The Knicks and Lakers almost always find their way onto the slate, which makes sense given the size of the New York and Los Angeles media markets. The teams coming off runs to the NBA Finals typically get a Christmas invite, so hello, Boston and Dallas. The rest is a mix of stars, ratings potential, storylines and, hopefully, good teams.

The NBA’s annual holiday showcase features five games, and four of them are tantalizing matchups filled with intrigue. The other might as well be a lump of coal. NEW YORK — The NFL’s encroachment upon the NBA’s traditional Christmas Day showcase ...