Getty Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving
Following a busy and interesting Christmas of NBA games, Wednesday delivered a 10-game slate as an encore presentation. After a busy night, the league will offer up a smaller slate on Thursday with just five games, but there are a few that jump out as strong matchups. Even beyond that, the storylines on Thursday, December 27, may wind up taking center stage.
We’re going to take a look at the NBA on TNT schedule, which features two games with 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. EST tip times. Beyond that, we’ll also break down some of the best games of the night, including the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers on the road against an on-the-rise Sacramento Kings group.
Let’s kick things off by first checking out the nationally televised schedule for Thursday, which starts with the Boston Celtics on the road against the Houston Rockets.
NBA on TNT National TV Schedule for Thursday, December 27
| Matchup | Time |
| Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets | 8:00 p.m. EST |
| Philadelphia 76ers at Utah Jazz | 10:30 p.m. EST |
The two national games on this day pit talented teams from each conference against each other, and it begins with the Boston Celtics traveling to take on the Houston Rockets. Both teams have been tough to figure this year, with the Celtics winning eight-straight games, but then dropping three in a row to follow. They’ve bounced back nicely with back-to-back wins, including a Christmas victory over the Sixers.
Kyrie Irving was a big part of the team’s hot stretch from earlier this month/late November. Going back to the middle of last month, Irving has led the team in scoring in 13 of the past 19 games. During that stretch, the Celtics won 12 games and currently sit at 20-13 on the year.
The Rockets had a slow start to the year as well and are still battling depth issues. As of late, they’ve won seven of eight games with James Harden leading the charge. The NBA’s MVP has led the team in scoring in each of the 12 games played his month while topping 32 points in the past seven.
Houston will be without Chris Paul on Thursday, as he’s dealing with a strained hamstring. The team did sign Austin Rivers prior to last game, so he should see extended run with Paul sidelined.
The Philadelphia 76ers matchup with the Utah Jazz will provide some intrigue as well with two talented big men in Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert squaring off. The always-fun rivalry between Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell will be on full display as well for this one. And just in case those storylines aren’t quite enough, the Sixers’ addition of Jimmy Butler has only added to the excitement surrounding the Sixers.
It’s gone somewhat under the radar, but Embiid has put together an MVP-caliber season to this point. Over 34 games this season, he’s averaging 26.6 points and 13.2 rebounds while shooting 48.3 percent from the field.
Other Top NBA Games Thursday
There are a few other interesting games worth mentioning, but we’ll highlight a few of the best ahead of Thursday’s action.
| Matchup | Time |
| New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks | 8:00 p.m. EST |
| Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings | 10:00 p.m. EST |
| Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors | 10:30 p.m. EST |
I actually think each of the other three games on the slate are pretty appealing. Although the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks may not be the most entertaining game, I’m interested to see how the Christmas rematch plays out. Obviously, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a storyline in himself, so watching him in this game should be enjoyable, but it’s far less enticing as the other two.
The Lakers against the Sacramento Kings features plenty of storylines. With James and Rajon Rondo both out for the game, the young core of the Lakers will be running the show. Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma are focal points while Josh Hart and Ivica Zubac should also see big minutes as well. On the opposite side, the Kings and their young group of De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, and quite a few others have made headlines this season.
It’s hard not to like the idea of Damian Lillard and Steph Curry squaring off. The Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors will always make for an entertaining matchup. Interestingly, the two teams are close in the standings too, with the Blazers (19-15) just 3.5 games back of the Warriors, who currently sit in first place.
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