Not only will we get to see the many stars the league has to feature, but it’s going to be the first time in a long while. You can bet that the players are just as excited as the fans, and it’s time to get back to the sport we all know and love.

Photo source: Bull City State of Mind

So while you’re enjoying the turkey, cranberry sauce, or even fruitcake (for those of you with horrible taste), don’t forget to have the tele on to witness ‘Bron throwing one down or to watch CP3 make his season debut in Lob City. And just to make sure you don’t miss a beat, below I have the complete TV schedule alongside my preview for each of the games!

Also be sure to follow me on twitter for the latest in all things NBA!

Without further ado, here is my official analysis & TV schedule for your NBA Christmas!

NBA Christmas Day TV Schedule:

Christmas Day Games: Previews & Analysis

Game 1: Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks

Once again the matchup of Boston v New York comes to life in the world of sports, and once again on an NBA Christmas!

What makes it so much different this time around? Two teams going in opposite directions.

The Boston Celtics come into this game with a lot of negatives in their path, one being the loss of one of their younger players in Jeff Green for the entire season and another being the clear fact that this is the last shot that Boston’s trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have at a title. While Rajon Rondo will still be the same great point guard we know and love, and Boston will continue to display great team defense, does the ‘Big Three’ have enough in the tank to play 66 games in 123 days?

It’ll certainly show against the Knicks, who have three of their best players in the prime of their career: Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler.

The Knicks are coming into this game with something to prove to the world: we are ready to compete for an NBA Championship. Heck, even head coach Mike D’Antoni believes it. So who’s to say they can’t?

The scoring is always going to be there from Melo & Amar’e, and now with solid defenders like newly acquired Chandler and rookie Iman Shumpert, the Knicks’ chances are better than ever.

A defensive appetizer for your Christmas day!

Game 2: Miami Heat @ Dallas Mavericks

Every premier event has it’s main event. Well ladies and gentlemen, main events don’t get any bigger than this, especially on Christmas day!

A rematch of the 2011 NBA Finals on the first day of the 11-12 regular season, what more is there to say?

Image source: AP via SI.com

For the Heat, this game means everything. It’s a chance to prove to the world that they yet again have the will to fight against adversity; it’s a chance at redemption against a Dallas team that took them out in 6; and it’s a chance to begin a season many are calling historic with a victory.

The Heat are back at their title chasing, and this time they have a very strong season under their belt. The signing of Shane Battier gives LeBron & Wade some extra help on the wing and a great presence in the locker room. Chris Bosh is back with some added weight, and the rest of the Heat roster is ready to rally around the ‘Big Three’ once again. Is this the year we finally witness this Heat team win a ring?

They hope so.

For the Dallas Mavericks this is all about proving to the world that the Heat didn’t lose the NBA Championship, but rather that Dallas won it on the back of all-time great Dirk Nowitzki and the great supporting cast. The only difference now is Dallas has a new look. Losing Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler, and JJ Barea is going to hurt this team, but by adding Lamar Odom, Vince Carter, and Delonte West, Dallas now seems to have a much stronger hold out on the wing, especially defensively.

For both teams this will be a statement game, and the start at another run for a title. Let the festivities begin.

Game 3: Chicago Bulls @ Los Angeles Lakers

Two teams that have much to prove to the world, the Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers, both faced ugly playoff exits last year after very strong seasons. So can they begin their campaigns for title chases this year with a victory?

For the Bulls, it’s very evident that they still have the bad taste in their mouth from the Eastern Conference Finals loss against Miami. So now it’s up to D.Rose and company to come back hitting the ground running, and it should be much easier this time around as they finally got what they were looking for in Richard Hamilton: a seasoned 2-guard, capable of creating his own shot, spacing the floor, and helping Rose out on the wing. Not only did they acquire a solid addition, but they’re coming back with a healthier Carlos Boozer, an improved Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, and now have the hurt of a big ECF loss to drive them.

This might be enough to propel them into another Eastern Conference Finals.

