NBA Christmas Day preview and picks: Clippers vs. Lakers & 4 more

Thanksgiving belongs to the NFL. New Year's is synonymous with college football. But Christmas Day? That's all about the NBA. The Association has been serving up marquee matchups on December 25 since 1947, when the New York Knickerbockers flattened the Providence Steamrollers before a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden.

This year's scintillating schedule features a pair of potential Eastern Conference Finals previews as well as the eagerly anticipated Battle of L.A. Join us as we preview the action.

Boston Celtics (-3) vs. Toronto Raptors, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN)

The Celtics will get a break on Christmas Day when they face the injury-ravaged Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto will be playing without MVP candidate Pascal Siakam, three-time All-Star Marc Gasol and explosive shooting guard Norman Powell. For those of you keeping track at home, that's 46.1 combined points that will be missing from the Raptors' lineup. Toronto was able to overcome their absence in an epic victory over Dallas on Sunday, but Boston is a far healthier - and in many ways more formidable - foe.

NBA free pick: Celtics -3

Milwaukee Bucks (-3) vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Milwaukee's 18-game win streak came to an end against Dallas on December 16, but that's beginning to look more like an aberration than a reason for concern. The Bucks have since rattled off convincing wins against the Lakers, Knicks and Pacers, winning each contest by an average of 18.7 points. Just how good is Coach Bud's team? Milwaukee is the only squad in the NBA that ranks in the top five in offensive rating, defensive rating, points per game and plus/minus. The Bucks will be tested by the Sixers, but they will prevail.

NBA free pick: Bucks -3

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors, 5:00 p.m. (ABC)

This game probably seemed like a good idea to NBA schedule makers back in October, but that was before an injury to Steph Curry effectively derailed Golden State's season. Without their two-time MVP, the Warriors are off to their worst start in two decades, while the Rockets are chugging along at 21-9 and find themselves tied for third place in the tightly-packed West. The marriage between James Harden and Russell Westbrook has been far from perfect, but Houston is too talented and too explosive to fall to the hapless Warriors. Expect a high-scoring affair and an easy, breezy win for the Rockets.

NBA free pick: Rockets

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets (-9.5), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

This is about as close to a David vs. Goliath matchup as you'll find on the NBA's Christmas Day schedule. In one corner, you have the cellar-dwelling Pelicans, who recently lost 13 straight and are playing without first overall draft pick Zion Williamson. In the other corner you have the Nuggets, who have moved into the mix for the top seed in the West and are coming off a decisive 24-point victory over the Lakers. Unlike the Biblical story, Goliath will be the last one standing when this skirmish comes to an end.

NBA free pick: Nuggets -9.5

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (-2), 8:00 p.m. (ABC)

The Clippers are catching the Lakers at an excellent time. Over the past week, Frank Vogel's squad posted the league's worst defensive rebounding percentage and second worst defensive rating. L.A.'s inability to get stops was especially apparent against the Nuggets on Sunday night as Denver scored 62 points in the paint and raced out to a 22-9 advantage in fast break points. That simply won't be good enough against a Clippers team that ranks fifth in points per game and plays at one of the fastest paces in the league.