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NBA great Andrew Bogut was the driving force behind the Sydney Kings’ historic decision to host a game on Christmas Day this year, says the CEO of the company that owns the NBL club.
In the NBA, Christmas Day games are a tradition dating back to 1947, but Sunday’s clash with Melbourne United at Qudos Bank Arena is set to break new ground for professional sport in Australia.
The Christmas Day fixture comes after two years of discussions at the Kings, of whom Bogut has been a co-owner since last year.
Bogut played on Christmas three times during his 783-game career, twice with the Golden State Warriors and once with intra-state rivals the Los Angeles Lakers.
«Christmas Day was a day that Andrew Bogut in particular was very keen to explore and develop on the back of his experience in the NBA,» said Hoops Capital CEO Sean Nicholls.
«It’s very much a part of the fabric of Christmas Day in the US for NBA fans and that’s how we wanted to look at it from an Australia perspective.
«We spoke to the playing group and the coaching group and they were very keen to be a part of it, again, having the background experience in the NBA.»
The Kings have defeated United in both their previous meetings this year and are looking at the clash as an opportunity to kick their recent habit of fading late in games.
The Sydneysiders have won only one of their last four final quarters, against the last-placed Illawarra Hawks, and have been outscored 88-55 in that span.
The Kings experienced a similar trend early last season but their ability to snap out of the slump and recalibrate into the eventual champions has given guard Shaun Bruce confidence.
«It’s just finding out what our roles look like, especially down that end of the game,» he said.
«I’ve got no doubt that once we figure that out, it’ll go the way it did last year and we’ll find a lot of form.»
The Kings are hopeful Xavier Cooks will return from ankle soreness to face United but Bruce admitted his omission would be «as big as it gets» for the Kings.
With or without their marquee man on deck, Bruce says there’ll be no love lost between the two sides during or after the game.
«We’re probably not going to sit down and have Christmas dinner together (afterwards),» Bruce said.
«They’re obviously sacrificing a lot being here on Christmas Day away from Melbourne, but it’ll be all guns blazing.»