But standing in their way on Christmas are the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now, much negativity can be said about this Lakers team; they’re all dazed from the way things went this past off-season, they won’t be able to adapt to Mike Brown’s new system, or Kobe Bryant isn’t healthy enough. While all of these can be factors throughout the season, let me remind you that this roster is still very good. Kobe Bryant will always bring 25-7-7. I don’t care what bone in his body is broken, this man can hoop. Pau Gasol is still one of the top power forwards in the league, and I expect Andrew Bynum to come out very strong. He’s gained weight, worked at the post-game this past off-season, and is straight up sick of hearing the ‘injury-gossip.’ What a treat for Kobe & co. to have the opportunity to shut the haters up on Christmas.

So expect a great matchup between two championship contenders.

Game 4: Orlando Magic @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Another great treat from the wonderful David Stern (cough). Two of the league’s most exciting, and talented stars go head to head. Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant are always must-watch-TV, especially at the start of a season. But unfortunately both stars don’t have teams playing at the same level.

For the Orlando Magic, this past off-season has been disrupted by numerous trade rumors for their big man, Dwight, and the rumors will continue until No.12 is eventually traded. While Dwight continues to say how much he loves the city and community of Orlando, it’s becoming quite evident that the players he is surrounded by won’t give him another chance at a championship anytime soon.

So enjoy Dwight in a Magic uni while you can, because it won’t last much longer.

As for the Thunder, expect them to come out surging against a morale-low Magic squad. Kevin Durant continues to get better, scary I know, and is accompanied with one of the more ‘together’ rosters in the league. Russell Westbrook has been working on his outside game this off-season, as has James Harden, while Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka have worked on their post-game. Let’s not also forget that this is a Thunder team that fought all of the way to a Western Conference Final, and the fact that they are coming back even better?

Scary. NBA Finals scary if you ask me.

Game 5: Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors

To end your NBA Christmas, Stern and his little Elves dished out a game that they thought would be a bit more low-key than the rest. Little did they know that after they had made this schedule, the league’s best point guard in the league would team up with Blake Griffin and the Clippers.

Image credit: Mel Blackmon/CBS via CBSLocal.com

The Clippers literally went from a potential lottery team to a possible NBA title contender. Now don’t have a heart attack, the key word here is possible.

The trade that shipped off Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon and numerous draft pick  landed the Clips CP3. In separate signings, LA was able to acquire swingman Caron Butler and ‘Mr.Big Shot’ Chauncey Billups to accompany Chris Paul at the 2-guard. On paper this Clippers team looks solid: the league’s best point guard, and I believe the the best power forward in Blake Griffin, and a solid supporting cast consisting of DeAndre Jordon, Chauncey, Caron, Eric Bledsode, etc.

But as we’ve seen in the past, on paper doesn’t always turn into rings.

On the other side of this game are the Golden State Warriors. While they now have newly appointed head coach Mark Jackson, they still have more work to do. Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis should put in some good work against CP3, but the main issue lies down on the block and on the bench. Golden State attempted to land Nene, Tyson Chandler, and even Marc Gasol. But to come up empty-handed, leaves the Warriors with nearly the same roster as last season.

Expect the Clippers to start the season having a field day in Golden State.

Thanks for reading, and happy holidays NBA nerds!

Within the next couple of weeks, two will become one, and a new NBA champion will be crowned.

In one corner we have the Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks, the team that has been plagued with 11 years of playoff exits: one coming at the hands of an 8th-seeded Warriors team; another from the Texas-rival Spurs; and another from a certain team in South Beach. But this time the Dallas Mavericks have not only prevailed through the rigors of the Western Conference, they’ve done so on the shoulders of a man that has now proven to be one of the all-time greats: Dirk Nowitizki.

In another corner we have a team that has been criticized from their preseason days in a military hangar, onto Christmas, and continuing up to this point even as they approach the finish line. Yes, the Miami Heat have not only proven that their stars’ individual skills can carry them a long way, but we are also realizing that the criticism they received only made them stronger. The core of Wade, Bosh & LeBron has proven to be nearly impossible to contain in a 7-game series, and they look to continue to prove us wrong in this upcoming series.

The NBA has reached its pinnacle, my friends. The Finals have finally arrived, and what a finish this is looking to be. The talents in South Beach have made it to the top of the NBA world, and on the other side is a familiar foe from 2006 in Dirk and his Dallas Mavs.

The specifics of what await us have yet to be determined, but I can assure you that this series will be hard-fought, entertaining, and truly epic.

