NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. - "Wow, I didn't even know."
Thon Maker is shocked to learn that the Milwaukee Bucks will be playing their first Christmas Day matchup since 1977 when they take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
For Maker, who grew up immersing himself in NBA games on Christmas Day, it still hasn't quite sunk in that he will now be appearing in one himself.
"I grew up watching all five games in a row on Christmas Day," Maker told ESPN from Bucks' practice. "I would always watch all games in a row. Literally, I would get up, get breakfast, watch a game, keep eating, watch a game, go out and workout, come back and watch a game ... I just enjoy the atmosphere so I can't wait to be a part of It in the arena.
"It's gonna be surreal, but we have to remind ourselves, it's just another game; but still have fun with it. I think we're gonna come out motivated; I know personally I will be."
The last time these two teams met was December 1st - again at the Garden - with the Knicks coming away with a 136-134 overtime win. Since then, the Bucks have gone 7-3, while Maker has looked more comfortable with each passing game. In those 10 games he's averaging 5.3 ppg in just over 12 minutes of action per night, while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor.
Maker feels like the game in New York earlier this month was the turning point of his season. He says that Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer has shown more faith in him since then.
"Coach gave me some opportunity in terms of the minutes beginning in that New York game here and going forward," he says. "We went back home and got some more consistency in the minutes [played] so that got me going as well."
Earlier this month Makur told ESPN he felt like the Bucks were on the verge of something "special" this season. The loss to the Knicks in December seemed to galvanize the squad who had a team meeting after the defeat to discuss what they felt was lacking.
"We got a little more physical, especially on the defensive end. We took that loss to New York, after that we had a team meeting about being more physical - but without fouling - and playing aggressive and coming out with a better urgency. We did that. We had some consistency when we had won four games in a row, and then we had a big one in Boston as well."
In Friday night's game against the Celtics in Boston, Maker also had his best offensive output for the season, putting up 12 points on 4-from-5 from the three-point line.
"I got used to taking some of the shots, and all of a sudden, I'm taking the shots over and over again," he says.
For all the talk of consistency, however, there is one change that Maker will have to get adjusted to: the departure of countryman Matthew Dellavedova. The two had been Bucks teammates for the entirety of Maker's NBA career, and Delly was always a guy that could be leaned upon for advice about anything. Now, after Dellavedova was traded back to Cleveland Cavaliers in early December, Maker finds himself the sole Australian on the roster.
"Yeah, it's very strange [not having Delly on the team]," he told ESPN. "We've been good friends through this basketball thing and all the way to the national team, so me and Delly we still communicate.
"He's a great guy, I appreciated him throughout my career. He's a special person, a great person; he cares so much. I miss Delly [but] I'm happy that he's in that situation where he's getting an opportunity to play as well."
The two won't have to wait too much longer to play together again, however, with the World Cup looming next summer. It's a tournament that Maker says he "definitely" wants to play in.
The Boomers secured qualification against Iran in November with a team made up of predominantly NBL guys, and Maker says that speaks to the quality of basketball players being produced by Australia right now.
"A lot of the credit we give to the guys that play in the NBL and in Europe and China as well," he says. "Those guys do a great job just being ready when their names are called. They come and perform and produce.
"The talent is there. For us, in the NBA, even though it looks like we're the focal point of the team, it's all of us together as a unit. They [non-NBA guys] do the tough work which is the getting ready part. And then we come in and play when the time is clear, and we're not in-season. It lets you know the talent is there, and it's growing."