Not much has been normal about 2020, but the NBA gave us the gift of the familiar on Christmas: five games, 10 teams and an abundance of storylines. And all five contests wound up being double-digit decisions in a series of blowout victories for the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and finally the LA Clippers to wrap things up.
NBA teams won by an average of 23.2 points on Christmas. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that's the fifth-highest margin in a single day in NBA history among days when at least five games were played. It's also the highest for any Christmas Day with at least three games played.
Our NBA experts kept a close eye on all five matchups and shared what stood out, including the Heat's impressive depth; the Pelicans' stars needing some help; a Warriors rookie flashing superstar potential; the Lakers showing off lights-out shooting in their second game of the season; and the Clippers exhibiting nifty playmaking skills by shooting 70% off passes.
Here are their key points from Christmas for you to keep in mind going forward.
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LA Clippers 121, Denver Nuggets 108
Noticing subtle changes with Clippers' ballhandling
More ball movement, more player movement, more intentional sets.
That was the battle cry from Tyronn Lue coming into the season. On Christmas night, the Clippers made good on the promise, notching 32 assists on 41 field goals. That assist rate of 78.0% was higher than any the Clippers posted in a game last season. It was an impressive showing for a team whose offense finished last season 24th in assist percentage that, while efficient, was more a battering ram than a ballet.
This season, the Clippers not only added more playmaking to the roster -- Nicolas Batum led the Clippers with six assists in the opening-night win over the Lakers -- but the existing cast has been more eager and willing to pass. Kawhi Leonard, who chalked up seven assists before being knocked out of the game by an inadvertent elbow from teammate Serge Ibaka, found four different teammates for 3-point buckets off post sets and drives.
Ditto Paul George, who led the Clippers with nine assists on a variety of pretty looks, including a nifty behind-the-back bounce pass to Ibaka off a pick-and-roll in the fourth quarter. Even Ibaka got into the act, driving and kicking to Lou Williams on the next possession when he barreled into the lane off a perimeter drive.
Most of these passes aren't being executed on the break or even early offense. The Clippers are actually amping up their passing game while they're slowing down the pace. They have racked up their fair share of turnovers over the first couple of games, but more movement requires more execution and, consequently, more opportunities for miscues. But with more reps on the court together, the Clippers should be able to clean up some of these early unforced errors.
The Clippers have been searching for an identity as they rebound from their postseason meltdown. On the offensive end, could it be as a pass-happy unit happy to share the ball?
-- Kevin Arnovitz
Paul George said he "buried" the Clippers' collapse to the Nuggets in the bubble and left the playoff series meltdown back in Orlando, Florida. So far through two games this campaign, George and the Clippers are showing that they "are a different team than last year."
Even with a bloodied Kawhi Leonard knocked out of the game midway through the fourth quarter, the Clippers maintained their composure in Denver and did what they couldn't do 100 days earlier: They held on to a big lead, despite Jamal Murray heating up, and closed out the Nuggets.
"I kind of buried last [season], left last [season] in the bubble," George said of what Friday's win over the Nuggets did after the epic collapse the Clippers suffered in the playoffs. "That did nothing. Fact is, this is a new season. A new team. New goals. New everything."
Like he did versus the Lakers on the champions' ring night, George pushed the Clippers forward by helping them keep their poise when a big lead began to evaporate. Against the Lakers, George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half to help the Clippers win the season opener despite watching a 22-point first-half lead shrink to one point.
Then on Friday, against the very team that authored an improbable 3-1 series comeback against them in the bubble by erasing double-digit lead after double-digit lead, the Clippers led the Nuggets 98-74 with 1:17 left in the third quarter. But Murray came to life, scoring eight points in 40 seconds at one point in the fourth quarter and helping Denver creep to within 11 points. The Clippers could have been traumatized by their bubble meltdown. And in the midst of all of this, Leonard took an inadvertent elbow from Serge Ibaka to the mouth that left him bleeding on the Denver floor, forcing Leonard out of the final six minutes and to receive eight stitches.
