The NBA has not played any game on Christmas Eve since the 1960s and has only ever scheduled two matches on the holiday. Maybe a couple of marque games would have performed solidly with a TV audience. But for players and staff of both teams and arenas, a well-earned day off does not hurt anyone either.

There have been negative vibes around the NBA all season long, which is weird when you consider that the league just cashed in on a huge rights deal with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon that will see the association collect $76 billion over 11 years beginning next season.