The Top 10 NBA Christmas Day Games of All Time

New York Knicks 113, Boston Celtics 104

Rookie Patrick Ewing gave us a preview of what was to come in this 1985 Christmas Day matchup featuring the Knicks and Celtics. Scoring 32 points and picking up 11 rebounds, Ewing was completely dominant in this 25 point come-from-behind-victory. Celtics power forward Kevin Mchale was also incredibly efficient with 29 points and 14 rebounds, and the two went toe to toe until the Knicks pulled away towards the end. While this game was considered the Celtics’ worst game of the season, it didn’t stop them from winning the championship later that year.

Orlando Magic 92, Houston Rockets 90

As Christmas Day games’ popularity began to rise, the NBA realized that it would probably be a good idea to start doing Finals rematches. This 1995 Magic vs. Rockets Christmas game was the very first finals rematch in NBA history. Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon traded buckets all game, but it was Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway who stole the show by scoring the game-winning bucket with three seconds remaining, giving the Magic some slight revenge.

Chicago Bulls 107, New York Knicks 104

1994 was a memorable year for the Chicago Bulls Squad. For starters, they were without Michael Jordan (who had retired after the previous season to pursue a career in baseball). However, even, without number 23, the Bulls remained a legitimate contender. Scottie Pippen delivered a sensational performance with 36 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals, all while scoring every single one of the Bulls points in overtime. Pippen also came up with two last-second clutch blocks to secure the victory for the Bulls.

Los Angeles Lakers 92, Boston Celtics 8

After losing to the Celtics in the 2008 Finals, the Lakers were out for a little revenge. This game was actually a lot closer than what people think. For starters, coming into this matchup, the Celtics were on a 19-game winning streak, and both teams battled into the final minutes until the Lakers were finally able to pull away. Of course, Kobe was the leading scorer with 27 points, and while we didn’t get to hear from him much after that game, knowing his history of not being satisfied until he won a championship, we are sure that he was unimpressed. 

New York Knicks 86, Chicago Bulls 85

There is nothing better in basketball than a good ole fashion buzzer-beater. As hoops fans may know, the Knicks and Bulls have a long history of not liking each other, making the hatred perfect for a little Christmas battle. Ewing was the star of the show yet again, this time ruining Michael Jordan’s Christmas game debut. While Jordan delivered a star performance, it wasn’t quite enough to get the Bulls over the hump as Ewing hit a shot as time expired, giving the Knicks the win. 

New Jersey Nets 120, New York Knicks 114

This game was special for quite a few reasons. First off, New York Knicks small forward Bernard King lit the New Jersey Nets up for a 60 point showing in a game that is considered the best in his career. Unfortunately for the Knicks, they weren’t able to get the victory at Madison Square Garden that day, but Kings legendary performance was still a joy to watch, with the game being pretty evenly matched until the end.

Orlando Magic 113, Cleveland Cavaliers 101

Even as a rookie, King James knew how to put on a show. Going up against Tracy McGrady’s Orlando Magic, McGrady and James took their teams into an overtime showdown with McGrady scoring 41 points, and James netting 34 points. The Magic would get the best of the Cavaliers during the bonus period, but it was still fun to see two hall of famers fighting for Christmas Day bragging rights.

Miami Heat 96, Los Angeles Lakers 80

While the final score might not reflect the significance of this game, it’s important to understand the exact landscape of the NBA in the year 2010. The Miami Heat were probably the most hated team in the NBA, and every single game was considered a must-watch. While Kobe and Lebron had played each other numerous times before, this was Lebron’s first game against Kobe as a member of the Heat, and the Lakers had just won the championship the previous summer. Lebron recorded a 27-point triple-double giving the Miami Heat a pretty easy victory. 

Again this is one of those games where you have to understand the backstory. The summer of 2004 saw the departure of Shaquille O’Neal and the subsequent breakup of the Shaq-Kobe duo. During this time, Bryant and O’Neal were still feuding (though they did reconcile later), and Shaq’s return to Los Angeles was a highly anticipated one. A young Dwyane Wade notched 29 points and ten assists, while Kobe scored 42 points. The Lakers had a chance to win the game at the end, but Bryant missed the shot giving Miami the dub. 

Cleveland Cavaliers 109, Golden State Warriors 108

In my opinion, this is the best Christmas Day game to date. By December 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were locked into year three of what ended up being a four-year rivalry. The Cavaliers had just beaten the Warriors in an intense seven-game (and even controversial) Finals series, and the Warriors somehow found a way to expand their immensely talented roster with the addition of Kevin Durant.

This Christmas Day game was going to be the first time these two teams were meeting after the KD signing, and both teams picked up right where they left off in game 7, going back and forth until the final seconds with Kyrie Irving nailing the game-winner once again with 3.4 seconds left on the clock.