBron James appearing ineffective at best and destructive at worst. James took advantage of the schedule to take eight days off to rehabilitate his left foot and only missed two games. With James back in the lineup, the Lakers won three straight, climbing back to No. 5 in the West on Dec. 21. James was brilliant in Saturday’s win over Sacramento, commanding the defense while punishing the Kings inside, scoring 32 points on 13-for-24 shooting. L.A. should not need nor expect that version of James on a nightly basis to qualify for the playoffs – not if they want James to have something left in the tank for the postseason. But getting that level of engagement out of him, combined with Anthony Davis returning to the MVP form he showed to start the season, will keep L.A. on track for a playoff berth. – Dave McMenamin
How is Dennis Schroder fitting in with Stephen Curry & Co. so far?
The Warriors have only had three games with Dennis Schroder so far but it hasn’t taken him long to show flashes of what he can do. During Saturday’s win at Minnesota, Schroder displayed some of the leadership qualities he will bring beyond his play, initiating player huddles despite it being just his second game. Having another point guard is also going to benefit younger players like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. Podziemski had perhaps his best game of the season in Minnesota with 12 points and seven rebounds. The Warriors will need Schroder to make some outside shots and score, and it will take some time for Schroder to adapt, but he’s already shown why Golden State needs him. “That [Minnesota] game was so illuminating for me,” Kerr said. “Watching Dennis, his leadership, when we talk about point guard, it’s not just how to run pick and roll or guarding the ball, it’s leadership. What he did in that game, his second game with us, barely knowing anybody, pulling young guys aside, pulling the whole group together. He’s a true leader and that’s one of the reasons we wanted him.” – Ohm Youngmisuk
LeBron or Steph: Which superstar will have a better Christmas Day performance?
I’m betting on Curry in part because he gets to play against the weaker defense. The Lakers rank 20th in defensive rating this season, 11 spots behind the Warriors. Curry averaged 33 PPG as Golden State won the season series 3-1 in 2023-24, his highest scoring average against any opponent he faced more than twice. Of course, James was even better against the Warriors, putting up 36.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 10.7 assists in the three games he played head-to-head. – Pelton
Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
What do the Nuggets need before the trade deadline to build around Jokic?
The Nuggets are no longer a top-two team in the Western Conference but three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is still playing like the best player in the world. Jamal Murray is picking up his scoring lately, scoring 24 or more points in the three games prior to Monday night. Michael Porter Jr. (18.4 PPG) and Christian Braun (15.0 PPG) have been solid, as well as Russell Westbrook off the bench, but the Nuggets are in serious need of another reliable outside scorer who can create his own shot if they are to contend. On defense, they also need another perimeter stopper to help Aaron Gordon, Braun and Westbrook. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth doesn’t have a ton of assets to work with, although Porter would likely have to be dealt in any trade for a significant player. But what their record doesn’t necessarily show is the championship chemistry between Porter, Jokic and Murray. – Ohm Youngmisuk
What are the biggest factors holding the Suns back this season and can they overcome them for the postseason?
Just like last season, the biggest factor keeping Phoenix from coalescing is cascading injuries suffered by their stars. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal have each played only 17 games apiece this season. The 36-year-old Durant has been brilliant when he’s been on the court – averaging 27.4 points on 52/42/83 splits – and the Suns have been dreadful without him, going 1-9. While Phoenix has been linked to the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler as a potential trade destination, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the 35-year-old Butler comes with his own durability concerns. He’s missed 65 games over the past three seasons. On the plus side, even with the time their stars have missed, the Suns still have the No. 8 offense in the league under new coach Mike Budenholzer. If they can sustain their health – with Butler included or not – the Suns could still make a push from their No. 11 spot in the Western Conference standings by unleashing that offense on the rest of the league. – McMenamin
How do the Suns stop Jokic from crashing their Christmas?
Phoenix’s game plan against Jokic was solid last season. Although Jokic averaged a triple-double against the Suns, Jokic’s 21.1 average game score was his second lowest against any West foe. Phoenix won two of those three games, which is no surprise. When opponents hold Jokic below a game score of 25 this season, Denver has gone 2-3. Familiarity is a plus for the Suns: not only did starting center Jusuf Nurkic play alongside Jokic to start their careers with the Nuggets, so too did new backup Mason Plumlee. – Pelton
By NBA insiders | ESPN, via ESPN