History of the NBA on Christmas Day

Christmas Day basketball has grown from a practical piece of the early professional schedule into one of the NBA's most prestigious annual showcases. For generations, the league has used December 25 to feature championship contenders, historic rivalries, emerging superstars and rematches of memorable playoff series.

Playing on Christmas is now treated as a sign of relevance. The teams selected for the holiday schedule are usually among the league's most popular, successful or compelling organizations, while the players involved receive a nationally televised stage during one of the most closely watched days of the regular season.

The tradition began in 1947 and has continued through nearly every era of professional basketball. From the regional matchups of the Basketball Association of America to modern five-game national television schedules, NBA basketball on Christmas has become an important part of both league history and American holiday sports culture.

The First Christmas Day Games

The first professional games in the NBA's historical Christmas record were played on December 25, 1947, during the 1947-48 Basketball Association of America season. The BAA later merged with the National Basketball League and became the NBA, so those early results are included in the league's official history.

Three games were played that day. The Baltimore Bullets defeated the Chicago Stags, the Washington Capitols beat the St. Louis Bombers and the New York Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers.

The most frequently remembered game from that opening slate took place at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks defeated Providence 89-75. The victory began a long relationship between the Knicks, Madison Square Garden and Christmas Day basketball.

Christmas Basketball in the Early NBA

Christmas games were originally scheduled much differently than they are today. The league did not yet have a large national television contract, and teams depended heavily on ticket sales and local interest.

Regional opponents were frequently paired together to reduce travel and allow players to spend more of the holiday with their families. Teams often played several games during a short period, and holiday scheduling was considered part of the normal demands of professional basketball.

Some early Christmas slates included many games because the league wanted to take advantage of fans being away from work and school. The matchups were not always reserved for championship contenders or nationally recognizable stars.

As the NBA's national audience grew, Christmas Day gradually changed from a regular scheduling date into a carefully selected showcase.

The Knicks and Madison Square Garden

No franchise is more closely associated with Christmas Day basketball than the New York Knicks.

Madison Square Garden has traditionally served as one of the holiday's signature venues. The combination of New York City, the Garden and a national television audience made the Knicks a natural part of the Christmas schedule, even during seasons when the team was not considered a championship contender.

The Knicks have played more Christmas Day games than any other franchise. Their holiday history includes appearances by stars such as Richie Guerin, Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bernard King, Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony and Jalen Brunson.

The Garden has also hosted several of the most memorable individual performances and dramatic finishes in Christmas history.

Early Stars on Christmas Day

Many of the NBA's first great players appeared on Christmas, including George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West.

Wilt Chamberlain produced one of the most remarkable rebounding performances in holiday history when he collected 36 rebounds against the New York Knicks in 1961.

Oscar Robertson became one of the most productive all-around Christmas performers. He accumulated 377 career points on the holiday and recorded several triple-doubles during an era in which the achievement was far less common than it later became.

These appearances helped establish the idea that Christmas belonged to the league's greatest stars.

Television Transforms the Tradition

As television became increasingly important to the NBA, Christmas Day offered the league a valuable opportunity. Most businesses were closed, many families were gathered at home and competing sports schedules were limited.

Major League Baseball was in its offseason, while professional hockey traditionally avoided Christmas Day games. Football appeared on December 25 only under certain scheduling circumstances for much of its history.

The NBA increasingly filled that opening with nationally televised games. Christmas became a platform for presenting the league's best players to casual viewers who might not normally watch a regular-season game.

Instead of simply scheduling nearby opponents, the NBA began emphasizing major markets, famous rivalries, championship rematches and star-driven storylines.

Bernard King's 60-Point Performance

One of the greatest individual performances in Christmas Day history occurred at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 1984.

New York forward Bernard King scored 60 points against the New Jersey Nets, establishing the NBA record for points in a Christmas game.

King made 19 field goals and 22 free throws while carrying the Knicks' offense. Despite his extraordinary performance, New Jersey defeated New York 120-114.

The game remains unusual because the highest-scoring individual performance in Christmas history came in a loss.

The Knicks' Comeback Against Boston

One year after King's 60-point performance, Madison Square Garden hosted another Christmas classic.