Here is the NBA Finals TV schedule in it’s entirety:

Best of seven (2-3-2 format)

• Game 1 — Tue May 31, Dallas at Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 2 — Thu June 2, Dallas at Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 3 — Sun June 5, Miami at Dallas 8 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 4 — Tue June 7, Miami at Dallas 9 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 5* — Thu June 9, Miami at Dallas 9 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 6* — Sun June 12, Dallas at Miami 8 p.m. ET, ABC
• Game 7* — Tue June 14, Dallas at Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC

*If necessary

Note: Be sure to follow me on Twitter for continuous NBA updates!

Dallas Mavericks vs Miami Heat Preview

Season series: Dallas Mavericks won 2-0

It seems like yesterday that LeBron James was in a Cavs uniform fighting off his Eastern Conference foes. Whether it was the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, or Orlando Magic, LeBron always seemed to come up short when it mattered most. And it wasn’t long ago that Dwyane Wade was putting up 35 points a night just so that his Miami Heat could make the playoffs. Even Chris Bosh in Toronto lacked a strong supporting cast for significant playoff runs.

But the summer of 2010 changed all that, and now each of the three mentioned above have combined their talents into one super team that is threatening to control the NBA for years to come. Many didn’t think they’d reach the Finals so soon, but three 5-game series later and The Talents of South Beach have arrived.

What awaits them is a strong and dangerous foe that has been built for the rigors of the West. The Dallas Mavericks, unlike the Miami Heat, were built over an extended period of time. Bringing in savvy vets, athletic wing players, and size in the interior has molded this team for another shot at a ring. Lead by the German future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas tore up the competition on its path to the Finals. The Lakers? Dirk doesn’t even know who they are.

But what makes these NBA Finals so sweet is not only the multiple all-time greats being featured, but also that it is rematch of a 2006 championship fight which left a 6’4 shooting guard with a ring, while Dirk Nowitzki was left to crave his for years.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get it on!

The Want

While I could point out the importance of Xs and Os, rotations, and the bench play in this series, there is a huge factor that comes into play first: the hunger and craving for a championship ring so many players bring into this series.

Let’s start off with the Dallas Mavericks.

Dirk Nowitzki is one of those players who was around for the days there was no such thing as a Charlotte Bobcat and when Reggie Miller wasn’t a TNT announcer. Dirk has experienced well over a decade of NBA action in his lifetime and has proven to us that he’s an all-time great power forward, deserving All Star, and worthy of an MVP trophy.

Dirk has experienced it all, but yet he lacks the one piece of hardware that allows us to rank him among the greatest of the greats: an NBA Finals trophy. The 11 straight years of failed playoff runs for Dirk has made him a hungry man; and hungry probably went to insatiable craving after his Mavericks fell to the Heat in 2006.

Similarly, Jason Terry would, I’m sure, like to avenge 2006. Jason Kidd has two failed NBA Finals appearances, and like Dirk lacks only a ring to complete his Hall of Fame career. And other vets like Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler would love to grab their first pieces of Finals hardware.

As for the Heat, they have stars that might not have been in this league as long as the German or Kidd, but believe me when I say this: the hunger for a ring burns just the same.

LeBron James’ continued playoff misery in Cleveland has been magnified to levels unmatched since Michael Jordan’s early playoff runs with Chicago. Whether it was at the hands of the team-minded Pistons, versatile Orlando Magic, or the Big Three of the Boston Celtics, James could never seem to get over a hump, never mind the hump.

The infamous Decision to bring his talents to South Beach might have set him up to finally satisfy his hunger for just one ring. (For now…)

Let’s not forget Chris Bosh either. While he hasn’t had as many opportunities to make a run at a championship, you can bet that he and players like Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilguaskas, Mike Bibby, and the rest of Miami’s cast are ready to win it.

So the point is this: the players with the hunger, desire, and outright power to fight for what they have long desired is going to play a huge factor in this series, as it does in every series. In this case, both teams have all-time great veterans for whom winning a title is imperative.

The Supporting Cast

I’d be lying to you if I told you that both of these teams made it here on the shoulders of their stars alone. Both teams have realized that in order to win it all you must not only have the leaders, but you must have the cast that is willing to fight for the common goal that we call the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The Miami Heat have surrounded their core of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh with players that very much share the same goal of an NBA championship. But let’s be honest here: it took the Heat’s cast quite some time to mold to the team we are currently watching.