Despite seeing their best player walk off bloodied, the Clippers continued their redemption season as George passed to Ibaka for a 3-pointer. Lou Williams hit another 3 off a pass from Ibaka. George followed with a 21-footer, and then Patrick Beverley drilled another 3 off a pass from George. Ibaka, the team's biggest acquisition in free agency to replace Montrezl Harrell and space the floor with his 3-point shooting, sealed the win with a 6-foot jumper.
"We are a ways away," George said. "But I think you guys can see that we are getting better and we are a different team than last year."
-- Ohm Youngmisuk
Los Angeles Lakers 138, Dallas Mavericks 115
Lakers bounce back yet again
Early on in Frank Vogel's first season coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, he presented a challenge to his new team: We shouldn't lose consecutive games all season long.
They came close to the lofty goal. When they dropped four in a row in December, key pieces were out of the lineup. When they lost two in a row in January, the first was the final game on a long East Coast trip and the second was an emotional night: the Lakers' first game since the death of Kobe Bryant. And when they lost three in a row in August in the seeding round in the bubble, they were still coming off a 3 1/2-month hiatus and resting players before the playoffs.
Friday's 138-115 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day at Staples Center kept this season's Lakers team from failing to meet Vogel's challenge before the season even really began. The most striking difference in Tuesday's 116-109 opening night loss to the LA Clippers and the win over Dallas was Los Angeles' offense -- the Lakers shot 56% from the field and 48.7% from 3 against the Kristaps Porzingis-less Mavs, compared to 46.9% overall and 31% from 3 against the Clippers -- but the defensive fight was there, too. The Lakers gave up 39 points in the first quarter against the Clippers and were playing from behind the whole night. Against Dallas, the Mavs mustered 30 points in the first quarter and then 55 over the second and third when the Lakers took control.
It was no accident that Anthony Davis (28 points on 10-of-16 shooting), Dennis Schroder (18 points on 7-of-11 shooting) and Montrezl Harrell (22 points on 10-of-13 shooting) stood out on offense again, because their defensive energy kept the momentum on L.A.'s side all game. The Lakers' 35-0 domination on second-chance points shows that effort was their edge, too. And even for a Lakers team with an eye on playing in June and July, 1-1 feels much better than 0-2.
-- Dave McMenamin
Mavericks missing their best big man badly
The most encouraging thing about the Dallas Mavericks' season-opening road trip so far is that center Kristaps Porzingis traveled with the team.
It's an indication that Porzingis is on schedule, or even a little ahead, with his rehabilitation from October surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. He played about 30 minutes of half-court 4-on-4 Thursday, and the hope is that Porzingis will be available at some point in January.
And, man, do the Mavs need their maximum-salaried big man on the floor. In fact, the Mavs need Porzingis to be dominant to become anything more than first-round fodder in the Western Conference.
"He's going to help us a lot," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said, "but we've got to get tougher."
That was painfully obvious while watching the Lakers manhandle the Mavs on Christmas night. Los Angeles shot 56% from the field and rebounded every single shot they missed. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but this is the harsh reality: The Lakers' 35-0 advantage in second-chance points was the largest differential in an NBA game in at least 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
People tend to focus on Porzingis' offensive game. We have seen exactly one 7-foot-3 player who is a threat off the dribble and stretches the floor to 30-plus feet.
But what Dallas really needs from Porzingis is for him to dominate on the other end of the floor. The Mavs made upgrading the defense the priority this offseason, particularly in trading for shooting guard Josh Richardson. It doesn't matter if the Mavs have no rim protection and get bullied on the boards.
Porzingis is a big part of an offense that was historically elite last season, but it's his defensive presence the Mavs miss most.
