Lakers vs. Warriors Christmas game record 8.32 million views reviving NBA ratings amid recent viewership slump

According to the NBA, the games during the holiday were highly viewed, especially the Lakers vs. Warriors game. Fans flocked to televisions on Christmas Day to watch five games, including the LA Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors matchup. The league reported that the five-game special netted the highest viewership in Christmas in five years.

On Wednesday, five games featured the Lakers, Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs.

Across all games, the league reportedly averaged 5.25 million viewers per game in the U.S. alone. The game with the most views was the Lakers vs. Warriors game, which averaged 7.76 million viewers. The game's peak had 8.32 million viewers, which became the most-watched Christmas Day game in five years.

The two teams featured some fan-favorite players, LeBron James and Steph Curry. Their bout was close as the Lakers had a narrow 115-113 win over the Warriors. James had 31 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists on 54.5% shooting.

Curry didn't back down and kept up with his old rival. He had 38 points and six assists. The Warriors star shot 53.3% from behind the arc, attempting 15 shots.

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The biggest moments of the Lakers vs. Warriors game

The Lakers vs. Warriors game included many pivotal moments, most of which occurred in the last seconds of the fourth quarter. Let's examine a few of the game's most memorable moments.

With less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Lakers guard Austin Reaves pushed the Lakers' lead with his 3-pointer from the left wing. His shot gave LA a 100-94 advantage over Golden State. However, the Warriors didn't give up and trailed closely behind.

Later, with less than 15 seconds left in the game, Curry hit a corner three, cutting the Lakers' lead to one, 111-110. Shortly afterward, the score was 113-110, giving LA the advantage. The Warriors star took over and tied the game with another shot from downtown.

Take a look at Curry's back-to-back 3-pointers below.

However, the best play of the Lakers vs. Warriors game came from Reaves. With 4.4 left in the game, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard drove to the left side and sealed the game with a layup, which gave his team a 115-113 lead.

The Warriors didn't have a timeout and attempted a last-second heave from the other side of the floor but missed. Reaves had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, giving the Purple & Gold team the Christmas Day win.

The next game between the Lakers and Warriors will be on Jan. 25.