Miami Heat Ready for Christmas Showdown With Thunder

It's Christmas Day. Which means family, gifts, egg nog, and Miami Heat basketball. Lately the Heat have had to face off against the Lakers during the X-Mas Day Showdown. But this year, the NBA deemed it necessary to schedule a rematch of the NBA Finals (Remember that? When the Heat...

By Chris Joseph

December 25, 2012

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It's Christmas Day. Which means family, gifts, egg nog, and Miami Heat basketball.

Lately the Heat have had to face off against the Lakers during the X-Mas Day Showdown. But this year, the NBA deemed it necessary to schedule a rematch of the NBA Finals (Remember that? When the Heat dismantled the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games en route to their second ever world championship? That was awesome).

The NBA is milking the crap out of today with not only that marquee matchup, but also by unveiling new Christmas Day-themed uniforms (which is just bright colors) for the teams involved in today's games.

For the Heat, it's an all red-on-red ensemble with white trim numbers (see above).

As for the players themselves, they know that this game is not only a chance to showcase their awesomeness to an entire national audience, it's also a chance to go head-to-head against Kevin Durant, who is challenging LeBron James for this years' MVP race.

(It's also a meaningless game being that it's December, and all. But, hey, it's Christmas. So a win would be nice).

The players answered some questions after yesterday's practice.

[video via the Sun-Sentinel]

It's typical Heat talk (if you can make out what's being said between all that damn ball dribbling!). Much respect for their opponent. The "importance" of this game. And their mentality going in on a game where much of the nation will be tuning in just before digging into their Christmas turkey, ham and rum.

You can catch the game on your local ABC station. Tip-off is at 5:30.

Merry Christmas, Heat Nation!

(hat tip to @itsleooo for the LeBron Baby Jesus pic)

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