The holiday season is here! What better way to celebrate the occasion than by watching some of the NBA’s best Christmas Day moments? Between putting up the Christmas tree, listening to Christmas songs, and last-minute shopping, the NBA playing Christmas is here when it comes to holiday traditions. Let’s gather around the Christmas tree, pour some eggnog, and celebrate the NBA this Christmas. No Scrooges allowed.
1 in 20
Bernard King (1984)
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New York Knicks legend Bernard King put on the greatest performance of all time on Christmas Day. He was a bucket-footer against the nearby New Jersey Nets, finishing the game with 60 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Knicks still lost 120-114. King holds the record for most runs scored in a Christmas Day game.
2 out of 20
Shaquille O’Neal vs. Kobe Bryant (2004)
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Shaq and Kobe formed one of the greatest duos in NBA history during their time with the Lakers, winning three championships in a row. When their feud boiled over, Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat. It was their first game against each other. In a highly publicized contest, for obvious reasons, Shaq posted 24 points and caught 11 boards. Kobe went for 42 points, six assists and three rebounds. Shaq and the Heat emerged victorious in overtime, 104-102.
3 out of 20
Rick Barry (1966)
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Rick Barry: the man who made the sneaky free kick famous. In just his second year, Barry set the tone and scored 50 points over the Oscar Robertson-led Cincinnati Royals in a resounding 124-112 win. Later in his career, Barry was named Finals MVP after winning the 1975 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors.
4 out of 20
Wilt Chamberlain (1961)
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The only NBA player to score 100 points in a game, Wilt Chamberlain needs no introduction. His lines of insane statistics continued until Christmas Day. Chamberlain lost 59 points and grabbed 36 rebounds. Unfortunately, Chamberlain is the rare loser on this list. Chamberlain’s Warriors lost to the Knicks by one point in double overtime.
5 out of 20
Oscar Robertson (1961)
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It may have been cold outside, but Cincinnati Royals star point guard Oscar Robertson warmed up for 40 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds against the Lakers. Despite Robertson’s Herculean effort, the Lakers won the game. Robertson was a traveling triple-double at the time. He and Russell Westbrook are the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double in one season.
6 out of 20
Michael Jordan (1992)
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What NBA roster is Michael Jordan not on? The GOAT lost 42 points to the New York Knicks. As always, the Jordan Bulls beat the Knicks. The Bulls went on to beat Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals that year, completing the first three-peat.
7 out of 20
LeBron James (2010)
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This Christmas Day game has become an instant classic. It featured defending champion Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat Big Three in their first year together. LeBron James screwed up and had a triple-double with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The Miami Heat defeated the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers 96-80. It’s a shame we never got to see Kobe and LeBron in the finals. Seeing them one-on-one was always a must on television.
8 out of 20
Bill Russell (1965)
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Celtics legend Bill Russell had 16 points and 34 rebounds as the Boston Celtics beat the Baltimore Bullets 113-99. The Celtics were in the middle of their dynasty which won 11 championships in the 1950s and 1960s with Russell as their superstar. Russell is the greatest winner in NBA history.
9 out of 20
Tracy McGrady (2003)
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If only Tracy McGrady could have stayed healthy. He faced a rookie by the name of LeBron James in a hardwood classic that went to the wire. McGrady wasted 41 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a 113-101 overtime win over a young Cleveland Cavaliers team. During the 2000s, McGrady was one of the game’s most versatile scorers.
10 out of 20
Kevin Durant (2010)
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Before leaving for Golden State and winning back-to-back championships, Kevin Durant was a star with the OKC Thunder. One of the all-time leading scorers, Durant was very loyal to the mark and dropped 44 points to the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder came away with a 114-106 victory.
11 out of 20
Dominique Wilkins (1989)
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They don’t call it The Human Highlight Film for nothing. In typical fashion, Wilkins scored 45 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists as the Atlanta Hawks beat the 76ers by a score of 106-100. A criminally underrated player of the 1980s, Wilkins is one of the greatest dunkers of all time.
12 out of 20
Kyrie Irving (2018)
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The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have rekindled their rivalry for this thrilling Christmas Day fight. Kyrie Irving came clutch and scored 40 points, and caught 10 boards. The Celtics came away with a 121-114 overtime win over the 76ers. It was one of the best moments of his short-lived tenure with the Celtics.
13 out of 20
Jerry West (1963)
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The logo himself, Jerry West, wasn’t afraid of the big stage. He scored 47 points in a 134-126 shootout against the New York Knicks. West got his ring when the Lakers won it all in 1972.
14 out of 20
Scottie Pippen (1994)
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With Michael Jordan retired and playing baseball, Scottie Pippen took charge of the Chicago Bulls. He had a great game against the New York Knicks, posting 36 points, 16 rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks. The Bulls gave the people of Chicago a Christmas present and beat the Knicks 107-104 in overtime.
15 out of 20
Nate “Tiny” Archibald (1972)
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Kansas City Kings legend Nate “Tiny” Archibald has been an offensive force throughout his career. He was the last player to lead the NBA in goals and assists for a season in 1973 with 34 points and 11.4 assists per game. On Christmas Day of that year, Archibald dropped 20 points and 18 assists to the Milwaukee Bucks in a heartbreaking loss. Either way, Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had no answers for the point god. After spending most of his career with the Kansas City Kings, Archibald won a championship with the Celtics in 1981 near the end of his career.
16 out of 20
Patrick Ewing (1985)
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Just a rookie, Patrick Ewing put New York City on its back and beat eventual champion Boston Celtics in a comeback win that ended in double overtime. Ewing exploded for 32 points and 11 rebounds. This game put Ewing on the map.
17 out of 20
Kawhi Leonard (2019)
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After winning the Toronto Raptors’ first championship, Kawhi Leonard packed his bags for the bright lights of Los Angeles to play for the Clippers. In his first Christmas game as the Clipper, the two-way threat went up against LeBron James and the Lakers in The Battle for LA. Leonard lived up to the hype and dropped 33 points as the Clippers won the game 116-107.
18 out of 20
Steph Curry (2021)
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Steph Curry, Chief Curry, the baby-faced assassin…whatever you call him, he was out of action against the Phoenix Suns, finishing the day with 33 points, six assists and four rebounds. This game was another prime-time duel between two all-time great point guards: Steph Curry and Chris Paul. Watching them protect themselves over the years has been fun to watch.
19 out of 20
Dwayne Wade (2013)
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The greatest player in Heat history, Dwayne Wade, showed up for this Christmas game and recorded 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds. The Heat beat Kobe Bryant and the Lakers thanks to Wade’s clutch-playing ability.
20 out of 20
Julius Erving (1978)
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NBA legend Julius Erving was the NBA’s star player at that time. Dr. J scored 22 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds as the 76ers beat the New York Knicks 109-94. The high-flying dunker was the leader of some big Philadelphia basketball teams in the 70s and 80s. He got his ring in 1983 when he teamed up with Moses Malone and swept the Lakers in the NBA Finals in 1983.
David J. Hunt is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. He ran across the country at Penn State, became a volunteer firefighter during COVID-19, and is a self-taught journalist. He is a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan. When he’s not watching sports, he enjoys training, fishing and travelling. You can find more of his writings at The Chestnut Hill Local and The Temple News. You can follow him on Twitter at @dave_hunt44.