The NBA is taking a rare day off on Thanksgiving, which should at least satisfy Stan Van Gundy. But for diehard fans, getting through the holiday will be a struggle.
At ThePostGame, we are doing our part to entertain you ... by matching Thanksgiving foods with the personality of NBA players. That means entrees, sides, desserts -- we're putting on a full-court press. Maybe consider reading this after your big meal. It'll make you hungry -- hopefully not to eat LeBron James or Stephen Curry.
LeBron is still the face of the NBA. Yes, he can sometimes be bland, but no good NBA argument can be made without mentioning LeBron in the same way that there's no good Thanksgiving meal unless you have turkey.
Green is a great complement to a great team. Stuffing is the most important role player on Thanksgiving. You can't rely only on stuffing for a meal, but you'll move it around your plate and let it cover a ton of ground. It has a firm texture and can get messy.
Just so smooth and sweet. Nothing makes your palate tingle like sweet potatoes.
This will slice up your Thanksgiving plate. Mashed potatoes will find their way to every crevice.
Harder than sweet potatoes, but still gets the job done. Squash definitely has its moments, but it can be inconsistent.
No, not everyone likes Durant, but he doesn't care. Those who do like him think he's one of the most important players in the NBA. Cranberry sauce isn't for everyone, but those who like it won't do Thanksgiving without it.
There isn't much on the surface of a roll, but forget Thanksgiving. What holiday meal is complete without traditional bread to complement the whole meal (well, Passover, but that's neither here nor there). The roll can defend against anything from too much wine to too much gravy.
Sweeter and a bit softer than a roll, but still a great two-way player.
Klay Thompson or gravy would have a tougher times on their own. But with stars like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant or turkey and stuffing, they are an crucial part of the offense. Thompson is gravy for the Warriors. On top of having two MVPs, Golden State has a lights-out spot-up shooter to rain all over the opponent.
Older generations might scoff at Antetokounmpo's lankiness, but in today's health-focused generation, he's a rising star. There are a lot of nutrients in there and look at that length!
Not necessarily a common Thanksgiving dish, but Harden is cooking up something special right now. Unless Lil B curses him again, Harden is going to keep stirring that pot.
Most people don't get excited about DeRozan, but he's a consistent star for one of the NBA's most consistent teams. He delivers night-in, night-out even if he's not the most marketable face. And besides, his hometown of Los Angeles would love this.
You're not sure how good he actually is, but as time goes on, it's hard to keep Wall out of the discussion for best players in the NBA. Brussel sprouts sound bad when you're young, but over time, you realize just how legit they are.
You're not sure if you need this until you eat it and realize even though summer barbecues are long over, corn can complement anything. Corn has been doing it for so long in so many situations. The same goes for Horford, who is at the forefront of the Celtics' surprising 2017-18 despite the loss of Gordon Hayward.
Everyone overlooks the green beans. Some people don't even think it deserves the spotlight of the Thanksgiving meal. But green beans keep coming back for more every year and are on a mission to prove they belong.
You're never sure if these ingredients are going to line up. You're not sure if anyone will like it. But mixing all these things sounds amazing, so you're going to do it anyway.
The unicorns who aren't quite ready for the main course. However, we can't wait to watch them play and indulge in them as much as possible. We like to joke we can eat a whole pie the same way we'd be happy only watching these guys play.