When will the Phoenix Suns finally recieve a Christmas Day game

With the release of the 2019 Christmas Day schedule, the Phoenix Suns have been passed up for the tenth season in a row. When will they finally have the opportunity to do what they once did every season?

On August 2, the NBA announced their Christmas Day schedule, and of course they had the usual and expected suspects highlighting the full-day slate of what should be very exciting basketball, although minus the Phoenix Suns for the tenth year in a row.

Phoenix has not played on December 25, since a 124-93 drubbing of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009, the 18th time in franchise history (in 41 seasons) that they were given a game on that day on national television – for more on their full history, check here.

But there has not been much of a chance since to receive such a nod, something that fans of the franchise have desired every season since.

Of course teams with superstars like the L.A. Lakers, Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers were all chosen, as well as other league elites such as the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets, with the addition of the New Orleans Pelicans who will be able to publicly showcase first overall pick Zion Williamson.

Unfortunately the Phoenix Suns were probably never even considered for a game that day, having won 19 times last year and having lost 241 times in the last four seasons.

However, what the league may have overlooked (or at least hopefully  overlooked) by not adding them to their schedule is the fact that the team is poised for a turnaround, one that is going to potentially be very exciting.

While one cannot place too much pressure on Ricky Rubio, his addition can not be overlooked as the most important addition this offseason considering that the franchise has not had a legitimate point guard since Eric Bledsoe no longer wanted to be here, and a passing  point guard since Goran Dragic wanted out two seasons prior.

Players such as Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton will undoubtedly receive a huge boost playing alongside a competent point guard who not only knows how to read and react to what defenses are throwing at, but is capable to consistently get the ball in the open man, in the proper spot, and the perfect time.

Because of Rubio alone there is a good chance that Booker and Ayton will see their games significantly improve slowly raising their standing within the league’s best tandems by the time the Christmas game comes around.

While the team may not seen that large of an uptick in wins (I have them at finishing with a 37-45 record which would be an 18 game improvement over last season’s win total), the key is that if Booker remains a 35+ points per game scorer, Ayton is somewhere around 21, Kelly Oubre is as exciting offensively as he was last season and at least one of the wings is an above-average sniper from beyond the arc, NBA fans will be willing to sit and watch the Suns play following a second heaping of coffee and pumpkin pie.

While the Phoenix Suns were not granted a Christmas Day game, they may finally not be that far away from being chosen for a prime position on the unofficial start of the NBA season.

If RIcky Rubio can help make this young roster exciting again, the regular season record may not be all that important to achieve a Christmas Day selection.

Hopefully that can come as early as 2020, although if even two years from now, the end of the streak should not be that far away.