Watching NBA games on Christmas is like a treat to American households in the form of a tradition. This year, as per the NBA’s schedule, the league has facilitated five games. The second one of these matchups is the Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves. It will be broadcasted on the ABC network at 2:30 PM ET. The matchup has already kept the fans on edge. But ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has an interest in a particular athlete to steal the show on the holiday. And it is none other than the ‘Black Jesus’ Anthony Edwards.
Joining host Molly Qerim along with other guests on ‘First Take,’ Stephen A. Smith expressed what he looks ahead on Christmas day game, “Damn it, I like star power, I like a show. …How about Kyrie Irving against Ant-Man? How about that brother being live on national television the Christmas day.”
As Smith’s voice soared high in Anthony Edwards‘ praise, the ESPN analyst hyped up to add, “That brother right there, the dude that we looked at and we thought about, I’m talking about athleticism, not results, we thought about MJ, we thought about Kobe, we thought about Vince Carter. That man, Ant-Man Anthony Edwards, has arrived.”
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However, for Smith, it’s all about the show, as he said about the Dallas-Wolves matchup, “To see that brother in Dallas on Christmas Day against Luka and Kyrie? I’m sorry, that’s what I’m looking forward to because it’s about a show.”
Coming to the topic of the show, the NBA’s broadcast contender league, the NFL, has got in touch with Netflix to broadcast its Christmas Day games. It will broadcast two live games this year on December 25, with at least one each in 2025 and 2026. However, to match the reach that Netflix provides, the league has scheduled five games for the holiday. Can Anthony Edwards become bigger than the NFL?
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Can Anthony Edwards topple the NFL’s Netflix card for Christmas Day?
Coming off 77 points in pool games in the Paris Olympics, Anthony Edwards has got global attention. His explosiveness has put the Minnesota Timberwolves back on the NBA map. As Edwards’ star power grows day by day, the Wolves must maintain their spotlight against Dallas. Even when the postseason viewership was not the same as before for the NBA, it was great for Anthony Edwards. As per the Athletic, the “most astonishing number” Ant-Man-Nikola Jokic showdown in Game 7 of the second round of playoffs.
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Can Anthony Edwards really help the NBA dethrone the NFL on Netflix? What do you think?
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With 3x NBA MVP on one end and blazing star power on the other, the viewership soared through the ceiling. The game averaged 8.41 million viewers across TNT (7.51 million) and truTV (905,000). The Wolves’ charm continued in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks as well. ESPN VP/Brand Strategy Flora Kelly admitted that as per the analytics, “showed the most popular NBA team for its socials was Minnesota.”
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Dallas-Minnesota Conference Finals averaged 7.02 million viewers across TNT and truTV. Notably, it was quite “close” to the Lakers-Nuggets Western Conference finals Game 1[7.36 million] last year on ESPN and ESPN2. After representing his nation on the global stage, Anthony Edwards’ popularity is only expected to increase. What is your prediction for the Edwards’ viewership on Christmas day?
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Can Anthony Edwards really help the NBA dethrone the NFL on Netflix? What do you think?