#2 – Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics

The two teams most people believe will be at the top of the Eastern Conference will face off on Christmas Day. There’s no shortage of young stars in this game, as Philadelphia boasts reigning Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Boston brings Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier to the table as well. If their playoff series in 2018 was any indication, expect there to be no love lost in this game. The 5-game series between Philadelphia and Boston was a chippy and tense one, and the games were closer than the early ending to the series would indicate.

These two teams, barring injury or unforeseen player movement, will be neck and neck at the top of the East for several years to come. This game could be one of the first times we see them play each other on Christmas Day. The Celtics dominated the Sixers last season, beating them seven out of the nine times they played them, including in the second round of the playoffs. The Sixers will undoubtedly be looking to extract some revenge against their new rivals.

After losing Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward at different points last season, the Celtics will likely finally be at full strength by the time this game comes on the schedule. It will be one of the first times we see the “real” Celtics in a big game, and it’s sure to be interesting, one way or another.

Next Up: Game 1