Merry Christmas for everyone that waited for this time of the year that still has a lot of tradition. And one of the most traditional things on this time of the year are the NBA Christmas games. They happen since like forever and is a common thing to watch great basketball games with family and friends.
Just like the NFL has Thanksgiving games, the NBA always sets on its calendar the games that would most attract the audience and give a special gift for the fans at the same time. Even because, the NBA Christmas games happen almost in the middle season and most of the games have some rivalry intensity between the teams. And beyond this, there are some facts that worth to have some spotlight. You can check them right down below.
Back To 1947…
The NBA Christmas games started in 1947. The first match was between the New York Knicks and Providence Steamrollers at the Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won incredibly (89-75) and the rating went so good that made the first right start for this huge tradition.
A Bittersweet Payback
In 2000, the Blazers had the chance for a bittersweet payback with the Lakers. All of that because they got eliminated by the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals back in April, 2000. The Blazers then beat up the Lakers in a 109-104 victory. But, as you can realize from the history, this didn’t put them in the Finals. In 2001, the Lakers won the NBA Championship again.
A Furious Payback
If you think that the league makes everything for the NBA Christmas games have a payback feeling, you’re not far to be wrong. Not at all.
Right back in 2011, the Mavericks faced the Heat for a rematch of the previous NBA Finals where the Mavs beat the Heat in 6 games. The South Beach Big 3 had their first and the most significant loss in the Finals and were desperately for a rematch. Not to mention that the season started lately because of the lockout. So it was just the second game of both teams.
In the end, the Heat beat up the Mavs with a 105-94 victory and a LeBron James totally focused in deeply winning.
Appetite For Christmas Games
The New York Knicks has the most appearance in NBA Christmas games with 52 games played (22-31). But besides that, they won’t play on this Christmas for the first time after years.
Mamba Points
Kobe Bryant, aka Black Mamba is the player with the most amount of points of Christmas games. The former Lakers player has 395 points in 16 games. While that, Bernard King, former Knicks player, has the record of most points in a NBA Christmas Game. 60 points for the Knicks against the Nets in 1984
