Audience’s overview: What to expect throughout NBA on Xmas Day 2022 

December 23, 2022

Santa. Rudolph. Chilly. Presents. Lights. Mistletoe. Eggnog. Gingerbread. NBA Basketball.

Sunday will certainly note the 75th version of the NBA on Xmas Day with a five-game slate for the 15th successive year, providing followers a complete day of continuously hoops to blend in with their household’s vacation practices.

Listed below, we’ll damage down each of the 5 marquee matches on Xmas Day. As well as with all 5 video games being transmitted on both ABC and also ESPN in the USA for the very first time ever before, American followers can pick their network early and also ditch the remote for the remainder of the day.


76ers vs. Knicks (12 ET, ABC/ESPN)

The Knicks and also Sixers have actually been 2 of the most effective groups in the month of December.

No group has actually played even more video games on Xmas Day than the New York City Knicks as Sunday’s video game versus the Philly 76ers will certainly note their 55th look in the vacation display. The Knicks are 23-31 on Xmas Day, one win reluctant of the Lakers’ document of 24 on the vacation.

The Sixers are linked for the third-most success on Xmas Day with a document of 18-14 in their 32 looks. Sunday’s video game notes the 13th time that these 2 franchise business will certainly encounter each various other on Xmas Day, making this competition one of the most usual match on Dec. 25 in organization background.

The Sixers franchise business got in the NBA in 1949 as the Syracuse Nationals and also played 14 periods in upstate New york city prior to moving to Philly in 1963. The Nationals went 3-2 versus the Knicks in 5 Xmas Day matches, while the 76ers have actually gone 4-3 in 7 matches as they lead the general collection 7-5.

Bear in mind that a lot of these Xmas Day video games was available in the very first fifty percent of the NBA’s background as Sunday’s video game will certainly note simply the 2nd time the Knicks and also Sixers have actually fulfilled on the vacation in over 40 years.

Year
Matchup/Result (Place)
1953
New York City Knicks 89 vs. Syracuse Nationals 80 (Madison Square Yard III)
1954
New York City Knicks 109 vs. Syracuse Nationals 101 (Madison Square Yard III)
1957
Syracuse Nationals 134 vs. New York City Knicks 130 (OT) (Onondaga Battle Memorial)
1960
Syracuse Nationals 162 vs. New York City Knicks 100 (Onondaga Battle Memorial)
1962
Syracuse Nationals 123 at New York City Knicks 111 (Madison Square Yard III)
1968
New York City Knicks 110 vs. Philly 76ers 109 (Madison Square Yard)
1974
Philly 76ers 104 at New York City Knicks 97 (Madison Square Yard)
1975
New York City Knicks 111 vs. Philly 76ers 103 (Madison Square Yard)
1976
Philly 76ers 105 at New York City Knicks 104 (Madison Square Yard)
1977
New York City Knicks 113 vs. Philly 76ers 110 (Madison Square Yard)
1978
Philly 76ers 109 at New York City Knicks 94 (Madison Square Yard)
2017
Philly 76ers 105 at New York City Knicks 98 (Madison Square Yard)

A win for New york city on Sunday would certainly draw the Knicks right into a connection with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most wins in Xmas Day background with 24. Certainly, that link can last simply a plain couple of hrs as the Lakers are included in Sunday’s 2nd marquee video game.

The Knicks go into Xmas weekend break as 2 of the most popular groups in the organization.

Sunday’s video game will certainly note the 4th Xmas Day for Joel Embiid and also the 10th for colleague James Harden. Embiid’s 30.0 ppg standard in his very first 3 Xmas Day video games places 7th all-time, while Harden’s 244 overall factors in his very first 9 Xmas Day video games place 8th all-time. Harden additionally places 2nd in Xmas Day 3-pointers (26) and also 8th in helps (68 ), simply one reluctant of Knicks tale Walt Frazier.


Lakers vs. Mavericks (2:30 ET, ABC/ESPN)

LeBron James’ 17th Xmas Day video game will certainly damage Kobe Bryant’s document for a lot of Xmas Day looks.

The link to the No. 24 runs deep with the Lakers’ franchise business and also its followers all over the world as it is just one of both retired numbers coming from the late Kobe Bryant, that showed up in 16 Xmas Day video games throughout his fabulous 20-year profession in purple and also gold.

