It’s unusual not to see the No. 1 team in the NBA play on Christmas Day.
The Cleveland Cavaliers boast a 26-4 record, are 17-1 at home and ride a five-game winning streak. Although the Cavaliers weren’t featured in the NBA’s marquee Christmas Day slate this season, franchise star Donovan Mitchell hopes for a change in the near future.
Christmas game soon…. @cavs 🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) December 24, 2024
There isn’t a day quite like Christmas Day in the NBA. Fans and players alike eagerly scan the Dec. 25 matchups when the NBA releases its schedule, as Christmas Day showcases the league’s biggest stars on national television.
However, players are never shy to speak out when their team isn’t featured on Christmas Day. Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently expressed frustration with his team being omitted from the marquee slate, saying he is “a little bit upset” that he won’t be hitting the hardwood.
“I’m a little bit upset or kind of questioning it,” Antetokounmpo told The Athletic. “But I really believe there’s probably an algorithm that takes place within the NBA that shows who is the most attractive team or which team gets the most attention for them to be able to play in the Christmas game.”
The Cavaliers haven’t played on Christmas Day since the 2017-18 season, LeBron James’ final year with the team. The franchise has been a part of some Christmas Day classics, most notably in 2016, when Kyrie Irving delivered a late-game dagger to seal Cleveland’s fourth-straight victory over the Golden State Warriors, including the previous season’s NBA Finals matchup.
As the Cavaliers work their way back to sustaining a winning direction, they can expect to receive a Christmas Day game in the coming seasons. Mitchell’s X post signals the five-time All-Star’s long-term commitment to the franchise.
This season, Mitchell is averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game on a career-high 40.8 percent from 3-point range. The 28-year-old helped lead the Cavaliers to becoming just the fourth team in NBA history to start a season 15-0. Following last season’s disappointment and this year’s hugely promising start, Mitchell and the Cavaliers will shoulder heavy expectations as the regular season rolls on.
