Ahead of a mouthwatering set of NBA games coming up this Sunday, we’re taking a look through the top five Christmas Day games in recent history.
This year, we have some exciting matchups to look forward to on Christmas Day:
- Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks – 12pm EST
- Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks – 2:30pm EST
- Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics – 5pm EST
- Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors – 8pm EST
- Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets – 10:30pm EST
The day kicks off with Joel Embiid and James Harden travelling to the Big Apple to face the surging New York Knicks who are steadily climbing the Eastern Conference standings and in playoff contention.
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks play host to LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers shortly after, marking the pair’s first meeting of the season at the American Airlines Center.
MVP candidates Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokoumpo go head-to-head at TD Garden in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference semi-finals between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry for their game against Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies, also in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference semi-finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Finally, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is in action against the Phoenix Suns to finish the night off in Denver as Devin Booker and Chris Paul travel to Colorado for what promises to be a tough battle.
Top 5 NBA Christmas Day Games In Recent History
1. 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers 109-108 Golden State Warriors
Cavs vs. Warriors.
Christmas 2016.
Instant classic. pic.twitter.com/3QTrYXy4GH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 19, 2020
The previous year, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA title in franchise history and became the first team to erase a 3-1 deficit in the finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 75 points but it wasn’t enough to stop the Cavs who outscored the Warriors by eight in the 4th quarter and took victory in Ohio.
James tallied a double-double of 31 points and 13 rebounds on 12/22 shooting from the field whilst Irving chipped in with 25 points and ten assists with seven steals on the night.
2. 2021: Milwaukee Bucks 117-113 Boston Celtics
On Christmas Day, the Bucks rallied late to defeat the Celtics at home, 117-113.
🔄 @betwayusa Game Rewind pic.twitter.com/GRLluYIeEN
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 7, 2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a famous Christmas Day victory in 2021 over the Boston Celtics, posting 36 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as the hosts erased a 19-point deficit.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics came out to an early lead, firing on all cylinders through the first three quarters. Boston led for 46:47 minutes of the 48 but a clutch block from Giannis on Robert Williams sealed the victory with ten seconds to play.
The Bucks’ first lead of the night didn’t come until the final minute, but it was worth the wait for Bucks fans in Wisconsin and those who tuned in from around the globe for a Christmas classic.
3. 2018: Boston Celtics 121-114 Philadelphia 76ers (OT)
🔥🔥 @KyrieIrving (40 PTS, 10 REB, 5 3PM) catches fire late, knocking down back-to-back clutch threes, to lift the @celtics over PHI in overtime! #CUsRise #NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/nSeXLwC9kY
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2018
The Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played out an overtime classic in Boston on Christmas Day in 2018 as Kyrie Irving put up 40 points on 17/33 shooting and ten rebounds to overcome Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler.
Embiid and Butler combined for 59 points alongside 17 from JJ Redick, but Irving’s mega performance in addition to 23 points and ten rebounds from a sophomore Jayson Tatum sealed a famous victory at the Boston Garden.
There were a total of ten lead changes throughout the encounter but the Celtics fought through for a well deserved victory on Christmas Day, outscoring the Sixers 13-6 in overtime.
4. 2018: Houston Rockets 113-109 Oklahoma City Thunder
James Harden with 41, 7 & 6 in a Christmas Day win over OKC. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/1YcjWNxaul
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) December 25, 2018
James Harden recorded an incredible 41 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead the Houston Rockets to a 113-109 victory over Paul George and Russell Westbrook’s Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day in 2018.
OKC spent the majority of the game (29:49) in the lead and led by as many as 11 points at one stage, but a strong second half from Harden and the Rockets ensured victory for the Texans.
Clint Capela posted a monstrous 16 points and 23 rebounds whilst Eric Gordon nailed three shots from outside the arc to lay the foundations for yet another scoring masterclass from Harden.
Westbrook’s almost triple double of 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists alongside Paul George’s 28 points and 14 rebounds simply weren’t enough to get OKC across the line, despite additional solid showings from Steven Adams, Jerami Grant and Dennis Schroder.
5. 2021: Los Angeles Lakers 115-122 Brooklyn Nets
Nets WIN!
Brooklyn beats Lakers 122-115 in LA.
Harden/Mills: 70 points #NetsWorld
— Ryan Field (@RyanFieldABC) December 26, 2021
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers almost pulled off an all-time great comeback against the Brooklyn Nets on Christmas Day in 2021, but they didn’t quite have enough to overcome another James Harden masterpiece.
After trailing by as much as 23 points, LeBron, without star teammate Anthony Davis, guided the Lakers to a phenomenal 17-0 run in the fourth quarter and tied the game.
Despite the forward’s best efforts, Harden’s 36 point triple double with ten rebounds and ten assists on 10/25 shooting (13/17 FT) guided the Nets to a hard earned win alongside 34 points and eight threes from Australian guard Patty Mills.
Russell Westbrook also posted a triple double on the occasion but shot a poor 4/20 from the field and was a -23 when on the court with three turnovers, playing 37 of the 48 minutes.
RELATED: Best Sportsbooks for NBA Free Bets | Best NBA Cash Out Betting Sites
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
