LeBron James and the Miami Heat head to Los Angeles for a Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers.

The NBA has five games scheduled for Christmas Day with the big one being the Miami Heat taking on the L.A. Lakers in Los Angeles.

You’ve got Miami’s Big 3 going up against the two-time NBA champions with all the celebrities sitting courtside.

By the time that game comes on, I’m might be snoozing after eating my mom’s turkey and dressing, but as long as I wake up by the fourth quarter, I’m good to go.

Anyway, the other four games aren’t too shabby either, but is each one worth missing out on a meal or gift giving? Will you fall asleep on them or fight fatigue to tune in? Here’s how I see the appeal of the five games on a scale from 1-10.

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This picture is hanging on my wall. Check out the fro people. Dr. J. was one of the all-time great leapers, period.

These guys did more than just jump out the gym.

They made you go, “Oh lawd” like the late Bernie Mac used to say.

We’ll always miss you, Bernie.

Anyway, these guys had crazy hops and did things that no one else can duplicate. You got guys who can dunk, but can they have the hang time, elevation and do so with a forcefulness?

That’s the definition of a leaper to me.

So before continuing, you know the routine people.

These guys are not on my list: Kenny “Sky” Walker, Dee Brown, Harold Minor, Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin (he may be in the future if he stays healthy), Larry Nance, Steve Francis, Kobe Bryant, J.R. Rider, Josh Smith or Gerald Green.

So with that being said, let’s get to it.

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Sometimes you need the entire team to guard Kobe Bryant.

In the aftermath of the report of Kobe Bryant saying he’d beat LeBron James in a game of 1-on-1, I figured I’d begin my NBA greatest of the greats list naming the 10 best 1-on-1 players in NBA history.

The video you’ll see by clicking on the link above dates his comments back to May 2, 2010 in London. So this is old news, but let’s get back to the list. I’m going to go from 10 to 1.

Just so it’s known right now, these 10 guys didn’t make the final cut: James, Dwyane Wade, George Gervin, Paul Pierce, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

Had to cut somewhere.

Before revealing the list, I ask that you voice your opinions on the list by leaving comments. Tell me I suck. Tell me I hit the money. Tell me I look sharp of silly in my blog photo. Let’s get some chatter chatter going here.

Here we go.

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There's a good chance this guy, five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, will make his share of lists, but is he one of the 10 best to ever play this game? What do you think?

Starting next month, I’m going to put out a variety of lists to spark debate on who are the greatest players to do work in the NBA. I’ll keep it going right up until the NBA season opener late next month.

For starters, got to rate the top 10 players of all time, but I’m going to take it a step further, folks.

I want to discuss the top 10 players under six feet tall and 7-foot or taller.

The greatest little man ever is Allen Iverson, or is it Nate “Tiny” Archibald? As for the big fellas, Wilt Chamberlain gets the old school nod, but give me Hakeem Olajuwon with his “Dream Shake.”

How about the top 10 teams to never win an NBA title? The 1987-88 Atlanta Hawks, with Dominique Wilkins in his prime, lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but I’d put them up against any team today and they’d have their way with most teams.

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If Kobe Bryant wins a sixth NBA championship next season, can he then be on share the same stage with Michael Jordan?

The Los Angeles Lakers did it again.

Having been out of town and off work since Thursday’s Game 7 the Lakers won to win back-to-back NBA titles, I just got back at it today.

Very interesting Game 7, but the better team won the game and the series.

The Lakers have the best player in Kobe Bryant, the best coach in Phil Jackson and had home-court advantage.

Got a little help when Pau Gasol traveled on that inside bucket late in the game, but if Ron Artest can hit a 3-pointer in the clutch after building  town homes with all those bricks he was hoisting from behind the arc in this series, the Lakers were destined to win the game anyway.

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Jordan Farmar served up a facial on Kevin Garnett. Ouch.

The Los Angeles Lakers showed up tonight.

