NEW YORK – The NBA is gearing up for an exciting Christmas Day, and once again, LeBron James will be the center of attention. If he plays with the Los Angeles Lakers this Thursday, the star will add his 20th game on December 25th, an unprecedented milestone in the history of the league, surpassing the number of Christmas games played by 17 current franchises in their entire existence. James leads the historical table of games played on Christmas and also dominates multiple records on this special date, including points scored (507), victories (11), field goals made (180) and three-pointers converted (31), tied with James Harden.
“I’d rather be at home with my family, but this is the game I love. I grew up watching the greats play on Christmas and it’s always been an honor to be a part of this,” LeBron expressed.
LeBron James
NBA Christmas Day Schedule
The NBA presents a lineup of five games this December 25th, highlighting the matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the current defending champions. The day also includes exciting duels between Cleveland-New York, Dallas-Golden State, Houston-Lakers, and Minnesota-Denver. For players like Jalen Williams, from Oklahoma City, this will be their first Christmas game experience. “I grew up watching sports on Christmas. Being able to be a part of that is something really special,” said the Thunder forward. Oklahoma City comes with the best record in the league (26-4), although they face a Spurs team that has already defeated them twice this season, led by Victor Wembanyama, who had a historic Christmas debut last year with 42 points and 18 rebounds.More records at stake for LeBron
In addition to extending his record for games played on Christmas, James could move up in other statistical departments. He is currently second in assists (137), steals (28), and free throws made (116) on this date, records led by Oscar Robertson or Russell Westbrook. In rebounds, LeBron is in sixth place historically with 143, approaching legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal.Triples and special debuts
In the Christmas three-point competition, Klay Thompson (27) and Stephen Curry (26) could get close to James and Harden. In addition, young Cooper Flagg, from Dallas, could become the fourth youngest player to debut in a Christmas game at 19 years old. On the other hand, Kevin Durant will make history by playing on Christmas with his fifth different team, joining a list headed by Shaquille O’Neal, who did it with six franchises.Wild West at Christmas
Of the ten teams that will play on Christmas this year, eight belong to the Western Conference, the most since 1978. Meanwhile, franchises like Sacramento, Indiana, and Detroit await their return to the traditional Christmas schedule. The Lakers will play on Christmas for the twenty-seventh consecutive year, solidifying their prominence on this date.“It’s always exciting to play on Christmas. The vibes are good,” summarized Curry, reflecting the spirit that envelops the NBA on its most traditional day.
Stephen Curry
