LA Clippers
While it may not be entirely surprising that the LA Clippers weren’t awarded a Christmas Day game, you can certainly make the argument that they should’ve at least been in the conversation to get one. Especially if they do end up moving forward with acquiring James Harden at some point before the season from the Philadelphia 76ers. If that’s a move that ends up happening, the Clippers would have a more than Christmas-worthy big 3.
Of course, as is almost always the case for the Clippers, this season is likely going to come down to whether or not they can remain healthy. If the Clippers are healthy for the majority of the season, they’re likely going to finish as a top 3 or 4 team in the Western Conference standings. And if that health carries over to the playoffs, they’ll have good as a shot as any other team in the West to make the NBA Finals.
In the end, I understand why the Clippers didn’t get a Christmas Day game. However, for a team that is fielding Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and possibly Harden, it’s easy to see why they have a gripe for not getting a big spotlight game.