Zyrdunas Ilgauskas went from starter to bench player, Mike Bibby was brought in midway through the season, and Udonis Haslem has changed the look of this roster since he finally returned from injury. As these playoffs have progressed, the Miami Heat have become more than just the Big Three and have begun to mold at the right time.

Even Mike Miller, who people were writing off, is beginning to come into his own even as his daughter is experiencing health problems. Then there’s been the ever-improving play of guys like Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony. Both have showed they understand that the defensive side of the ball is crucial to a championship run in becoming classic examples of “dirty-work” players.

While the Miami Heat have a strong supporting bunch, the Dallas Mavericks have perfected the importance of role players.

Dirk Nowitzki is a huge part of this team, but there is no way he is in this position without the help of his team’s role players.

And when it comes to role players, no other Maverick comes to mind first other than Jason Terry. Whether it his ability to knock down the three point shot, stick to his defender, or come up big in tight situations, Terry does it all.

Then when Mark Cuban began bringing in veteran players like Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, and Peja Stojakovic, the goal for an NBA title became that much clearer. While each of the aforementioned players has their amazing individual basketball abilities, they also share a hunger that is similar to Dirk’s. They’ve all been in the league long enough to know what suffering is and all sacrifice for the common goal.

Then there is the savvy part of this team: Tyson Chandler, DeShawn Stevenson, and JJ Barea are all electric players who can change games. Whether it is Tyson clogging the lane, DeShawn causing turnovers on the perimeter, or Barea exploding for 20 points off the bench, these guys can cause all sorts of issues for Miami.

While the Heat do possess a solid supporting cast, the Dallas Mavericks are strongly favored when it comes to the play of their role players. They win this part of the argument.

Star Power

And finally, I have saved the best for last.

The NBA Finals is a combination of dedication, heart, coaching, ability, and execution down the stretch. Whichever team can put a check beside each of the mentioned categories increases its chances of coming home with a ring on the finger. But there is always the ace of spades in a deck, and the variable that can change the tide within a span of moments is the stars themselves.

The Dallas Mavericks have launched themselves past the slumping Blazers, swept their way through the confused Los Angeles Lakers, and beat up on the inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder. While many give credit to the overall play of the team, the one man who deserves most of the credit is Dirk Nowitzki.

The Conference Finals is what truly showcased Dirk’s offensive abilities on the floor. In Game 1 the man went 24 for 24 at the free-throw line, 12 of 15 shooting, a +/- of +12, and a destructive 48 points. Stats of an all-star, legend, and Hall of Famer. I’ve always known that Dirk had the ability to take over a game, but the ability to take over a series? That is exactly what he did against the Thunder. Even if he doesn’t put up numbers similar to Game 1′s, his presence is enough to make you tremble as a defender.

Now the question is who will defend Dirk for the Heat? While no one can literally “defend” Dirk, someone needs to stick him, right? What we will probably see is multiple looks being thrown at Dirk. Some Udonis Haslem, then some Chris Bosh, and at the end of games there’s a strong chance LeBron will take the 7-footer.

Good luck to Miami when it comes to that.

But at the same time Miami has a threat to throw at Dallas. As a matter of fact, they don’t only have one, or two, but they have three: the much hated trio of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and old Finals foe Dwyane Wade.

These NBA playoffs have proven to me that they cannot be stopped. As blunt as that sounds, it is very true. What the opposition can do is maybe stop one or two from getting a big game, but to contain all three in a game is looking impossible. No team in the NBA has been able to do it.

If it’s Chris Bosh, he can bring you out the perimeter, take it to the rack, and he will even give you the one or two important rebounds. He proved to be a big poison to the Bulls in the East Finals as he averaged 23 ppg, shot over 50% in the series, and was leaving the bigs of Chicago work to deal with. This might sound a bit much, but Chris Bosh is the perfect decoy for LeBron & Wade to get what they want.

Speaking of those two, what else can you ask for from two superstars? Both are amazing defenders who rotate better than most others in the league, both are nightmares for any defense in the league, and both just simply make their team better with the great decision making.

