The Golden State Warriors know what comes with the territory when you are one of the marquee teams in the league. When they want to showcase you, you play during prime spots. Arguably the biggest draw in the NBA regular season is Christmas Day.
Like the NFL playing on Thanksgiving, the NBA is becoming synonymous with Christmas Day. The league loads up the day with some of their best players and teams facing off against each other with games lined up all day.
The Warriors are once again taking part, for the ninth straight season. They will be traveling to take on the Phoenix Suns, a matchup between teams with the two best records in the NBA. It will be the third time that they face off this season, but Golden State has one gripe; they will be on the road, again.
The Golden State Warriors played on the road last season, visiting the Milwaukee Bucks. Golden State head coach Steve Kerr believes the NBA should implement some rules when it comes to creating the Christmas Day schedule and that no team should be on the road for consecutive years.
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“Generally I like playing on Christmas,” Kerr said. “It’s exciting. I love playing at home on Christmas. That way you can still have a good family day Christmas morning with the kids and then go to the arena later. It’s tough being on the road for Christmas, but it’s part of being in the NBA.
“It is an honor to play on Christmas — it’s a showcase and everybody’s watching — but I do think there should be a rule in the NBA that you can’t be on the road two years in a row. Just making that clear. Because last year we were in Milwaukee and this year we’ll be in Phoenix, and that doesn’t seem right.”
Draymond Green agreed with Kerr’s plan. While it is an honor to play on Christmas Day, it might be the only time that players and coaches wished they played for a smaller market or losing team.
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Being away from families, especially multiple years in a row during these trying times is difficult. Green, for example, is going to miss his daughter’s first two Christmases.
“I think that’s legit,” Green said after the game. “I have a 7-year-old, a 5-year-old, and a 1-year-old. I want to spend some time at home with my kids, too. We’re not playing against a defending champion. If we’re playing against a defending champion, you understand, but we’re not. And it’s a bit frustrating to have to go on the road a second year in a row. So now I miss my daughter’s first Christmas, and I’ll miss her second one. It’s kind of f—ed up. But it’s the reality. That’s what we’re faced with.
“You have to go do your job, but we’re human beings, too. So like I said, I missed her first one and I’ll miss her second one. I can’t explain that to her. So it sucks. We’re not robots, we’re not machines. We’re actual human beings with actual feelings, with actual families.”
Star point guard Stephen Curry is in a similar boat to Green. He has children at home that he would love to spend time with, but at the same time, realizes his Golden State Warriors are one of the teams the NBA wants to showcase.
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So, implementing a rule that states teams won’t be on the road consecutive years is something he would also be in favor of.
“I like it because it means you’re one of the marquee teams,” Curry said of playing on Christmas. “There’s 10 teams playing, so you know [the NBA] is very selective about who they put in those slots. … But it is weird — especially on the road, I got three kids and how special a day and weekend it is, so you’re trying to balance being present with them and doing a job and playing a game and staying focused on that.
“I think we’ve played nine straight years on Christmas. That means you’re doing something good, so kind of got to take the good with the bad with it.”
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The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are scheduled to play at 5:00 p.m. ET at Footprint Center. The New York Knicks are hosting the Atlanta Hawks at noon ET, followed by the Boston Celtics traveling to face the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rounding out the slate of games is the Brooklyn Nets traveling to face the Los Angeles Lakers with the nightcap being the Dallas Mavericks facing off with the Utah Jazz.
