Great news for the Christmas game brings a surprise gift for Spurs fans

It looks like things are getting back to normal in the San Antonio Spurs stratosphere. The team hasn't made the playoffs in years, but after the offseason reinforcements and the jumps the group is expected to make, that will soon change. The return to greatness is upon us, and Victor Wembanyama is the scribe. It's been eight years since the Spurs played on Christmas Day, but it might be time to right that wrong, too.

That's exactly what the NBA should do: develop its young stars. They have a great selection of young talent on their roster, but they also have legendary veterans. Fans always hope for a good game, but you can't always predict how that will turn out. The least the NBA can do is showcase some of its most intriguing players on one of the country's biggest holidays.

In 2008, the Spurs had the honor of facing their great rival, the Phoenix Suns. It was a hard-fought game. Phoenix's coach at the time was Mike D'Antoni and his team had already been eliminated in the playoffs by San Antonio three times before this game. At that point, any win against the Alamo City had to feel great, but that wasn't the case that night. Roger Mason Jr. sank a three-pointer from the corner with seconds left to break an 88-88 tie and give SA the win. I still remember jumping off my couch and screaming “ROGER THAT!” in my living room.

The last time the Spurs competed on Christmas Day was in 2016. They faced the Chicago Bulls, who were powered by LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard. Aldridge scored 33 points on 15-of-20 shooting, while Kawhi added 25 points and 10 rebounds. Aldridge's performance was one for the ages, and when he was on form, he was incredibly entertaining to watch. San Antonio won the game handily, and the team hasn't competed since. The city is ready to change that.