2012 NBA Christmas Day Preview

James Harden singing Jingle Bells is just one of the joys of five NBA games on Christmas Day. (TotalProSports.com)

Christmas Day has almost arrived, which means a great day of NBA matchups will be on ABC and ESPN. I will preview what to watch for in each game. Merry Christmas to all!

Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets  - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN
The Celtics will travel to Brooklyn to take on the Nets in a budding Atlantic Division rivalry. The premier matchup of this game will be the point guards, Rajon Rondo of the Celtics and Deron Williams of the Nets. Rondo is averaging 14.3 points and 11.1 assists in December while shooting 52 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Williams is having a down year as he tries to find his role with his newly formed team. He is shooting just 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the arc. Williams is still averaging 16.8 points and 8.1 assists a game. There's also a player on each team who is capable of taking the game over. The Celtics' Paul Pierce has been superb lately and is averaging 23.8 points per game in December. Joe Johnson has emerged as the go to guy for the Nets. He scored 22 points in their win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers - 3:00 PM EST, ABC
Both teams have been two of the NBA's biggest surprises. The Knicks have emerged as of the league's top teams behind great three-point shooting. The Lakers have struggled to come together as a team, but they will benefit from Steve Nash's return from injury. This game features some great matchups. The Knicks' Carmelo Anthony and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant are two of the league's top scorers. Anthony is scoring 33.7 points and shooting 50 percent from the field in his last 10 games. Meanwhile, Bryant is averaging 33.8 points per game since the start of December. Another intriguing matchup will be two of the league's top centers. Dwight Howard is in his first season with the Lakers, while Tyson Chandler anchors the Knicks' defense. Howard has struggled a bit recently, averaging just 15.1 points per game in his past five games. As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Chandler will look to shut him down.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat - 5:30 PM EST, ABC
This is probably the most anticipated matchup of any of the Christmas Day games, featuring a rematch of last season's NBA Finals. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season, and the Thunder will be looking for revenge. As if you couldn't figure it on your own, the premier matchup in this game is obviously the NBA's top two players Kevin Durant of the Thunder and LeBron James of the Heat. Durant is averaging 27.9 points and 8.4 rebounds this season, while James is putting up 25.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists a game. The defensive matchup between the two will be intriguing as well. They will most likely be guarding one another for the majority of the game. The Heat will have the home crowd at their back, but the Thunder experienced what that was like last summer.

Houston Rockets at Chicago Bulls - 8:00 PM EST, ESPN
These two teams may not appear to be two of the NBA's top teams, but both have played surprisingly well given their circumstances. The Rockets weren't expected to compete for a spot in the playoffs at all. However, a preseason trade has changed everything. James Harden, the centerpiece of the trade with the Thunder, has averaged 25.6 points and 5.6 assists a game as a starter in Houston. He has emerged as one of the league's top shooting guards right now. Meanwhile, the Bulls have kept winning, even without one of the NBA's top players. A number of players have stepped up in Derrick Rose's absence. Joakim Noah is averaging 13.5 points and 10.6 seen rebounds while Luol Deng leads the team in scoring with 17.8 points per game. They have helped the Bulls remain competitive while they wait for their superstar to return.

Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers - 10:30 PM EST, ESPN
The Clippers are one of the NBA's hottest teams right now. The Clippers' offense is led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Paul runs the show with 16.1 points and 9.6 assists per game. In the post, Griffin is averaging 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. The Clippers also have an elite defense that allows opponents to score just 91.6 points per game, which is fourth best in the NBA. The Nuggets are one of the most balanced teams in the league. Ty Lawson is one of the fastest players in the NBA and pushes the tempo of the offense. He loves to facilitate the ball to his teammates, such as Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer. Lawson did strain his left Achilles in Sunday's game and is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game. If he is indeed out or not 100 percent, it would be a huge blow to the Nuggets' chances.

12 Best Athletes to Ever Wear No. 12

Quarterback Terry Bradshaw was a four-time Super Bowl champion wearing No. 12 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Fox Sports)

In honor of the date being 12/12/12, I thought it would be fitting to give tribute to the 12 best athletes to ever wear No. 12.

12. Bob Griese: Griese was a two-time All-American quarterback and kicker at Purdue. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Griese is famous for quarterbacking the Dolphins to their perfect 1972 season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

11. Jarome Inginla: Iginla has spent the entirety of his 15-year career as a member of the Calgary Flames. Despite never bringing home the Stanley Cup, he has made himself a local legend. Inginla has scored 516 goals in his career, including 81 game-winning goals. He will be a lock for the Hall of Fame when ever he does decide to retire.

