Report: Lakers to Face the Warriors on Christmas

The new-look Los Angeles Lakers will take on the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, according to multiple published reports.

Philadelphia will face Boston, and the Bucks will pay the Knicks a visit.

The Utah Jazz will host the Portland Trail Blazers and OKC will battle Houston.

Per ESPN:

[LeBron] James’ first Christmas Day game as a Laker will be the holiday’s marquee matchup. James, who signed a four-year, $153 million contract with the Lakers in July, faced the Warriors in each of the past four NBA Finals as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Sixers and Celtics — two teams that boast some of the top young talent in the NBA — will face off in a rematch of their Eastern Conference semifinals series, which the Celtics won in five games.

The Bucks will play on the holiday for the first time since 1977. It is unclear whether Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis will be available for the Christmas Day game. He is currently rehabbing a torn ACL. Porzingis suffered the ACL tear in an early February game against the Bucks.

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