Merry Christmas Lakers style
Listen to this articlePhoto above: The Chicago Bulls vs the L.A. Lakers in Staples Center, on February 9, 2014. (YouTube)
(Claudia Gestro)
Every year the NBA has a second kick off to the season on Christmas Day when they have several games that get nationally televised. The season started at the end of October, but the baseball post-season was ending and we were in the middle of football season, so for some sports fans basketball takes a back seat.
But on Christmas Day we are treated to coast-to-coast NBA basketball. Most of the best teams get selected to play this day and basketball fans wait for that family gathering around the couch eating, opening presents and watching the biggest show of the NBA. The smell of that apple pie, turkey — and dropping the hot chocolate after watching that big dunk of your favorite player — basketball fans love their game on Christmas the way football fans love their game on Thanksgiving.
This year we get to see the Washington Wizards against the New York Knicks, in New York, the Oklahoma City Thunder in San Antonio against the Spurs; the Cleveland Caveliers travel to Miami where LeBron James gets to face his former team, the Heat, the Golden State Warriors will meet the L.A. Clippers here in Staples Center and the L.A. Lakers will travel to Chicago to face the Bulls.
The Lakers have been playing on Christmas Day for a long time and in most years they’ve been one of the dominant teams. But they have struggled the past few years, with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash being injured and coaches coming and going. Now Kobe is back and healthy and new head coach, Byron Scott, seems to be getting the Lakers back on track. They are very close to getting that chemistry that they need to be a complete team.
at the Lakers practice facility.
(Claudia Gestro)
Are they capable of beating a 19-9 Bulls team on the road? They did beat the Atlanta Hawks (21-7), Houston Rockets (20-7) and the San Antonio Spurs (18-11) on the road.
Their road record has improved a lot in the past couple of weeks and on Tuesday at Staples Center the Lakers took care of the Golden State Warriors, 115-105, without Kobe playing, who was sitting out the game to rest.
So it is very possible the Lakers can beat the Bulls in Chicago. You can bet Kobe Bryant will be playing in this game. Along with Carlos Boozer, Jordan Hill, Jeremy Lin and the rest of the team.
Merry Christmas, have a great holiday and enjoy some basketball.
Claudia is of Peruvian and Italian descent, having been born in a small town, in the North of Peru, South America. She was raised by her grandmother from an early age, living in poverty until Claudia’s mother brought her to America. She landed in Miami, FL and started her new life, playing high school basketball and eventually becoming a United States citizen. Claudia completed her education at Florida International University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and became a model to supplement her income. Since graduating from FIU Claudia has worked with many of the Spanish Language broadcasting companies, including Telemundo, Univision and most recently Spanish Language channels on SiriusXM satellite radio and PasTV Deportes in Venezuela.She encourages you to follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Her content appears here under a shared content agreement with her Spanish television clients.