--Tim MacMahon
Brooklyn Nets 123, Boston Celtics 95
Two games in, Kevin Durant looks like Kevin Durant
There were about three minutes left in the third quarter -- the possession had gone pretty much nowhere and the shot clock was starting to drain. Standing some 30 feet from the basket, Kevin Durant popped his right arm in the sky to call for the ball, the basketball version of a fair catch. Caris LeVert flipped it over to him, and Durant sized up his defender, Jayson Tatum.
A quick right to left cross dribble through the legs and a burst off his right leg as he drove left, Durant had Tatum on his hip. A few hard-charging dribbles and Durant was at the rim casually placing a two-handed dunk through the rim with one second left on the shot clock.
For a player coming off an injury such as the one Durant suffered a year and a half ago, there's a persistent instinct to ask: "Is that the play? Is that the one that shows he's back?" And in a 123-95 Brooklyn Nets win on Friday over the Boston Celtics, it wasn't so much a play, as much as it was the third quarter (though pushing off his repaired Achilles' tendon is quality evidence). Durant poured in 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, part of 29 total points on 9-of-16 shooting overall. It was classic Durant: efficient, electric and at times, easy.
Through two games, Durant is answering the question about his health and how much of him is really back. There's no hesitation, no lack of aggressiveness, no rust, no lost step or slowed burst. What he looks like, simply, is Kevin Durant.
-- Royce Young
Examining Boston's weaknesses
Yes, the Celtics were missing Kemba Walker (knee) for their Christmas Day showdown with the Nets. And, yes, it was only two days ago that Boston beat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden.
But Friday's loss served as a stark reminder of the flaws the Celtics are going to have to strive to address if they want to make it back to a fourth Eastern Conference finals in five years this summer.
The return of Walker will go a long way toward solving Boston's offensive issues. This Celtics team is built to have Walker, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum carry the offensive load.
Brown finished with 27 points, and Tatum had 20, but those 47 points came on 47 shots -- a reminder of how much teams can load up on them defensively with the limited options surrounding them. If Walker isn't able to be back at 100%, this team simply isn't good enough to consistently hang with the best teams in the East.
But even if Walker does, the Celtics' supporting cast leaves little margin for error. Boston's primary bench rotation against Brooklyn, including a rookie in Payton Pritchard and two non-scorers in Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams. That Pritchard and Ojeleye combined to score 16 points and Boston still got cooked only emphasizes that.
It would have helped if Jeff Teague was somewhere between what he did against Milwaukee (19 points on 4-for-4 shooting from 3) and Brooklyn (going scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting, including missing a wide-open dunk and layup on separate possessions), but it's also telling that Boston is that reliant on a 32-year-old backup on a minimum contract.
There's a long way to go before this season is over. And if there's anything a team should be able to do during the course of a year, it's upgrade its bench depth. But this game was a reminder that for Boston to have a different result when it counts, it is going to need a full strength version of Walker -- and a boosted bench -- to contend with the likes of Brooklyn in the East.
-- Tim Bontemps
Milwaukee Bucks 138, Golden State Warriors 99
Middleton and new additions shine in Bucks win
The one word Khris Middleton used to describe his feelings entering this offseason: disappointment.
On a day when Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled offensively, going 4-of-14 with 15 points, Middleton went off for 31 points and six 3-pointers in the Bucks' 138-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Milwaukee's 39-point win was the second-largest margin of victory on Christmas Day.
"I think that's what it's all about. Just trying to find ways to be better and just as a complete basketball player," Middleton said. "Not just as a scorer or a shooter."
Middleton is off to a fast start this season, averaging 29 points in his first two games. But the question for him, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks is this: Can they shine bright in the bigger moments?
Their season-opening loss in Boston ended in dramatic fashion, with Antetokounmpo missing his final free throw with 0.4 seconds left, which could've tied the score and pushed it into overtime.
Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes combined for 43 points Friday, as the Bucks continue to acclimate to the team's new additions on an already strong roster. Will they be enough to help Milwaukee get over the top in the postseason? That's the $228 million question the franchise will attempt to answer this spring.