Well, the real Los Angeles Lakers showed up and put a hurtin’ on the Boston Celtics, 89-67, in Tuesday’s Game 6 to force and seventh and deciding game Thursday in Los Angeles. 

They clamped down defensively, Ron Artest showed up and Kobe Bryant set the tone. Couple that with Boston center Kendrick Perkins going down with a knee injury in the first quarter and that was the beginning of the end for the Celtics tonight.

Now Perkins did walk out the arena on his own, but if he can’t go for Game 7, Boston is done. 

Coming into the game with a 3-2 lead, the Celtics had a chance to close out the series, but also realized they had a game to play with. So you didn’t see them come out with the emotion needed to win on the road.

No need to talk too much about this because there isn’t much to discuss.

The Celtics played poorly (shot 33 percent for the game), the Lakers played better and Bryant was the best player on the floor (26 points, 11 rebounds).

So what are keys for Game 7?

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Boston point guard Rajon Rondo and his coach, Doc Rivers, are doing work against the defending NBA champions.

Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo has been the best player in the NBA playoffs and he showed why in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Rondo had two steals, an amazing tip in over the much taller Lamar Odom and a game-sealing lay up in helping the Boston Celtics take a 3-2 series lead with a 92-86 victory Sunday.

Game 6 is Tuesday in Los Angeles. If the Lakers are able to win that game, there will be a decisive Game 7. It will be Thursday night in Los Angeles.

With it being a 2-3-2 format, the Lakers host the last two games because they have home-court advantage. All that will go for naught if Rondo and the Celtics win the series.

In his fourth season out of Kentucky, Rondo has emerged as one of the top point guards in the NBA. He really made his splash in leading the Celtics past the top seed in the playoffs – the Cleveland Cavaliers – and is at it again against the defending NBA champions.

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With Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the favorites to win this year's NBA Finals. Game 5 is tonight.

2-2.

The NBA Finals has gone as I expected and with the series being tied heading into tonight’s Game 5 in Boston, look for the Los Angeles Lakers to upend the Boston Celtics in a close one.

Besides, I picked the Lakers to win the series in six games so they got to win tonight, right?

The key to this series has been when the Celtics makes it a physical, defensive game, the game favors them. Boston coach Doc Rivers preaches that to his team and when they follow accordingly, the Celtics are tough to beat.

When the game has a flow to it and players are allowed to play with freedom and display their skills, the Lakers have the advantage because they have the best talent.

They’d rather play that way than grind it out. With that being said, here are three things Boston has going in its favor tonight.

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The emergence of point guard Rajon Rondo sparked the rejuvenated Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals.

Kobe vs. LeBron.

Ya’ll wanted it.

Heck, I even had dreams about it, but then reality set in and I knew the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t going to meet in this year’s NBA Finals.

In fact, I said one of four teams would make it to the NBA Finals instead.

My latter three choices were the Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks.

My first choice: The Boston Celtics.

Wow.

Either I know the NBA or miracles do happen. I’ll lean more toward the latter, but I have to know something about basketball to even make that kind of prediction because at the time, the Celtics were struggling.

Now they’re rolling and making me look like an NBA expert.

Kobe Bryant has lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the last three NBA Finals and become more of a leader during this stretch of success. He has a chance to win a fifth NBA championship ring this year.

Let’s get it on.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are going to do it again. I know everyone wanted to see two-time NBA MVP LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (for now) and Kobe Bryant go at it, but hey, seeing two teams renew their rivalry is the NBA Finals isn’t too shabby.

In 2008, the Celtics took the Lakers out in six games and in the series-clinching Game 6, they just ran them out the building with a 131-92 victory.

Two years later, the Lakers and Celtics meet again, but this time, Los Angeles comes in as the defending champs and unlike 2008, it has the home-court advantage this time.

The two teams are essentially the same from when they faced each other in 2008. You’ve got the Big 3 for Boston and Kobe Bryant is still the best player between the two teams.

 Here are the differences.

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