The NFL might be trying to dominate the holiday weekend, but the NBA takes center stage on Sunday with the annual Christmas quintuple-header. Five games on Sunda will be showcasing the best of the league, and some up-and-coming teams in the NBA. We all know that it all centers around the first matchup of the year between Golden State and Cleveland, but there are some interesting games on the schedule. It’s not the most loaded slate of games, but there are definitely some intriguing matchups to watch during the day. Today’s “Heat Check” is going to touch on all five games and give you something to watch in each game.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks (12:00 PM, ESPN)

This matchup of the second and third place teams in the Atlantic division kicks off the action on Christmas day. Both teams have been on a great run as of late which should elevate the play in this one. Isaiah Thomas is the focal point of Boston’s offense, and when healthy he has been incredible so far in 2016. The offensive matchup between Thomas and Carmelo Anthony should be fun to watch. I definitely can’t wait to see the one-on-one matchup between Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. You have a perennial All-Star and an emerging superstar squaring off with Horford and Porzingis. This will be a tone-setter between these division foes.

Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2:30 PM, ABC)

The Rematch. That alone is worth the price of admission here. The two best teams in the NBA the last three seasons squaring off? Count me in. Kevin Durant in the mix adds another layer of intrigue to this matchup that we haven’t seen these past two seasons. Durant likely draws LeBron James or Kevin Love while on offense, and will definitely matchup with James on defense. I’m interested to see how the Warriors new “Death Lineup” will deal with Cleveland’s versatility. Make sure you are settled in for this one folks, it is going to be one hell of a game.

Chicago Bulls vs. San Antonio Spurs (5:00 PM, ABC)

For me, this is one of the more interesting games of the day. On one side you have Chicago, which is still trying to gel with the trio of Rajon Rondo, Dwayne Wade, and Jimmy Butler but comes into the game losing seven out of the last ten. Then you have San Antonio, which is the second-best team in the tough Western Conference and the perennial power in the NBA. I absolutely can’t wait to watch the matchup of Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler in this game. They are two of the best rising stars in the league right now and it won’t be long before both of them will factor into the MVP race every season.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 PM, ESPN)

It may not be the best matchup of the day but this one has the potential to be a fun game to watch. Russell Westbrook is obviously the draw in this game considering he’s the resident “human highlight reel” this season. I want to focus on the Timberwolves though. Minnesota’s record is pretty ugly right now but this team is in the midst of building around one of the best young core of players in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns will be the preeminent center in the NBA sooner rather than later. Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine are a high-flying duo, which should produce their fair share of highlight plays. This game is definitely worth watching as long as it stays competitive.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 PM, ESPN)

Man this game looked so much better before December started. The Clippers are a top-three team in the West but lost Blake Griffin earlier this week. Then there are the Lakers, who have taken a massive nosedive since the beginning of the month. If there is one matchup to keep an eye on its whenever Chris Paul and D’Angelo Russell are covering each other. Outside of that I think the Clippers should dominate the “Battle of L.A.”

That’s it for me this week folks. I want to wish you all happy holidays! I’ll be back on Tuesday for a shortened week of coverage for Shooting the Moon. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.