NBA on Christmas Day
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The National Basketball Association has played games on Christmas Day since 1949 (previous to 1949, the league was known as the Basketball Association of America). In recent years, these games have become a showcase for the league's premiere teams and players.
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[edit] History
In both 1989 and 1990, the NBA played a league low of one game on Christmas, and in 1998, the league's Christmas Day games were eliminated due to a lockout which wiped out most of the season. In 2004, several in the media complained that there was too much bad blood involved in the league's Christmas Day doubleheader, which featured the first game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers since their infamous brawl and the first game ever featuring Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant as opponents. This criticism came in spite of the fact that these complaints didn't exist in regards to the many years of bitter New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls Christmas Day games in the 1990s.
[edit] Christmas Day Statistics
The Detroit Pistons have the worst Christmas Day record, dating back to their days as the Fort Wayne Pistons, of 9-22. The Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers have made 32 Christmas Day appearances, while the New York Knicks have made a record amount of 44 appearances. The Knicks have the most amount of Christmas Day wins, and the most amount of Christmas Day losses. Their last appearance was a 2001 home game versus the Toronto Raptors.
Houston Rockets guard, Tracy McGrady holds the record for the highest points per game average on Christmas Day, at 43.3, and former New York Knick Bernard King holds the record for amount of points in a single Christmas Day game, at 60. Legendary head coach Phil Jackson has coached on Christmas Day every year since 1990, with the exception of 1995 and 2004. In 1998, the NBA lockout forced the cancellation of a Christmas Day doubleheader, which featured the New York Knicks taking on the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers facing the Phoenix Suns.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls played on Christmas Day in 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997. The Los Angeles Lakers have played on Christmas Day every year since 1999.
[edit] List of Christmas Day Games
[edit] 1949-1960
1949
Syracuse Nationals 94, Anderson Packers 88
Philadelphia Warriors 64, Baltimore Bullets 63
Rochester Royals 88, Boston Celtics 79
Sheboygan Redskins 76, Denver Nuggets 72
Minneapolis Lakers 72, Fort Wayne Pistons 58
Waterloo Hawks 97, Indianapolis Olympians 93
Washington Capitols 81, St. Louis Bombers 68
1950
Tri-Cities Blackhawks 87, Baltimore Bullets 72
Rochester Royals 90, Boston Celtics 77
Syracuse Nationals 81, Fort Wayne Pistons 69
New York Knickerbockers 86, Philadelphia Warriors 84
Minneapolis Lakers 93, Washington Capitols 79
1951
Minneapolis Lakers 100, Boston Celtics 93
New York Knickerbockers 72, Fort Wayne Pistons 65
Rochester Royals 87, Indianapolis Olympians 78
Syracuse Nationals 70, Milwaukee Hawks 65
1952
Syracuse Nationals 102, Baltimore Bullets 92
New York Knickerbockers 97, Boston Celtics 84
Minneapolis Lakers 90, Indianapolis Olympians 73
Fort Wayne Pistons 71, Milwaukee Hawks 69
Rochester Royals 93, Philadelphia Warriors 78
1953
Fort Wayne Pistons 108, Boston Celtics 79
Baltimore Bullets 88, Minneapolis Lakers 78
Rochester Royals 73, Philadelphia Warriors 65
New York Knickerbockers 89, Syracuse Nationals 80
1954
Rochester Royals 80, Fort Wayne Pistons 73
Boston Celtics 108, Milwaukee Hawks 99