The Knicks fell behind the Boston Celtics by 25 points on December 25, 1985. Boston appeared to have control of the game, but New York mounted a dramatic comeback behind rookie center Patrick Ewing.

The Knicks forced overtime and eventually won 113-104 in double overtime. The victory became one of the signature moments of Ewing's rookie season and one of the greatest comebacks in Christmas Day history.

Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the 1980s

The NBA's growth during the 1980s elevated Christmas Day into a more important national event.

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped revitalize the league through the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Their teams became regular national television attractions, and the NBA increasingly used Christmas to feature recognizable stars and championship contenders.

Other leading players of the era, including Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also appeared in prominent holiday matchups.

The combination of star power, improved television coverage and stronger league marketing helped transform Christmas from a collection of regional games into a national showcase.

Michael Jordan and the Bulls

Michael Jordan became one of the defining figures of Christmas basketball during the 1980s and 1990s.

As the Chicago Bulls developed into the NBA's dominant team, the league frequently placed Jordan and the Bulls in marquee holiday games against rivals such as the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.

Jordan scored 42 points against the Knicks on Christmas Day in 1992. The matchup brought together the defending champion Bulls and one of their most physical Eastern Conference rivals.

Christmas appearances became part of the Bulls' broader national presence during their six-championship era.

The Only Year Without Christmas Games

The NBA has staged Christmas Day games every year since 1947 except for 1998.

A labor lockout delayed the beginning of the 1998-99 season until February 1999, making a Christmas schedule impossible.

The cancellation demonstrated how firmly the tradition had become established. The missing games were notable because fans had grown accustomed to the NBA occupying December 25.

Christmas Eve Basketball

While Christmas Day games became a permanent NBA tradition, the league has generally avoided playing on Christmas Eve.

Only two games in league history were played on December 24, and none have been scheduled on Christmas Eve since 1967.

The distinction allows players, coaches and team employees to spend at least part of the holiday period away from competition before selected teams return to the court on Christmas Day.

Shaquille O'Neal Against Kobe Bryant

One of the most anticipated Christmas games took place in 2004, when Shaquille O'Neal returned to Los Angeles as a member of the Miami Heat.

O'Neal and Kobe Bryant had won three consecutive NBA championships together with the Lakers, but their partnership ended when O'Neal was traded to Miami in the summer of 2004.

Their first game as opponents became the centerpiece of the Christmas schedule.

Bryant scored 42 points, while O'Neal recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out. Dwyane Wade added 29 points and 10 assists as Miami defeated Los Angeles 104-102 in overtime.

The matchup demonstrated how the NBA could use Christmas to showcase not only elite basketball but also one of the league's biggest personal and competitive storylines.

Finals Rematches Become a Christmas Tradition

The NBA frequently uses Christmas to revisit the previous season's championship series.

One of the best examples came in 2008, when the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Boston Celtics. Boston had defeated Los Angeles in the 2008 NBA Finals and entered the Christmas rematch riding a 19-game winning streak.

The Lakers won 92-83, ending Boston's streak and gaining a measure of revenge for the Finals defeat. The victory also gave Lakers coach Phil Jackson his 1,000th career win.

Other Christmas schedules have included rematches involving the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, and other recent championship opponents.

LeBron James Becomes a Christmas Fixture

LeBron James became one of the most prominent players in the history of NBA Christmas games.

James made his Christmas debut as a rookie in 2003, scoring 34 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in an overtime loss to Tracy McGrady and the Orlando Magic. McGrady scored 41 points, added 11 assists and collected eight rebounds in the victory.

James later appeared on Christmas with Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles. His teams faced opponents including Kobe Bryant's Lakers, Kevin Durant's Thunder and Warriors, the Boston Celtics and several other contenders.

In 2010, James recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Miami Heat defeated the Lakers. He became one of the few players to record a Christmas Day triple-double.

James eventually passed Kobe Bryant as the leading scorer in Christmas history. By Christmas 2025, he was also the holiday's career leader in games played and victories.

Kobe Bryant's Christmas Legacy

Kobe Bryant played 16 Christmas Day games during his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

For many years, Bryant held the Christmas records for appearances and total points. His holiday matchups included games against Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and several championship-caliber teams.

