Yesterday it was Phil Jackson sounding like the Grinch to basketball fans, wondering why teams have to play on Christmas day. Particularly his teams.
But as we always suspected, there is more than one Grinch — one man with a heart two sizes too small could not do it all alone. LeBron James and Doc Rivers both had questions about Christmas Day games as well.
James and his Heat are in Los Angeles for a green Christmas and a game against the Laker, but he told the Associated Press he’d rather be home in South Beach.
“If you ask any player in the league, we’d rather be home with our families,” James said. “I think the people that even set the games up would rather be home with their family during this day. It’s not just a regular holiday. It’s definitely one of those days that you wish you could wake up in the morning with the kids and open up presents.”
Doc Rivers told WEEI that the NBA is saturating Christmas and making it too commercialized or something.
“I wish they would reduce the games on Christmas,” Rivers said Tuesday. “I thought it was more special when it was two games. Now they it’s up five games. I think that’s too many.”
One dissenting voice came from Dwyane Wade, quoted in TrueHoop.
“We’re blessed to be working on Christmas. But you make time, either the night before, or the day after. I’ll be able to get a little Christmas time with my family. They’ll adjust to my schedule. We’ll be fine. To be in Los Angeles for Christmas ... it’s not the worst thing. And I’ll see my family in Miami when I get back home.”
