The NBA on Christmas Day is a welcome holiday tradition.
It's the perfect excuse to avoid talking to your family. No Uncle Frank, I don't want to hear about the new fertilizer you're going to use on your lawn next spring when LeBron James is about to drop 35.
The league pairs superstar matchups with potential playoff previews on the day specifically reserved for the sport. When Adidas was the league sponsor, the marketing team whipped up a spot that advertised the special edition Christmas Day uniforms.
In 2013, we had several Mozarts conducting to the tune of Carol of the Bells.
NBA's Jingle Hoops Commercial
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The composers were NBA stars Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Steve Nash.
Durant tunes the instruments to the right key, and the Jingle Bells orchestra begins.
Each player's 3-pointer strikes a different note. The timing is impeccable.
At the end, none other than LeBron James swoops in to catch an alley-oop dunk from Nash — an emphatic finish to the symphony.
The Christmas Day games that year were the Chicago Bulls against the Brooklyn Nets; the Oklahoma City Thunder against the New York Knicks; the Miami Heat against the Los Angeles Lakers; the Houston Rockets against the San Antonio Spurs; and the Los Angeles Clippers against the Golden State Warriors. The games were televised on ABC and ESPN.
We can't forget about the sleeved-jerseys. I remember first seeing this style when Louisville wore them in the 2013 NCAA Tournament and I still can't figure out why it was a thing. As a professional jersey designer, I can assure you it wasn't good for anyone involved — too tight and constricting. The Nike jerseys these days are much cleaner.
That being said, I do like the color schemes.
Each player in this commercial has an MVP award. Durant won it the year of this spot and Steph Curry was on the brink of exploding. Between the six, the group combines for 51 (!) All-Star appearances and 11 MVPs.
In 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak pushing back the start of the season to December 22, Christmas games will come early in the season.
The holiday matchups include the New Orleans Pelicans against the Miami Heat; the Golden State Warriors against the Milwaukee Bucks; the Brooklyn Nets against the Boston Celtics; the Dallas Mavericks against the Los Angeles Lakers; and the LA Clippers against the Denver Nuggets.
Durant and new Nets head coach Steve Nash will be making music together on the same team this go around.
Play Last Christmas or get off the stage!