Dwyane Wade did have a less than stellar (for him) series against Chicago, but don’t expect the same results against Dallas. The Mavericks are not in the same category when it comes to defense as the Bulls, so Wade should be able to do more of what he wants against the Mavs’ wing players. And let’s not forget this is the man who led the Heat in 2006 to claim his first ring over Dirk’s Mavs.

But at the end of the day there is one man who will always be the best basketball player on the court. LeBron James has proven this to me in these last couple of series against Boston & Chicago. The offensive ability has always been there, and the same goes for his ability to pass. But the two elements of his game that are bringing him into the same category as Michael, Magic and the rest, are his improvements on defense and the newly acquired “clutch” gene.

The big shots at the end of games, the lock-down defense on the opposing star, and the critical decision making has made LeBron James the greatest player on this planet. And if one were to disagree, you’ll soon learn of your ignorance.

With that said, the Miami Heat possess the clear advantage over the Dallas Mavericks. It’s as simple as this: 3 > 1

Prediction

These NBA Finals will clearly be built off of my three key ingredients: the desire of winning an NBA championship; the ability for the role players to provide firepower and support; and the play of the star players.

Not only will this matchup give us some great headliners, but it will also be a flat out entertaining, exciting, and hard-fought series. One team is built off of defense while the other has the firepower to keep up, with each possessing the key variables necessary to bring home a trophy.

But there will be one clear cut winner.

The Miami Heat built this team in the summer of 2010 for one thing, and one thing only: to win multiple NBA championships.

The blueprint for this goal includes defense, tenacity, and togetherness. All of these will be showcased in this series against the Dallas Mavericks, along with flashy play by LeBron & Wade. While the Mavericks are a strong team, led by a strong leader, the Miami Heat will simply outshine the Mavs for a second consecutive time in the Finals, and LeBron will end his NBA Title drought while contining Dirk’s.

Let South Beach’s reign on the NBA commence.

Prediction: Miami Heat in 6

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Photo credits:

• Mavs v Heat Finals photo banner courtesy: Jcansis.Wordpress.com
• Dirk Nowitzki posing photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports & AP
• Bosh, Haslem & Miller photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports, Getty Images & taken by Marc Serota
• Terry, Stojakovic, Haywood, Nowitzki & Barea photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports, Getty Images & taken by Ronald Martinez
• Dwyane Wade photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports, Getty Images & taken by Mike Ehrmann
• Dirk & LeBron photo courtesy: Steve Mitchell / US Presswire

With the first half about to end, there are two questions that must be asked. First, will this game mark the waning days of the RichRod era in Ann Arbor? Second, why in the hell is Matt Millen announcing this game, and why does it seem like he announces damn near every football game on TV?

The answer to the first question will not be known until at least after the Wolverines’ bowl game this year. The answer to the second question, however, is obvious: because Matt Millen’s a genius, that’s why. An example of this genius is depicted below.

Note: if for some reason you can’t view the image above, view it here.

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Click here for the current College Football TV Schedule for Conference Championship Week, the weekend of Saturday, December 6

I gotta be honest here — this is a pretty boring weekend for college football if you ask me. Now of course, it’s all relative. Even the most boring college football weekend is still exciting because there are upsets, outrageous performances, and the perpetual chance of a crotchety old head coach taking a swing at a Clemson player on the sidelines.

But in terms of marquee games, there is not a whole lot to look forward this weekend. No Texas Tech-OK State like last weekend, for instance. Next week, however, we get Texas Tech visiting Oklahoma, Michigan at Ohio State, and other exciting matchups.

This weekend, you’ll have to settle for South Carolina at Florida, which is the only battle between Top 25 teams. Still, it’s always these seemingly ho-hum weekends that end up producing the big season-changing upset. Could Mississippi State knock of Alabama? Could USC trip up again versus Stanford?

The College Football TV Schedule for the week of Saturday, November 15, 2008 is below so you can plan out your Saturday. Bookmark it and come back often. We appreciate your visit.

^ – This is CBS College Sports. Just type that in Google and you’ll find it.

* – Regional ABC coverage. Typically the mid-afternoon games are shown on one of the ESPN networks if it isn’t in your area on ABC. I’m assuming the same will remain true this week. Not sure how the night games will work, as all of the ESPN channels seem to be spoken for. Check your local TV listings for November 11.

[tags]ncaa, college football, tv schedule[/tags]