Minneapolis Lakers 99, Philadelphia Warriors 91
New York Knickerbockers 109, Syracuse Nationals 101
1955
Boston Celtics 115, Minneapolis Lakers 112
Fort Wayne Pistons 92, New York Knickerbockers 87
Syracuse Nationals 111, Rochester Royals 96
1956
Philadelphia Warriors 89, Boston Celtics 82
Minneapolis Lakers 100, Fort Wayne Pistons 89
St. Louis Hawks 107, New York Knickerbockers 105
Rochester Royals 98, Syracuse Nationals 93
1957
Philadelphia Warriors 115, Boston Celtics 105
Minneapolis Lakers 106, Detroit Pistons 104
Syracuse Nationals 134, New York Knickerbockers 130
1958
St. Louis Hawks 100, Cincinnati Royals 92
Detroit Pistons 98, Minneapolis Lakers 97
Boston Celtics 129, New York Knickerbockers 120
1959
Cincinnati Royals 121, Detroit Pistons 103
St. Louis Hawks 112, Minneapolis Lakers 96
Boston Celtics 123, New York Knickerbockers 119
Philadelphia Warriors 129, Syracuse Nationals 121
1960
Cincinnati Royals 126, Detroit Pistons 119
Syracuse Nationals 162, New York Knickerbockers 100
[edit] 1961-1970
1961
Los Angeles Lakers 141, Cincinnati Royals 127
Chicago Packers 118, Detroit Pistons 97
New York Knickerbockers 136, Philadelphia Warriors 135
Boston Celtics 127, Syracuse Nationals 122
1962
Cincinnati Royals 131, Detroit Pistons 120
Syracuse Nationals 123, New York Knickerbockers 111
San Francisco Warriors 94, St. Louis Hawks 91
1963
Los Angeles Lakers 134, New York Knickerbockers 126
Cincinnati Royals 113, St. Louis Hawks 107
1964
Boston Celtics 118, Detroit Pistons 106
Baltimore Bullets 114, New York Knickerbockers 108
Cincinnati Royals 130, St. Louis Hawks 125
1965
Boston Celtics 113, Baltimore Bullets 99
Los Angeles Lakers 115, Detroit Pistons 106
St. Louis Hawks 131, New York Knickerbockers 111
Cincinnati Royals 119, San Francisco Warriors 113
1966
Detroit Pistons 129, Baltimore Bullets 127
New York Knickerbockers 133, Chicago Bulls 132
San Francisco Warriors 124, Cincinnati Royals 112
1967
Philadelphia 76ers 108, Baltimore Bullets 105
San Diego Rockets 104, Los Angeles Lakers 101
Boston Celtics 134, New York Knickerbockers 124
Cincinnati Royals 118, Seattle Supersonics 112
1968
Cincinnati Royals 103, Chicago Bulls 98
Detroit Pistons 119, Milwaukee Bucks 113
New York Knickerbockers 110, Philadelphia 76ers 109
Los Angeles Lakers 119, Phoenix Suns 99
Baltimore Bullets 118, Seattle Supersonics 112
1969
Phoenix Suns 127, Boston Celtics 116
San Francisco Warriors 124, Cincinnati Royals 120
New York Knickerbockers 112, Detroit Pistons 111
Baltimore Bullets 121, Philadelphia 76ers 113
1970
Phoenix Suns 127, Atlanta Hawks 115
Los Angeles Lakers 123, Boston Celtics 113
New York Knickerbockers 115, Buffalo Braves 102
Baltimore Bullets 128, Chicago Bulls 112
Cincinnati Royals 117, Cleveland Cavaliers 100
Philadelphia 76ers 105, Detroit Pistons 100
[edit] 1971-1980
1971
Atlanta Hawks 140, Buffalo Braves 117
Boston Celtics 99, Cincinnati Royals 94
New York Knickerbockers 114, Golden State Warriors 89
Detroit Pistons 120, Milwaukee Bucks 118
Baltimore Bullets 117, Philadelphia 76ers 114
Chicago Bulls 109, Portland Trail Blazers 88
Phoenix Suns 116, Seattle Supersonics 86
1972
Phoenix Suns 115, Chicago Bulls 108
New York Knickerbockers 113, Detroit Pistons 110
Milwaukee Bucks 104, Kansas City-Omaha Kings 99
Portland Trail Blazers 116, Seattle Supersonics 113
1973
Phoenix Suns 135, Los Angeles Lakers 100
Capital Bullets 102, New York Knickerbockers 100
1974
Washington Bullets 110, Atlanta Hawks 92
Phoenix Suns 110, Boston Celtics 96
Philadelphia 76ers 104, New York Knickerbockers 97
1975
Washington Bullets 99, Atlanta Hawks 94
New Orleans Jazz 101, Houston Rockets 99
Phoenix Suns 122, Kansas City Kings 111