Bryant scored 395 career points on Christmas, placing him among the most productive holiday performers in league history.

His frequent appearances reflected both his status as one of the NBA's biggest stars and the Lakers' central role in the league's Christmas television schedule.

The Cavaliers and Warriors Rivalry

The rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors produced another memorable Christmas era.

The teams met in four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 through 2018, and their regular-season matchups became some of the league's most anticipated games.

On Christmas Day in 2016, Cleveland faced Golden State for the first time since overcoming a 3-1 Finals deficit to win the 2016 NBA championship.

The Warriors led by 14 points during the fourth quarter, but Cleveland rallied. Kyrie Irving made a turnaround jump shot with 3.4 seconds remaining to give the Cavaliers a 109-108 victory.

The game included LeBron James, Irving, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, making it one of the most star-filled Christmas matchups in league history.

The Modern Five-Game Schedule

Modern NBA Christmas schedules generally include five games spread across the entire day.

The schedule begins around midday in the Eastern time zone and continues into the late evening with a game hosted by a Western Conference team.

This structure allows the league and its broadcast partners to present continuous basketball for approximately 12 hours. Games are selected to feature major markets, rivalries, superstars and teams expected to contend for the championship.

National broadcasts have appeared across ABC, ESPN, TNT and other NBA television partners during different eras.

Christmas Day Career Leaders

The league's career Christmas records include many of the greatest players in NBA history.

Leading Christmas Day Scorers

Single-Game Christmas Records

The Importance of Home Court

Home teams have historically performed well on Christmas Day.

NBAHoopsOnline's historical Christmas records show that the home team has won a significantly larger share of holiday games than it has lost. Playing at home allows players to avoid holiday travel and compete in front of familiar crowds during a day that can otherwise disrupt normal routines.

Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden, the Los Angeles Forum, Crypto.com Arena and other famous venues have frequently served as Christmas stages.

Why Teams Want to Play on Christmas

A Christmas appearance is not awarded through a formal qualification process, but it is widely viewed as a measure of a team's national importance.

The NBA generally selects clubs based on recent success, market interest, star players, rivalries and anticipated storylines.

Players may sacrifice part of their holiday, but the game provides increased exposure and an opportunity to perform before one of the largest audiences of the regular season.

Young players and rebuilding teams rarely receive Christmas games unless they possess a major emerging star or a particularly compelling matchup.

International Growth

As the NBA expanded globally, Christmas games became international events.

Fans across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas could watch several of the league's best teams on the same day. The schedule became a showcase not only for American audiences but also for the NBA's worldwide fan base.

International stars such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic became part of the Christmas tradition.

Memorable NBA Christmas Games

Christmas Day and the NBA Brand

Christmas has become one of the NBA's most valuable regular-season television properties.

The league uses the holiday to promote its greatest stars, introduce developing rivalries and create games that appeal beyond normal local audiences.

Uniform releases, advertising campaigns and special television presentations have also become part of the event. At various times, teams wore Christmas-themed uniforms designed specifically for the holiday schedule.

The day functions as an unofficial showcase near the middle of the season, giving fans an early look at potential playoff and Finals matchups.

The Legacy of NBA Basketball on Christmas

The NBA's Christmas tradition has lasted because it combines competition, television, star power and history.

The earliest games were part of a crowded local schedule in a young professional league. Over time, Christmas became something far more significant: a national and international stage reserved largely for the league's most compelling teams and players.

Madison Square Garden established the historical foundation. Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and other early stars created holiday records. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan helped turn the games into major television events. Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James carried the tradition into the modern era.

Christmas games have produced record-setting performances, overtime thrillers, rivalry matchups, Finals rematches and unforgettable individual moments. They also provide a connection between generations, linking the Providence Steamrollers and Washington Capitols of 1947 with the globally recognized NBA of the present day.

Playing on December 25 is now considered both a responsibility and an honor. The players lose part of their holiday, but they gain one of the largest stages available outside the playoffs.

What began as three games in 1947 has grown into a full day of nationally televised basketball and one of the NBA's most enduring traditions.