Being scheduled to play on Christmas Day in the Association in front of a national audience of basketball fans is seen by many as a distinct honor. So for his part, first-year Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse says he's "a little" disappointed his squad, boasting a league-best 25-10 record, will once again be left out in the cold when Tuesday's slate tips off.
"I think it's a marquee day to play and I think our team would like to play and I think our fans would definitely like to see us play," Nurse said after his team's 126-101 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
The Raptors have consistently ranked among the top teams in the Eastern Conference in recent years, but the NBA hasn't bestowed a Christmas Day game on Canada's lone franchise since 2001.
In fact, that game - a 102-94 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden - was the Raptors' only appearance on Christmas Day in their 24-season franchise history. Even the New Orleans Pelicans, whose records only date back to their relocation from Charlotte in 2002, have played twice on Dec. 25.
On the bright side, the Raptors have still received a brighter Christmas Day spotlight than their expansion mates, the Memphis Grizzlies. The former Vancouver-based team has never played on Christmas Day.
