The NBA is slated to release the 2015-16 regular season schedule within the next few weeks, and according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald the Miami Heat are will be hosting Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans on Christmas Day.
Per league source, tentative (not yet definite) NBA schedule in circulation has New Orleans playing the Heat on Christmas in Miami at noon.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 5, 2015
The Pelicans receiving a Christmas Day nod from the Association is a product of Anthony Davis’ rise to superstardom in the 2014-15 season. The NBA typically elects to roll out its big-market behemoths such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers and New York Knicks on Christmas Day, so a small-market team such as the Pelicans must be ecstatic about the prospect of partaking in arguably the NBA’s most popular regular-season day. Miami has been a Christmas Day lock for the past several seasons, so an appearance here again should not be a surprise, especially since they are now better equipped to navigate the post-LeBron seas.
As for the remainder of the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule? It will most likely consist of some combination of these teams: the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and the three aforementioned teams. Five games are broadcasted on Christmas Day, so the NBA will have to sift through things to determine which lineup of games will stir up the most amount intrigue amongst fans and casual viewers.
