Two of the biggest professional leagues have staked claims to two of the biggest holidays. The NFL, and football in general, has owned Thanksgiving. The NBA has owned Christmas day for 77 years.

The difference between the two leagues, though, is the NFL has two teams always playing on Christmas. The NBA, meanwhile, has different teams playing every year. But the league only schedules its most prestigious teams (including whatever team Lebron James is on) for Christmas day.

The San Antonio Spurs are definitely one the league’s most prestigious teams with a history that is only bested by the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls. Of those four teams plus the Spurs, all but one is playing on Christmas (hint: they’d be playing if Michael Jordan was on the team).

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So, even for those of us who grew up in Dallas, you have to admit the Spurs deserve to be amongst the league’s best franchises.

San Antonio isn’t a championship contender (yet) and won’t have its future hall of fame coach on the bench. But the Spurs are a team with great potential and a growing-into-a-superstar in Victor Wembanyama.

The Spurs will take on the New York Knicks at 11 a.m. Christmas Day on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+. But before the Spurs try to deliver a Christmas gift to its fans, they’ll have to take on the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

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