The expectations for NBA Christmas Day are always extremely high, as the league tries to create the most interesting and spectacular matchups for us fans.
Waiting for the tip-off of the first game of NBA Christmas Day 2024, we present the top three games we’ve seen so far on this magical Christmas Day.
A game that smelled (or stunk, depending on your perspective) of revenge. In fact, in the last Finals, the Celtics had closed out the Lakers in 6 games, securing their 17th franchise title. The Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, a few months later, unleashed their repressed anger and gave Phil Jackson his thousandth win as a coach, along with a small revenge for the title they had just lost.
The tension for this game was incredibly high. That summer, a discontent Shaquille O’Neal had moved to Florida, as the Lakers decided to focus everything on Kobe. Despite Black Mamba scoring 42 points and Big Diesel being ejected for fouls, the Heat won in overtime, thanks to an excellent performance from a young Dwyane Wade.
Golden State was leading throughout the game, but with the score at 108-105, Kyrie Irving stepped up and scored the final 4 decisive points for the Cavs’ victory. From that moment on, LeBron James‘s team gained confidence and pushed through, winning the NBA title after being down 3-1 in the Finals, the first and only time in the history of this magnificent sport.
