Basketball: Breakers see Christmas Day game as workable

Mika Vukona is happy to consider playing on Christmas Day the way they do in the NBA. Photo / Photosport

Mika Vukona planned to show no restraint with the Christmas ham. But if the rest of the competition is as willing as his coach, such indulging may soon prove impossible.

The Breakers, still smarting from the heaviest defeat of their season, will tomorrow take on the last-placed Kings in Sydney, having enjoyed Christmas at home with their families. That meant stuffing their faces with everything on offer because, as Vukona put it, "you don't have to worry about it since you're coming into training and burning it off straight away".

But in future, they may have to hold back at lunch with Christmas Day appearing to coach Dean Vickerman as an attractive option to take the court. Such scheduling is common in the United States, where fans are treated to a slate of five marquee match-ups spread from early afternoon into late evening.

Supporters can either opt for basketball commentary at home or head to the arena for a different kind of celebration. Both are popular, with ratings and attendances continuing to soar on the holiday, and Vickerman believes the Australian NBL would be wise to explore such an avenue.

"We've played on Boxing Day and we play on New Year's Eve so, for me, to play on Christmas Day, as long as you had some time with your family in the morning, I wouldn't object to it," Vickerman told Radio Sport. "It's obviously an unbelievable viewing time and, from a spectator point of view and for the game advancing, it's something our league can look at."

Vickerman acknowledged fan attendance might initially be low but he could foresee a day, if they follow the NBA's scheduling and marketing strategy, when the Breakers could pack out Vector Arena with a game on Christmas afternoon or early evening.

"It would be one that you'd have to lock in for five years and just let it really build," he said. "[In the US] well in advance people plan their Christmas Day about how they get together as a family and go to the game.

"And that would be a fun day, to go and watch LeBron [James] vs Steph Curry on Christmas Day. That would be a good present - I'd take that present."

Vukona, for one, said he and his teammates were all satisfied with the present arrangement, planning to "go hard" with the ham before switching the focus to Sydney. And while the holiday schedule can create some external distractions, Vukona believed last weekend's heavy loss to the Hawks would help the defending champions avoid such pitfalls tomorrow.

"Any time you get your arse handed to you on your home court, everyone's always going to be dark on it," Vukona said. "There's a silver lining to that loss. It just made us reevaluate our values and our goals, really, and how we're going to get the championship.

"This Christmas period is always important to every team in the league, as has been shown over the years. If you come out of that looking pretty rosy, you're looking good for the rest of the season."