Pacers Should Have Opportunities on Offense Facing Banged-Up Knicks

In today’s newsletter…

- Leading Off: NFL on Netflix
- NBA: Better defense in Minnesota
- MLB: Dodgers’ hot streak
- News: Rangers 7-0 in NHL Playoffs

Netflix is the frontrunner to land the NFL’s two Christmas Day games this year, according to Puck News. The NFL has played games on Christmas four years in a row, but that’s because Christmas has landed between Friday and Monday. The NBA probably thought it would catch a break this year because the holiday falls on a Wednesday, but in March the NFL ruined that dream by announcing it would hold two games. The league gave no hints then that it would sell the games to a streaming service rather than one of its current partners.

It’s a fight for viewers that the NBA can’t win: Last year, the NBA’s five matchups combined for 14.1 million viewers, while the worst performing of three NFL games had an audience of 27.2 million on its own. Going forward, the NBA will either have to take its losses, schedule around the NFL on Christmas, or turn Christmas Eve into its big day.

In today’s newsletter, Chris is tracking the Pacers’ offense to shine whether or not they can beat the Knicks, and for Nikola Jokic to have a big night in Minnesota. In MLB, Jack sees no reason to stop riding the Phillies’ success, and is covering a good matchup for the Diamondbacks against the Orioles.

And don’t forget that we’ll post our soccer coverage tomorrow and Sunday at 8am on sportmoney.com so you can read it in time for early European matches.