Top 5 Christmas Day games of all time

For NBA fans, Christmas Day games are an indispensable holiday tradition, the gift that keeps on giving, if you will. From historical records to grudge matches, these Yuletide showdowns offer entertaining hardcourt action featuring some of the biggest names in the history of the sport. Let's take a look at five of the best Christmas Day games in NBA history:

Top 5 Christmas Day games

#5. New York Knicks vs. New Jersey Nets - 1984

On Christmas Day in 1984, NBA fans watched history being made. They might not have realized it at the time, but New York Knicks star Bernard King would set the bar so high that no other NBA player has surpassed it to this day.

King went off for a whopping 60-piece against the New Jersey Nets. The forward did it in vintage King style, banging bodies in the paint, showing a soft touch and even catching a lob or two. Despite King's effort, the Knicks lost this high-scoring affair 120-114, however, King etched his name in the record books.

#4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics - 2008

In 2008, the Los Angeles Lakers met the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals for the first time in 21 years, with the Celtics winning their 17th title. So when Boston and LA met up again on Christmas Day that year, the NBA community tuned in to see how their rematch would play out.

Two huge developments happened in this grudge match, which the Lakers won 92-83. First, Kobe Bryant and his crew put an end to the 19-game winning streak enjoyed by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and the rest of the defending champions. Second, this was Phil Jackson's 1,000th victory as a head coach.

#3. Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat - 2004

Speaking of the Lakers' rivalries, all eyes were on the Los Angeles-Miami matchup on December 25, 2004. This was the first time that Shaquille O'Neal, manning the middle for the Heat, would go up against his partner-turned-rival, Kobe Bryant.

After barely acknowledging each other right before tip-off, Shaq and the Kobester went at each other in this Christmas Day showdown. Kobe finished with 42 points, while Shaq had a robust double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Heat also had Dwyane Wade, who added 29 points and 10 assists.

#2. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics - 2021

In more ways than one, 2021 was Giannis Antetokounmpo's year. After winning his first NBA title and Finals MVP in the summer, the Greek Freak continued to prove himself on Christmas Day when the Milwaukee Bucks took on the Boston Celtics.

Antetokounmpo and the defending champions had to prove their mettle when they found themselves down by 13 with less than six minutes to go. The final stretch of the game saw a furious rally from the Bucks, which climaxed in a Wesley Matthews Jr. trey with 30.3 seconds left that gave them their first lead. Milwaukee managed to secure a 117-113 win.

#1. Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers - 2016

This Christmas Day game happened right in the middle of the Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry that dominated the late 2010s. At the time, the Cavs were sitting at the summit of the NBA after defeating the Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

The Warriors wielded the firepower of Kevin Durant, who finished with 36 points on the night. However, despite being down by 14 in the early goings of the final period, the Cavaliers staged a spirited comeback featuring a Kyrie Irving turnaround beauty with less than four seconds left. Cleveland eked out a 109-108 win in this Christmas Day showdown.