Luka Doncic in Los Angeles Lakers' purple and gold, facing the Dallas Mavericks, on Christmas evening. It should have been an absolute no-brainer for the NBA. But somehow, the league missed the perfect opportunity to give fans the exact matchup they were practically begging for.
Doncic vs. Dallas would have been a Christmas miracle
Instead, the Lakers will face off against the Houston Rockets on December 25. Two good teams. Some big names are involved.
There is even a spicy backstory with Dorian Finney-Smith returning to play his old squad after leaving on weird terms. But let’s be honest, it does not come close to the juice of Doncic vs. his former squad.
This would have been more than just another revenge game. It was a stage for everything fans love: old loyalties, fresh rivalries, and high-stakes emotion.
Doncic already dropped 45 points on the Mavs the first time he played them in American Airlines Center, and he did not hold back. Imagine that drama on national TV, Christmas night. A chance for absolute cinema.
Fans are unfortunately going to be missing out. The Mavericks got slotted to play the Golden State Warriors, which should still be solid, but it is not really personal. The Doncic storyline is tailor-made for TV, and yet it is not being featured in any of the marquee slots this year.
Then there is the Cooper Flagg aspect of it all. The number one overall pick and newest member of the Mavericks. If you want to sell the future of the NBA, you can’t do much better than putting Flagg and Doncic on opposite sides.
The rookie phenom versus the MVP-level superstar who used to run the city he is now trying to own? That is Christmas magic right there.
The Lakers are coming off a 50-win season and added serious depth this offseason. They brought in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, and rookie Adou Thiero.
LeBron James is still doing LeBron things. JJ Redick now has a year under his belt. And of course Donicc is looking leaner, sharper, and more locked in than ever.
This roster is built for the spotlight games. Yet, somehow, the NBA chose to give us a Houston matchup that, while intriguing, does not carry the same narrative weight.
You only get five games on Christmas Day. The league had a chance to put a great matchup on display. Who knows, maybe all the games they chose will still be entertaining. It just sucks that this specific game will not be getting the love it deserves.