NBA Christmas games
The first NBA game played on December 25 took place in 1947. The New York Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers by a score of 89 to 75 at Madison Square Garden. This event occurred just one year after the league officially began its operations. Early matchups relied heavily on regional proximity to minimize travel during the holiday season. Teams often faced their geographical rivals to allow players more time with their families. Dr. Jack Ramsay later coached the Portland Trail Blazers and set a record for most coaching victories on Christmas Day with 11 wins. He described the experience as being home with family while winning a game he always expected to win.
The New York Knicks have appeared in more Christmas games than any other team, totaling 58 appearances. Their record stands at 26 wins and 32 losses on the holiday. Bernard King scored 60 points for the Knicks in 1984, which remains the highest individual scoring performance ever recorded on Christmas Day. LeBron James holds the record for the most games played on Christmas Day with 20 appearances. He also became the all-time leading scorer on the holiday with 422 points, surpassing Kobe Bryant's total of 383 points. The Charlotte Hornets are the only franchise to never play on Christmas Day since their foundation in 1988. The first game outside the United States happened in 2019 when the Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 118 to 102 at Scotiabank Arena in Canada.
Bernard King scored 60 points for the New York Knicks in 1984 during a memorable contest. Patrick Ewing helped the Knicks overcome a 25-point deficit against the Celtics in 1985 before beating Michael Jordan in 1986. Scottie Pippen made a last-second block in 1994 that defined an era of defensive intensity. The first matchup between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal as opponents occurred on Christmas in 2004. Subsequent years featured faceoffs between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. Phil Jackson won his 1,000th career game on the 25th of December 2008, becoming the fastest coach to reach that milestone. Rivalries like the Bulls versus Knicks dominated the 1990s with games occurring almost every year except one.
The first telecast of an NBA game on Christmas Day dates back to 1947 when WCBS channel 2 aired the Knicks versus Steamrollers game at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Stan Lomax and Bob Edge called that early broadcast. ABC began nationally televising games in 1968 featuring the Lakers and San Diego Rockets. CBS took over broadcasting duties for several decades until ESPN and TNT joined the rotation. Since 2009, broadcasts have included music videos featuring Mariah Carey singing All I Want for Christmas Is You. In 2010, she added Oh Santa! to the tradition. The league expanded to five games annually starting in 2008. Tripleheaders became common as networks competed for holiday viewership against NFL schedules. Disney+ introduced animated alternate broadcasts titled Dunk the Halls using Sony technology to render live games with Mickey Mouse characters.
From 2009 to 2011, the Knicks wore their green and orange third jersey originally designed for St. Patrick's Day. Players on both teams wore special holiday sneakers during the 2010 Heat versus Lakers game. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol wore lime-green Nike shoes while LeBron James and Chris Bosh wore red shoes with green laces. Between specific years, teams wore patches featuring the NBA logo inside a snowflake design. Adidas produced special uniforms from one period through another with themes like monochromatic Big Color designs. Stance provided Christmas-themed socks for games between certain seasons. After Nike became the uniform provider in 2017, no dedicated Christmas uniforms were made until the snowflake patch returned in 2023. Teams then wore primary Association or Icon uniforms instead of alternates.
Players and coaches have expressed mixed feelings about playing on Christmas Day over recent decades. Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy requested that the league stop scheduling games in 2009 after being fined for his comments. He stated he felt sorry for people who had nothing else to do but watch an NBA game. Phil Jackson said he did not think anyone should play on Christmas Day because it diminished Christian holidays. LeBron James noted players would rather be home opening presents with their children. Some coaches like Mike D'Antoni argued they could adjust schedules by opening gifts at night instead of morning. Families of participating players often attend the games to spend time together despite the holiday conflict. The league avoids scheduling games on December 24 to allow players to be with families before the main event.
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Common questions
When was the first NBA game played on Christmas Day?
The first NBA game played on December 25 took place in 1947. The New York Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers by a score of 89 to 75 at Madison Square Garden.
Which team has appeared in the most NBA Christmas games?
The New York Knicks have appeared in more Christmas games than any other team, totaling 58 appearances. Their record stands at 26 wins and 32 losses on the holiday.
Who holds the record for the highest individual scoring performance on an NBA Christmas game?
Bernard King scored 60 points for the Knicks in 1984, which remains the highest individual scoring performance ever recorded on Christmas Day. This event occurred during a memorable contest against the Boston Celtics.
What year did the first NBA game outside the United States take place?
The first game outside the United States happened in 2019 when the Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 118 to 102 at Scotiabank Arena in Canada. This matchup marked a significant expansion of the league's holiday schedule.
When did Phil Jackson win his 1,000th career coaching game?
Phil Jackson won his 1,000th career game on the 25th of December 2008, becoming the fastest coach to reach that milestone. He achieved this victory while coaching the Los Angeles Lakers.