Christmas it is one trademark for the NBA. It is a special day where the day is brightened by a match menu where the best teams and biggest stars challenge each other on a magical stage thatin turn, it can create moments of huge impact, situations that are then stored in everyone’s retinas and remembered over the years.
Before a December 25 of huge expectations in 2023it’s time to travel back in time to look for some of the the best Christmas games we’ve ever seenmeetings with details that became history.
1961: Chamberlain’s 59 points are not enough
New York Knicks 136 – Philadelphia Warriors 135 (double overtime)
Nicks: Richie Guerin – 40 points (15-28 FG, 10-13 FG), 10 rebounds, 6 assists
Warriors: Wilt Chamberlain – 59 points (23-44 FG, 13-22 FG), 36 rebounds
The Wilt’s 59 points and 36 rebounds were incredibly not enough for the Warriors. They will get the win. His 36 rebounds are still an NBA Christmas record, and his 59 points are one shy of Bernard King’s 60 in 1984.
More | NBA Christmas: All the records and statistics throughout history
1972: Archibald puts his arm up for an assist
Milwaukee Bucks 104 – Kansas City-Omaha Kings 99
Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 32 points (14-20 FG), 13 rebounds, 2 assists
Kings: Nate ‘Tiny’ Archibald – 20 points (7-16 FG), 18 assists
Archibald gave more presents than Santa himself at Christmas 1971. His 18 assists are a record on the day and that season he became the first NBA player to lead in points and assists.
More | NBA Christmas: the legends show on December 25th
1984: Bernard King scores 60 but still falls to the Nets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnPIivMmo5o
New Jersey Nets 120 – New York Knicks 114
Nets: Michael Ray Richardson – 36 points (10-22 FG, 16-17 FG), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
Nicks: Bernard King – 60 points (19-30 FG, 22-26 FG), 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Bernard King’s 60 points are the most impressive individual Christmas scoring in NBA history, although his Knicks lost to the Nets. Only he, Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry broke the 50-point barrier.
1985: Ewing leads the Knicks to a comeback against the Celtics
New York Knicks 113 – Boston Celtics 104 (double overtime)
Nicks: Patrick Ewing – 32 points (13-24 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
Celtics: Kevin McHale – 29 points (7-21 FG, 15-19 FG), 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal.
Ewing was a rookie on Christmas 1985. But his impact was total in the Knicks’ double-overtime win over the Celtics. That year he won the Rookie of the Year award and the Celtics also won NBA championships.
1986: Ewing’s buzzer-beater beats Jordan
New York Knicks 86 – Chicago Bulls 85
Nicks: Patrick Ewing – 28 points (13-29 FG), 17 rebounds, 2 blocks
Bulls: Michael Jordan – 30 points (10-18 FG, 10-12 FG), 6 steals, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Ewing shone at Christmas for the second year in a row. This time he denied Michael Jordan the game-clinching celebration at the buzzer, only to set up a missed 3-pointer by Trent Tucker.
1994: The Pippen Beast
Chicago Bulls 107 – New York Knicks 104 (extension)
Bulls: Scottie Pippen – 36 points (11-28 FG, 3 3-pointers, 11-17 FG), 16 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks.
Nicks: Patrick Ewing – 30 points (10-19 field goals, 10-12 free throws), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.
Michael Jordan has already retired. That wasn’t a problem for Pippen, who absolutely shined in the game to beat the Knicks. He played all 53 minutes of the game and scored all 7 Bulls points in overtime. plus two blocks in the Knicks’ final effort. Teacher and lord of Christmas that year.
1995: Christmas Revenge
Orlando Magic 92 – Houston Rockets 90
Magic: Shaquille O’Neal – 22 points (10-15 FG), 18 rebounds, 5 assists
Missiles: Hakeem Olajuwon – 30 points (12-26 FG), 12 rebounds, 6 assists
For the first time in NBA history, the two teams that met in the previous season’s Finals met on Christmas. It was a battle between Shaq and Hakeem but Penny Hardaway showed her breasts in the end by the Magic, and scored the game-winning shot for Orlando to avenge their Finals loss.
2003: T-Mac, LeBron’s Grinch
Orlando Magic 113 – Cleveland Cavaliers 101 (extension)
Magic: Tracy McGrady – 41 points (15-29 FG, 5-9 3-pointers), 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals
Cavaliers: LeBron James – 34 points (13-28 FG, 4-10 3-pointers), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and a block
He LeBron’s Christmas NBA debut was terrible, but still not the best. T-Mac, who averaged the most points this holiday, showed James that he was still a rookie and that his time had to wait a little longer. With 41 points he ruined Christmas for the future King of the NBA. That same season, McGrady led the league in points.
2004: Shaq vs. Cut off
Miami Heat 104 – Los Angeles Lakers 102 (extension)
Heat: Shaquille O’Neal – 24 points (11-19 FG), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 assists
Lakers: Kobe Bryant – 42 points (12-30 field goals, 5-13 three-pointers, 13-13 free throws), 6 assists, 3 rebounds
After eight seasons and three NBA titles as teammates, Shaq and Kobe dueled on Christmas. The clash that took place after Diesel asked for the transfer didn’t disappoint anyone. The Miami Heat won by just two points in overtime and Shaq and Dwyane Wade both had double-doubles.
2008: Lakers beat Boston in finals rematch
Los Angeles Lakers 92 – Boston Celtics 83
Lakers: Kobe Bryant – 27 points (13-23 FG, 1-3 3-pointers), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Celtics: Kevin Garnett – 22 points (11-14 FG), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Inside first game since Celtics beat Lakers in 2008 Finals, Los Angeles got its revenge by ending Boston’s 19-game Christmas streak. Kobe led the way with 27 points for Los Angeles, and those in green couldn’t overcome a poor shooting night from Ray Allen, who was 3-11 from 3-point range. This game was Phil Jackson’s 1,000th win as a manager., the fastest in league history. Los Angeles won both games against Boston that season, and the rematch in the Finals was spoiled by the Orlando Magic, who beat the Celtics in the East semifinals. Those from California would be the champions of this campaign.
2010: LeBron’s triple-double against the Lakers
Miami Heat 96 – Los Angeles Lakers 80
Heat: LeBron James – 27 points (8-14 FG, 5-6 3-pointers, 6-6 TL), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals
Lakers: Kobe Bryant – 17 points (6-16 FG, 1-3 3-pointers), 7 assists, 6 rebounds
LeBron put on a show in his first Christmas with Miami. The win was easy over Kobe’s Lakers, and James became the fourth player to record a triple-double on that date. Then Russell Westbrook in 2013 and Draymond Green in 2017 will join that list.
2016: Kyrie’s game-winning shot against the Warriors.
Cleveland Cavaliers 109 – Golden State Warriors 108
Cavaliers: LeBron James – 31 points (12-22 FG, 4-8 3-pointers), 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block
Warriors: Kevin Durant – 36 points (11-23 FG, 12-12 FG), 15 rebounds, 3 assists
Kyrie Irving once again crashed the party for the Warriors. After doing so in the 2016 NBA Finals, where the Warriors took a 3-1 lead, Irving took control of the fourth quarter (scoring 14 of his 25 points) and hit Klay’s game-winning double above the point Thompson.
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