New York Knickerbockers 111, Philadelphia 76ers 103
1976
Washington Bullets 117, Cleveland Cavaliers 99
Buffalo Braves 115, Detroit Pistons 106
Chicago Bulls 96, Kansas City Kings 91
Phoenix Suns 113, Los Angeles Lakers 96
Philadelphia 76ers 105, New York Knickerbockers 104
Portland Trail Blazers 110, Seattle Supersonics 95
1977
Washington Bullets 100, Atlanta Hawks 93
Cleveland Cavaliers 111, Buffalo Braves 105
Portland Trail Blazers 109, Golden State Warriors 97
Milwaukee Bucks 131, Kansas City Kings 122
San Antonio Spurs 115, New Orleans Jazz 105
New York Knickerbockers 113, Philadelphia 76ers 110
Los Angeles Lakers 111, Seattle Supersonics 96
1978
Portland Trail Blazers 115, Golden State Warriors 102
Philadelphia 76ers 109, New York Knickerbockers 94
San Diego Clippers 123, Seattle Supersonics 118
1979
Utah Jazz 12, Denver Nuggets 111
Cleveland Cavaliers 111, Detroit Pistons 101
Portland Trail Blazers 113, Golden State Warriors 91
New York Knickerbockers 131, New Jersey Nets 102
Philadelphia 76ers 95, Washington Bullets 92
1980
Portland Trail Blazers 115, Golden State Warriors 114
Washington Bullets 109, New Jersey Nets 94
Boston Celtics 117, New York Knickerbockers 108
Phoenix Suns 131, San Antonio Spurs 111
[edit] 1981-1990
1981
Washington Bullets 115, Indiana Pacers 98
New Jersey Nets 96, New York Knickerbockers 95
Los Angeles Lakers 104, Phoenix Suns 101
Portland Trail Blazers 99, Seattle Supersonics 94
1982
New Jersey Nets 112, New York Knickerbockers 110
Portland Trail Blazers 95, Seattle Supersonics 88
Phoenix Suns 111, Utah Jazz 101
Atlanta Hawks 97, Washington Bullets 91
1983
Portland Trail Blazers 141, Los Angeles Lakers 121
New York Knickerbockers 112, New Jersey Nets 110
1984
Cleveland Cavaliers 109, Atlanta Hawks 106
Philadelphia 76ers 109, Detroit Pistons 108
Portland Trail Blazers 106, Golden State Warriors 97
New Jersey Nets 120, New York Knickerbockers 114
1985
New York Knickerbockers 113, Boston Celtics 104
Portland Trail Blazers 121, Los Angeles Clippers 107
1986
New York Knickerbockers 86, Chicago Bulls 85
Washington Bullets 102, Philadelphia 76ers 97
1987
Detroit Pistons 91, New York Knickerbockers 87
Atlanta Hawks 106, Philadelphia 76ers 100
1988
Utah Jazz 101, Los Angeles Lakers 87
Philadelphia 76ers 125, Washington Bullets 110
1989
Atlanta Hawks 115, Cleveland Cavaliers 104
1990
Chicago Bulls 98, Detroit Pistons 86
[edit] 1991-2000
1991
Chicago Bulls 121, Boston Celtics 99
Los Angeles Lakers 85, Los Angeles Clippers 75
1992
San Antonio Spurs 103, Los Angeles Clippers 94
Chicago Bulls 89, New York Knicks 77
1993
Phoenix Suns 111, Houston Rockets 91
Chicago Bulls 95, Orlando Magic 93
1994
Chicago Bulls 107, New York Knicks 104
Denver Nuggets 105, Seattle Supersonics 96
1995
Orlando Magic 92, Houston Rockets 90
San Antonio Spurs 105, Phoenix Suns 100
1996
Chicago Bulls 95, Detroit Pistons 83
Los Angeles Lakers 108, Phoenix Suns 87
1997
Utah Jazz 107, Houston Rockets 103
Chicago Bulls 90, Miami Heat 80
1998
No games due to lockout.
1999
Indiana Pacers 101, New York Knicks 90
Los Angeles Lakers 99, San Antonio Spurs 93
2000
Portland Trail Blazers 109, Los Angeles Lakers 104
Indiana Pacers 103, Orlando Magic 93
[edit] 2001-2010
2001
New York Knicks 102, Toronto Raptors 94
Los Angeles Lakers 88, Philadelphia 76ers 82
2002
Orlando Magic 104, Detroit Pistons 99
New Jersey Nets 117, Boston Celtics 81
Sacramento Kings 105, Los Angeles Lakers 99
2003
Orlando Magic 113, Cleveland Cavaliers 101
Dallas Mavericks 111, Sacramento Kings 103
Houston Rockets 99, Los Angeles Lakers 87
2004
Detroit Pistons 98, Indiana Pacers 93
Miami Heat 104, Los Angeles Lakers 102 (OT)
2005
Detroit Pistons 85, San Antonio Spurs 70
Miami Heat 97, Los Angeles Lakers 92