10. Dickie Moore: Moore was among the NHL's best shooters and puckhandlers of his time. As a member of the Montreal Canadiens, he led the NHL in goals and assists once time each. Moore played an important role on six championship teams, including five consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956-60. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974.

9. Yvan Cournoyer: Cournoyer donned No. 12 for the Canadiens throughout his 17-year career after getting it from Moore. He finished his career with 428 goals and 435 assists. Cournoyer won the Stanley Cups 10 times, which is the second most in NHL history. He was a Hall of Fame inductee in 1982.

8. Thierry Henry: Henry is one of the best footballers of this generation. He was a member of the French national team that won the World Cup in 1998. Henry became an international star in the English Premier League as a top striker for Arsenal. During his career with The Gunners, he earned nearly every award the sport has to offer.

7. John Stockton: At point guard, Stockton led the Utah Jazz to 19 consecutive playoff appearances, but was never able to bring a NBA championship home. He led the league in assists for nine consecutive seasons. Stockton finished with a NBA record 15,806 assists, which is 3,800 more than the next closest player.  He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

6. Jim Kelly: Kelly is the only player in Buffalo Bills history to have his number retired. This honor is likely the result of leading the Bills to four consecutive losses in the Super Bowl. During his 11-year career, Kelly made 160 starts and threw 237 career touchdown passes. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

5. Roger Staubach: As a quarterback for Navy, Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963. He then served his tour of duty in Vietnam. Staubach returned home to lead the Dallas Cowboys to their first two Super Bowl championships. He became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

4. Joe Namath: Namath is more of a legend because of his swagger, rather than his actual statistics. He guaranteed a win in Super Bowl III and delivered on his promise.  When Namath wasn't acting in movies and television commercials, he threw for 27,663 passing yards in his football career. Just like Staubach, he was a part of the 1985 class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3. Tom Brady: Brady was a sixth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 2000. He took over the starting job after Drew Bledsoe was injured in Week 2 of the 2001 season and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title. Brady has thrown for 43,812 yards (nearly 25 miles) and 329 touchdowns. He is a two-time MVP and has won three Super Bowls.

2. Roberto Alomar: Regarded by many as the greatest second baseman of all time, Alomar was a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and led the Toronto Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.  Alomar wore No. 12 for each of the eight teams he played for during his career. His 2,724 career hits and 1,1,34 RBIs led to his Hall of Fame induction in 2011.

1. Terry Bradshaw: Bradshaw didn't put up huge statistical numbers, but he knew how to lead his football team to victories. He finished his career with a 107-51 record and four Super Bowl rings. Bradshaw was named MVP of the NFL in 1978 and was also the Super Bowl MVP twice. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

Honorable Mention: Michael Jordan
Jordan made the No. 23 famous, but was forced to wear No. 12 for one game in 1990. On Valentine’s Day in Orlando, he had his jersey stolen from the locker room prior to the game. Jordan scored 49 points in 47 minutes, but the Bulls lost in overtime 135-129.

"That has never happened to me before,'' Jordan told the Orlando Sentinel at the time. ''It's pretty irritating because you're accustomed to certain things and you don't like to have things misplaced.''

Jordan may have been frustrated, but my guess is that the fans in Orlando were more than happy. They got to witness history in the making, Jordan have another outstanding game and their team pull off a surprising victory.

Rondo and Thunder Duo Own Today

Everyone was excited for ABC's two big NBA matchups today. What no one expected is that they would both be blowouts, but they certainly were. I will take a look at what happened in both games.

Boston Celtics 91 Miami Heat 72

The Miami Heat were never really in the game as the Boston Celtics used big first and third quarters to take control of the game. The Celtics led by at least 19 most of the second half. Rajon Rondo played a nearly flawless, balanced game. He finished with 16 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds. The triple-double was Rondo's fifth of the season and was another outstanding performance in a marquee game on national television. The Celtics' stifling defense frustrated the Heat, who shot only 34.8% from the field. LeBron James finished with no assists for only the second time in his career. The game was another alarming loss for the Heat. They have now lost 7 of their last 10 road games. The loss was their third consecutive with a margin of defeat of at least 15. The Heat are 21-2 at home, but only 16-12 on the road. This team does not appear nearly as complete as was once thought.