Sunday’s video game in Dallas notes the 24th straight year that the Lakers will certainly use Xmas Day. Additionally, Los Angeles gets in the match with 24 success (one of the most by any kind of group on Xmas Day) and also 24 losses on the vacation.

LeBron James– that is the profession Xmas Day leader in factors (422 ), basket made (150) and also 3-pointers made (28)– will certainly damage a connection with Bryant for the most Xmas Day looks ever before as he will certainly use the vacation for the 17th time in his 20th period in the organization. A Lakers sway the Mavericks would certainly see LeBron gain his 11th Xmas Day triumph, which would certainly damage a connection with previous colleague Dwyane Wade for single property of starting point all-time.

This will certainly be the 2nd Xmas Day conference in 3 years in between the Lakers and also Mavericks, with Los Angeles beating Dallas 138-115 back in 2020. Both groups enter this year’s video game coming off a loss last Xmas: The Lakers was up to the Brooklyn Nets 122-115, while the Mavericks was up to the Utah Jazz 120-116.

Along with establishing the document for Xmas Day video games played, LeBron will certainly additionally enhance his document completes in factors and also basket made on Sunday. One document that might enter risk is his mark for 3-pointers made with 28 in his Xmas profession. Philly’s James Harden gets in Sunday routing LeBron by simply 2 3-pointers; Harden standards 2.6 treys made per video game on the period.

At The Same Time, Russell Westbrook can expand his Xmas Day document in swipes– he has 29 in 11 video games on Dec. 25– as he gets in Sunday resting 3 up on his colleague LeBron, and also both ordinary simply over one take per video game on the period.

Sunday’s video game will certainly be the 2nd Xmas Day ready Luka Doncic, that published 27 factors and also 7 helps in a loss to the Lakers on Xmas Day 2020. Doncic was non-active for Dallas’ video game versus Utah last Xmas.


Bucks vs. Celtics (5 ET, ABC/ESPN)

tatum giannis

The Bucks and also Celtics will certainly fulfill for the very first time because the 2022 playoffs.

Not just is this a match of the leading 2 groups in the Eastern Seminar– Milwaukee (22-9) gets in Xmas weekend break with a half-game lead over Boston (22-10) — it is additionally the very first of 2 rematches from the 2022 NBA Championship on the Xmas Day routine.

On Sunday, the Bucks and also Celtics will certainly fulfill for the very first time because Boston got rid of Milwaukee in 7 video games in in 2015’s Eastern Seminar semifinals. Because collection, Jayson Tatum (27.6 ppg) and also Jaylen Brown (22.0 ppg) incorporated to ordinary virtually 50 factors per video game, while Giannis Antetokounmpo led all gamers in the collection in factors (33.9 ), rebounds (14.7) and also helps (7.1 ).

This period, Tatum (30.6) and also Brownish (26.2) comprise the highest-scoring duo in the organization going into Xmas week with an integrated standard of 56.6 factors per video game. For the Bucks, Giannis (31.6) and also Jrue Vacation (18.8) have actually incorporated to ordinary approximately 50 factors per video game.

Khris Middleton– that missed out on last period’s playoff collection with a knee injury– has actually played simply 7 video games going into Xmas weekend break adhering to offseason wrist surgical procedure. The Bucks currently lead the Eastern Seminar with Middleton still functioning his back to create and also will certainly be a lot more unsafe once he’s back to complete stamina.

The Bucks and also Celtics will certainly fulfill on Xmas Day for the 2nd year straight. Last period, the Bucks rallied from a 19-point shortage to defeat the Celtics 117-113 behind 36 factors, 12 rebounds, 5 helps and also a clutch block from Giannis and also 17 each from Vacation and also Middleton. Tatum and also Brown led the Celtics with 25 factors each, while Marcus Smart included 19.

Boston gets in Sunday’s video game placed 3rd all-time in video games used Xmas Day (35) however will certainly hold a Xmas Day ready just the 4th time in franchise business background. The Celtics are 1-2 in your home, 13-17 when driving and also 1-1 at neutral websites in video games used Dec. 25.

