The NBA's 2013 Christmas Trick-Shot Video That Already Has Over Five Million Hits -- But Watch Closely: Is It Real?

Just in time for the very lucrative holiday gift-buying season, the NBA has released their 2013 "Jingle Hoops" video to promote this year's line of special edition jerseys and the annual Christmas Day game. The video, published Nov. 14, went viral in days.

Image source: NBA via YouTube

In the short promo clip, five NBA stars (Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash and James Harden) fire three-point shots at baskets adorned with bells, each tuned to a different note, that play "Jingle Bells" as the players make the shots. And the entire sequence is punctuated with MVP and superstar LeBron James flying in with an alley-oop slam dunk.

Watch the video that has already garnered more than 5 million hits:

Amazing and entertaining, no? But is it real? Were all of those NBA superstars on the same court, at the same time…nailing every shot in the sequence?

The odds on five players making all of those shots, in order and in sequence are astronomical. We liked the ad and were entertained by it, but also suspected that some cinema magic might have been used to create the promo.

After watching a "behind the scenes" clip, it appears that our instincts may have been spot-on. Watch the spot's creative director Nick Klinkert give away a few of the secrets needed to create the on-screen magic:

Last year's video was not nearly as technically advanced as "Jingle Hoops." However, the 30-second promo with five different NBA stars (Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson, Russell Westbrook, Dwyane Wade) dribbling the tune of "Carol of the Bells" still managed to generate more than 8 million views.

In case you missed the 2012 video, it was called BIG: Color:

After looking closely at the clip, we would like your opinion. Is it real?

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Follow Mike Opelka on Twitter - @stuntbrain

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