5 Storylines to Watch for with NBA's Christmas Day Games

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the halls are decked, the bells have been jingled, and Santa has come to town, and now, all that's left to happen is for us to digest some basketball for the first time since June.

We had to struggle through an agonizingly slowly developing lockout and David Stern becoming the most important owner in the NBA offseason, but that's all behind us now.

It's time for some basketball at last.

Things look much different than the start of last season, that's for sure, as the Clippers are the team everybody is talking about in Los Angeles, and the Minnesota Timberwolves don't look all that terrible.

How's that for an upside-down basketball universe?

So before we dig into all the games we have in front of us, I want to take a quick look at the games that are happening and the implications they'll have for the rest of the season.

How Important Is Depth, or Lack Thereof?

If I were a fan of one of two very good teams right now, I would be very nervous. I'm speaking, of course, about the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

Right now, the Lakers are five to six players deep with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Josh McRoberts, Metta World Peace and Steve Blake. Past that, they're a bunch of what ifs, unpredictable rookies, washed up guys and Troy Murphy.

As for the Celtics, they may be in even worse shape. They have a great front four with Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. However, their fifth-best guy is Brandon Bass, and beyond that, it's Marquis Daniels, Sasha Pavlovic and unpredictable rookies. Plus, there's no telling how Rondo is going to react to being shopped like crazy over the past few weeks.

Christmas Day is going to be the first glimpse we get into how these two teams will shape up and play a game.

The Newish Bulls Team

When you look at the Chicago Bulls, very little has changed since last year, except really, a whole hell of a lot has changed.

First of all, and probably most obvious, they've added Rip Hamilton, which gives them perhaps the fullest front five in all of basketball. If they end up having Rip Hamilton run the second unit, then they have a Sixth Man of the Year Award candidate. Right there, they're looking better than they were last year.

Then there's the undeniable thought that Carlos Boozer should have a bounce-back year. He's coming off a season where he was riddled with injuries and out of shape, and now that he's completely healed, you should see a much different player.

Then there's another year of experience under the belts of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, both of whom are still very young players. 

I wouldn't go as far as to say that they are the favorites to win the East, but if I were forced to pick a team, I really think this team can beat the Heat in a seven-game series.

How Is That Knicks' Frontcourt

By now, we all know how Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni (or should I say future former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni) feels about the frontcourt that has been plopped into his lap over the past 18 months.

First, Amar'e Stoudemire shows up in New York because LeBron doesn't, then they swap a bunch of pieces for Carmelo Anthony, and now, they act for the now and pick up Tyson Chandler instead of waiting around for Dwight Howard.

This frontcourt is definitely appealing, but it's hard to tell right now if Chandler is going to fit in as well as he did on Dallas, although it seems to be the case. 

In the end, however, it seems like one person is going to make or break this Knicks team, and that's Baron Davis.

If he thrives off the crowd like he's known to do, then this Knicks team could be better than anyone imagined. If not, they may not have nearly enough depth to compete this season. 

The Rematch

While it's nowhere near as big a game as the last time we saw these two teams play, I'm very interested in seeing the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat take the court yet again.

I can't wait to see the new-look Dallas Mavericks with Lamar Odom coming off the bench and adding an entirely new angle to their offense. I want to see Delonte West continue to be effective on teams with a shot at a title, and most of all, I want to see that flamingo jumper from Dirk.

As for Miami, I want to see if LeBron plays like the LeBron of old. I'm talking about the jubilant, LeBron prancing around the court that hasn't shown his face since the 2010 regular season.

I may not like the dude, but that LeBron plays some fun basketball. I also want to see what Shane Battier has to add to these Heat and what Norris Cole is going to bring to the party.

This is probably the game of the day just because of the many angles that it contains, although there's one team that I want to see over any other team.

The Showtime Blakers

Of course, the team I want to see over any other is the Los Angeles Clippers.

They start their season off rather easily with a game against the Golden State Warriors, but they could be a challenge if Mark Jackson has his way.

Already, we're seeing people calling for the Clippers to win the Western Conference, and I gotta say, that doesn't seem that far-fetched.

Chris Paul seems like a player that can come in right away and blend in well with any team. Add Chauncey Billups to the mix and Caron Butler for the icing on the cake, and this team is having an offseason to remember.

The Clippers, even after giving up one of the best young players in the game are better off with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan down low, Butler, Paul and Billups hoisting shots and even a sneaky good Mo Williams with no pressure coming off the bench.

Plus they'll still have Ryan Gomes, Eric Bledsoe and Randy Foye, all of whom are decent players.

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