Oklahoma City Thunder 92 Chicago Bulls 78

In one week, the Oklahoma City Thunder have destroyed the other two teams competing for the best record in the NBA. Last Sunday, they beat the Miami Heat 103-87. Today's win over the Chicago Bulls wasn't even as close as the score indicates. Russell Westbrook led the scoring for the Thunder with 27 points and Kevin Durant added 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder's shutdown defense took care of the rest. The OKC lead grew to as much as 30 points in the 4th quarter before the starters went out. The Bulls obviously missed having Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton, but this result was much worse than just missing him. The team looked flat in every aspect of the game and were outhustled completely. The question becomes how good are the Bulls really. Rose must get healthy for them to be truly competitive. But if Rose does have a bad game, will they be able to recover? This game certainly should be a wakeup call for the Bulls to say the least.

Kobe, Rondo, Rose, & D-Will Shine in Sunday Wins

Kobe Bryant - 33 points, 1 assist, and 3 rebounds

This was a statement game for Kobe Bryant. All the Hollywood Hoopla will turn this into revenge against Dwayne Wade for breaking his nose. But Kobe was far more concerned with getting the win. All Kobe has done since the injury is lead his team to victory. In three games, Kobe has scored 30+ points, and the Lakers have won all three games. A broken nose won't stop Kobe from putting on a show and helping lead his team to victories.

Rajon Rondo - 18 points, 20 assists, and 17 rebounds

The game was aired on national television. Everyone was talking about Jeremy Lin's return to Boston. But it was the Boston Celtics who showed up in a big way. Paul Pierce had a game-tying three to send the game to overtime. Pierce had 34 in the game. However, the star of the game was Rondo. He did everything on the court, earning his second triple-double in three games. The 17 rebounds were a career-high.

Derrick Rose - 35 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds

When the game was on the line at the end, both the Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls turned to their stars. Andre Iguodala air balled a shot and bricked one off the backboard. Meanwhile, Derrick Rose sealed up the Bulls win with his impressive performance. Rose tied a season-high with 35 points, including 20 in the second half and a pair of quarter-ending buzzer-beaters. The win gave the Bulls their sixth straight win and league-best 31st overall.

Deron Williams - 57 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds

Deron Williams loves to come off pick-and-rolls, but everyone knows that, so they always double team him. But tonight, D-Will noticed that the Charlotte Bobcats weren't doing that. Williams took full advantage as he scored a franchise-record 57 points in the Nets' win. D-Will outscored the rest of the Nets combined by ten points. He was a perfect 21 for 21 from the charity stripe. Williams all-around effort was impressive to say the least.

Rose Blooms in Return

The Chicago Bulls are a deep team, but it was evident they needed star Derrick Rose when they lost to the lowly Nets two days ago. Rose had missed five straight games with a nagging back injury. This afternoon he returned the court against the Atlanta Hawks. Rose scored 23 points and dished out six assists. He refrained from caution and could be seen pulling his usual showstopping crossovers and fearless drives to the hoop. Rose stated that "Today was just trying to play the way I normally play. Play aggressive." Play aggressive is what he did. Rose showed no signs of holding back.

While other Bulls players, such as Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, are certainly capable of stepping up to help fill the void when Rose doesn't play, they are the first to tell you they absolutely need him to compete against the best. Noah, who had 16 rebounds in the win over the Hawks, told reporters, "We're not going anywhere without Derrick's play. It was good to have him out there. He looked pretty healthy out there. I'm sure he's sore. Taking two weeks off and coming back to play an NBA game is not something that is easy." Rose did struggle when it came to finishing and shooting, even simply free throws. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau agreed stating, "His explosion was there, his drives were there, but conditioning-wise, he was not where he normally is, but that's to be expected."

Rose returned and played fairly well, but the question becomes whether or not is he fully healthy. Should a player return before they are? In a shortened NBA season, is it wise to rest stars, like Rose, with nagging injuries, in order to get them healthy for the playoffs? The NBA is full of debate over questions such as these. I don't think you can give a definite answer to this, but I like what Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers had to say when asked about it. He shared, "An NBA player for the most part, the competitive ones, they don't want to sit. And it really upsets their rhythm. So you've got to be careful how you do it ... I think it's up to each individual player and each individual coach. Derrick Rose is a competitor. He wants to play as much as anybody. But is his health more important? We will have to wait and see. In the meanwhile, we should just enjoy watching Rose because he is something special.

If you haven't watched this Rose highlight video, you should check it out. Trust me it is worth your while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOtxJrzp6ls.