This will certainly be Milwaukee’s fifth-straight Xmas Day video game and also 9th general in their franchise business background. The Dollars are 3-2 when driving on Xmas Day and also have actually gone 8-5 when driving up until now this period.


Grizzlies vs. Warriors (8 ET, ABC/ESPN)

The Grizzlies just have 3 gamers with video game experience on Xmas Day. Ja Morant will certainly be making his launching.

This is the secondly of both playoff rematches on Xmas Day. Golden State and also Memphis will certainly fulfill for the very first time because the Warriors beat the Grizzlies in 6 video games in the Western Seminar semifinals en course to winning their 4th title in 8 periods.

The Warriors have actually been a staple of the NBA on Xmas Day for the previous years as Sunday will certainly be the 10th successive year and also the 12th time in the last 13 periods that Golden State has actually used the vacation. The Warriors enter this year with a 14-17 document in 31 Xmas Day video games.

On the other side, this will certainly be the very first time in group background that the Memphis Grizzlies will certainly use Xmas Day. Simply 3 gamers on the Grizzlies’ lineup have actually used Xmas Day: Steven Adams, Tyus Jones and also Danny Environment-friendly (that is out recuperating from an ACL tear). With Memphis finishing its Xmas Day dry spell, the only group yet to use Xmas Day is the Charlotte Hornets.

When it pertains to giving out the present of incredible highlights to NBA followers around the world, there has actually not been a gamer a lot more giving up current periods than Ja Morant. Currently it is his time to beam intense under the Xmas Day limelight. As well as he reaches do so versus Golden State after he was restricted to simply the very first 3 video games of last period’s playoff collection after experiencing a bone contusion in his knee.

In the 3 video games he played, he was remarkable, balancing 38.3 factors, consisting of a 47-point treasure in Video game 2 as he racked up Memphis’ last 15 factors of the video game, doing so with minimal vision after taking a hit to the face going with a rebound in the 3rd quarter.

Sadly, the Warriors will certainly lack Stephen Curry, that experienced a shoulder injury last Wednesday that is anticipated to maintain him out for a couple of weeks.


Suns vs. Nuggets (10:30 ET, ABC/ESPN)

devinbooker nikolajokic

Devin Booker (left) and also Nikola Jokic are coming off some current beast efficiencies.

After the presents have actually been traded, the dishes have actually been prepared and also delighted in, clear up in for the last video game of the vacation as the Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix az Suns in their very first conference of the period and also their very first conference ever before on Xmas Day.

The Nuggets (18-11) and also Suns (19-12) enter Xmas weekend break placed very first and also 4th, specifically, in the Western Seminar. The Suns go into Sunday’s video game having actually beat the Nuggets in 6 of their last 7 conferences: sweeping Denver in the 2021 Western Seminar semifinals (4-0) and also winning last period’s normal period collection 2-1.

Phoenix az additionally enters into this match with a background of success on Xmas Day. The Suns are 12-7 (.632) in 19 Xmas Day video games, as they hold the fifth-highest win percent on the vacation amongst all groups.

Denver has simply one Xmas Day win in its background, which was available in 1994 versus the Seattle SuperSonics. Just 4 gamers on the present Nuggets lineup– Jeff Environment-friendly, Ish Smith, DeAndre Jordan and also Kentavious Caldwell-Pope– were also active the last time the Nuggets won a video game on Xmas Day. Generally, Denver is 1-6 (.143) on the vacation, providing the Nuggets the second-lowest win percent as they lead just Toronto, which is winless in 2 Xmas Day video games.

Both groups have celebrity gamers coming off beast video games. For the Suns, Devin Booker racked up a season-high 58 factors in Phoenix az’s 118-114 sway New Orleans on Saturday. It was Booker’s third-highest racking up result of his profession, routing just his 70-point video game from 2017 and also a 59-point efficiency in 2019. Not to be surpassed, the ruling two-time Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokic kipped down an efficiency that had actually not been seen because Wilt Chamberlain as he published a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Denver’s 119-115 sway Charlotte on Sunday.

Could Booker difficulty Bernard King’s Xmas Day racking up document of 60 factors? Could Jokic end up being simply the 9th gamer to videotape a Xmas Day triple-double? Or end up being the very first with a 40-point triple-double because Oscar Robertson in 1961? A little of background would certainly be a best method to cover off the vacation.

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