Ten teams will take the floor on Christmas Day, but fans will want to keep their phones close at hand for updates because the league has warned that game times could change as late as Christmas Eve.
The NBA has informed teams playing on Christmas Day that the league is preparing contingencies in case a Christmas Day game is postponed, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 21, 2021
The current Christmas Day schedule is as follows:
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks, 12 p.m. ET
Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 2:30 p.m. ET
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns 5 p.m. ET
Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m. ET
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz, 10:30 p.m. ET
Priority has been placed on the 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. ET time slots on national television.
The list of players entered into health and safety protocols passed the 80 mark, with several teams canceling games in the last week because they didn’t have enough players to take the floor.
Some of the league’s marquee players may not be available for Christmas, including last year’s Finals MVP Milwaukee Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving for the Brooklyn Nets, and Luka Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks.
The Hawks have a total of three players out; the Knicks are missing six players; the Celtics are missing six; the Bucks four; the Warriors two; the Nets ten; the Lakers three; and the Mavericks are missing four players.
During an interview with Malika Andrews on ESPN’s NBA Today Tuesday, commissioner Adam Silver said the league had no plans on canceling or postponing the season.
Still, the league may have to make some changes.
“This virus will not be eradicated, and we’re going to have to learn to live with it,” said Silver.