The Raptors won't be getting a Christmas Day game and fans are puzzled by the NBA's decision

For the 17th straight year the Raptors won't be playing on Christmas Day. Toronto management/ownership pushed hard, I’m told. The NBA has its reasons, all of them business-related, but that doesn’t mean it sits well with Canada’s team, or its fans.

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) August 8, 2018

 

NBA on Christmas Day should be 🔥 (First reported by @nytimes, confirmed by ESPN.) Note: Lakers-Warriors will also air on ABC.

A post shared by SportsCenter (@sportscenter) on Aug 7, 2018 at 9:11pm PDT

It’s stupid. The NBA would benefit big time as Toronto is already a top 5 market not even mentioning a Spurs vs Raps game. Everyone would want to see DeRozan’s return. Not even mentioning that we have Rockets vs Okc which was a matchup last Christmas.

— Joe Paes (@Josephpaes69) August 8, 2018

The NBA is not making a good case with regards to marketing the game globally if it is still very much American centric...

— Spatially Focus 🗺 (@MapAnalyst) August 8, 2018

The NBA doesn't do smart things that make sense. They are dummies. I've solved the problem.

— Moon Son (@MoonSon43844584) August 8, 2018

PLEASE LORD LET ME GET A RAPTORS-SPURS GAME IN SAN ANTONIO ON CHRISTMAS DAY https://t.co/WhfTTT9nR1

— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) August 7, 2018

Let’s never have the Raptors on Christmas Day conversation again. If it didn’t happen this year with Kawhi/Demar trade, it’s never going to. Message sent. https://t.co/alsZlTKEOU

— Nabil Karim (@NabilKarimTSN) August 8, 2018

No Raptors on Christmas this year... pic.twitter.com/UPYVbvQGrB

— /r/NBA (@NBA_Reddit) August 8, 2018

How did the NBA miss the perfect opportunity for Spurs Raptors Christmas day but still found space for the Knicks

— Dom2K (@Dom_2k) August 8, 2018

If Raptors don’t get a Christmas game even with Kawhi then yeah Toronto fans have every right to be as frustrating as they’d like

— nitz (@nitzbluv) August 8, 2018

Raptors: "we got Kawhi now! He's a Finals MVP! we won 59 games last year! we demand a Christmas game"

Silver: pic.twitter.com/QdfeTenXRr

— William Lou (@william_lou) August 8, 2018

They have the Blazers and Jazz on Christmas Day but not the Raptors or Spurs? pic.twitter.com/YuUYOWkL4m

— Jimmy Dean (@Jimmy22Norwood) August 8, 2018

what NBA Christmas SHOULD have looked like

Lakers/Celtics
Rockets/Warriors
Sixers/OKC
Raptors/ Spurs
Pelicans/Wolves or Bucks

— 🏀N-jay 🇨🇦 (@_Njay3) August 8, 2018

I’m not angry w/ the NBA for omitting the Raptors from their Christmas slate (again), but I need to understand the reasoning.

Toronto’s been a consensus top 6 NBA team for 3+ yrs now. They have their superstar, a crazy talented roster, rabid fanbase, beautiful city.

What is it? https://t.co/GxGgtYZbyL

— Sahal Abdi (@sAbdi28) August 8, 2018

If there was ever a year that I thought the #Raptors would have a Christmas Day Game, it was this year. The fact that the @NBA couldn't see the gold SA/Tor could generate is fundamentally asinine
Face it guys, it's never going to happen. Unfortunately ratings are king#WeTheNorth

— South of the 6ix (@SouthOfThe6ix) August 8, 2018

No Raptors Christmas Day game... so that excuse still won't work with your family.

— Raptors HQ (@RaptorsHQ) August 8, 2018

The Bucks really got a Christmas game over us, smh.

— Raptors Nation (@RaptorsNationTO) August 8, 2018

Fam the Jazz got a Christmas game.
The Knicks got a christmas game.

One small market but winner. Other a loser but big market.

The Raptors... well there's really only one reason left.

— asad (@Swarlayzers) August 8, 2018

the NBA should break character and have a Raptors-Spurs tilt in San Antonio on Christmas Eve.

— Dan Favale (@danfavale) August 8, 2018

If there was ever a year the Raptors should play on Christmas ... sheesh.

— Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) August 8, 2018