-- Eric Woodyard
James Wiseman's potential is scary
On a day in which the Warriors were outclassed for the second straight game by another Eastern Conference power, they can take solace in the 19-year-old Wiseman's hype train gaining steam. The Memphis product had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks in 25 minutes, but it is the confidence in which he is putting up those numbers that make his burgeoning talent feel more potent.
Wiseman is showing the kind of confidence early that most rookies struggle to find at all. The belief in his game is strengthened by a smooth stroke from the outside and a long and athletic presence inside that will continue to evolve when Draymond Green returns from a foot injury.
There's a reason both Green and Stephen Curry have been so effusive in their praise of Wiseman from the start -- they could see the potential he has flashed as soon as he got into the Warriors' building. The Warriors' present looks murky at best with a dearth of outside shooting and questions all over the roster -- but they can take some relief in their lottery pick living up to the hype early on.
-- Nick Friedell
Miami Heat 111, New Orleans Pelicans 98
Miami reloads its depth
While Miami's starting five on Christmas Day featured five returning players from the team that reached the NBA Finals two months ago, the Heat's bench had a different look with three newcomers: rookie Precious Achiuwa and free agents Avery Bradley and Maurice Harkless. That new group played a key role as Miami dug out from an early hole and cruised past the Pelicans.
The most important Heat reserve is a holdover: veteran point guard Goran Dragic, who started throughout Miami's run to the Finals but has returned to the bench role he played during the 2019-20 regular season. Dragic was outstanding Friday, scoring 18 points and handing out nine assists in 27 minutes while adding four steals. The Heat outscored New Orleans by 24 points with Dragic on the court.
Dragic got plenty of help from his new teammates. Bradley played 28 minutes, scoring 12 points and dishing four assists in addition to coming up with a pair of steals. And Achiuwa, the No. 20 pick in last month's NBA draft, already looks like a steal because of his athleticism for his size. In his second game, Achiuwa had 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes. Miami is so deep that Harkless, who started the season opener, barely got off the bench Friday.
"[Achiuwa and Bradley] were huge tonight, they'll be huge going forward," said Heat forward Duncan Robinson, who starred in his own right in the win with seven 3-pointers, tying the record for a Christmas Day game. If the Miami bench keeps playing so well, the Heat will prove their run in the bubble was no fluke.
-- Kevin Pelton
Zion, Ingram need more support
The 1-2 duo of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson did exactly what the Pelicans needed them to do. Williamson had 32 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double -- matching his total from his injury-shortened rookie season. A year after he poured in 31 on Christmas (with Williamson sidelined), Ingram finished with 28 points, going 10-of-11 from the line and draining a big 3-pointer to cut the Heat's lead to single digits heading into the fourth quarter. Ingram and Williamson combined to make 20 free throws.
Beyond those two, however, New Orleans received very little help.
The starting backcourt of Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe combined for 11 points, 11 assists, 3 steals ... and 8 turnovers. They shot a combined 4-of-16 from the field and 3-of-12 from deep. Neither one attempted a free throw.
The story with the bench was more of the same. New Orleans looks as if it has two reliable reserves: Josh Hart and JJ Redick. Hart finished with 12 points, the only Pelican other than Ingram and Williamson to reach double figures. Redick struggled, going 1-for-7 overall, but that was more than anyone else provided. Nicolo Melli played only nine minutes and scored one point. Jaxson Hayes played three minutes and had only one rebound and one assist. No other Pelican played.
"I probably didn't use my bench enough, so we had some tired guys on the floor [in the second half]," Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We overused our guys trying to get back in it. I think we maybe ran out of gas a little bit."
For the Pelicans to make their push to the playoffs this season, they'll need to support their big two more like they did in their season opener against the Toronto Raptors, when Bledsoe and Ball combined for 34 points, and Redick poured in 23 of his own.
-- Andrew Lopez