Starting 5, Dec. 26: Digging into the closest NBA Christmas ever

‘Twas NBA on Christmas Day,
and all by means of the home…

Hoops followers have been roaring,
leaping up from the sofa.

From Wemby & Ant’s debuts,
to a LeBron & Steph traditional,
A day of epic duels and finishes
…made this #NBAXmas merely implausible.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Dec. 26, 2024

Christmas Spectacular: All the pieces it is advisable to know from an all-time #NBAXmas

Legends Duel: LeBron and Steph placed on a present, and Austin Reaves provides the ultimate bow

MSG Magic: Wemby, Mikal & an #NBAXmas scoring showdown not seen in 60+ years

Extra Should-Sees: The Sixers play Grinch in Boston, the Wolves howl & two Suns shine

Win Streaks Collide: Two of the most well liked groups in hoops meet tonight as Indy hosts OKC

BUT FIRST … ⏰
A Merry #NBAXmas and extra hoops to unbox tonight…

9 video games tip off on Thursday, highlighted by an NBA TV doubleheader. First, the Thunder, boasting a league-best eight-game win streak, conflict with the Pacers, who’ve received 5 straight (7 ET). Then, the Jazz tackle the Blazers in Portland (10 ET).

1. NBA ON CHRISTMAS DAY DELIVERS HOOPS HISTORY

Simply while you thought all of the presents have been unwrapped, Santa introduced extra — an NBA on Christmas Day like by no means earlier than.

Wednesday produced the closest common margin of victory in NBA on Christmas Day historical past, at 5.0 factors (min 5 video games) — with epic recreation after epic recreation:

• Historic Duel: The day’s first reward? Victor Wembanyama (in his Christmas debut) and Mikal Bridges turned the primary opponents to every drop 40+ factors on Christmas since 1961 — and simply the third pair ever
• Ant Comes Up Clutch: Anthony Edwards owned crunch time to stave off Kyrie Irving (39 pts) and a 28-point comeback towards Dallas in a West Finals rematch
• Sixers Assertion: Tyrese Maxey (33) and Joel Embiid (27) mixed for 60 factors because the Sixers edged out the C’s in Boston for his or her eighth win in 11 video games
• LeBron vs. Steph: Immediately traditional between two all-time greats, LeBron James and Steph Curry every dropped 30-pieces, going forwards and backwards down the stretch earlier than Austin Reaves referred to as recreation
• Stars Shine In Phoenix: Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal dropped 27 factors apiece to fight Nikola Jokic’s large double-double

The historical past didn’t cease there.

For the primary time ever, followers noticed an animated alt-cast in the course of the Spurs-Knicks recreation, with Mickey Mouse & Mates balling at Important Avenue USA in a particular ‘Dunk The Halls’ stream. | Full Highlights

Extra Can’t-Miss Moments: Earlier than we spotlight every matchup, let’s go contained in the video games for some particular all-access Christmas content material.

2. A LEBRON & STEPH CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

LeBron James vs. Steph Curry — the reward that retains on giving.

Fifty-three showdowns, 4 Christmas Day duels, and one more traditional.

Lakers 115, Warriors 113: In an all-time battle between two all-time greats, James (31 pts, 10 ast) and Curry (38 pts, 8 3s) exchanged haymakers down the stretch in a must-see end that noticed Austin Reaves drop within the game-winning bucket with one second left for an exciting Lakers’ dub. | Recap

The Duel: In his report nineteenth Christmas Day recreation, LeBron took over when Anthony Davis went down early with an ankle harm, racking up 19 1st-half factors to provide the Lakers a three-point edge on the break.

With 10:32 left within the 4th, Los Angeles had stretched its result in double digits. However then, Steph flipped the change.

• Curry erupted for 17 factors within the 4th, together with three 3s — his first of which lower Golden State’s deficit to 5 with 2:48 left
• How Did James Reply? A 3 of his personal on the different finish. However not even a thunderous LeBron rejection — warranting Mike Breen’s well-known “blocked by James” name — might cease the Dubs’ tidal wave of momentum within the Bay
• Curry Retains Coming: With simply 12.2 ticks left and Golden State needing a bucket, Curry drilled a ridiculous 3 from the nook to trim the deficit to 1
• One other Reply: After the Lakers pushed the lead again to 3, Curry retaliated once more — sinking a game-tying triple with 6.3 seconds left to ship the Chase Middle right into a frenzy
• The Dagger: However simply when it seemed like Curry would possibly save Christmas within the Bay, Austin Reaves stole it for L.A., laying within the game-winner to cap a traditional

“Right this moment is a day of giving,” stated James after the win. “And that’s what me and Steph attempt to do for our followers, and for our lovely recreation. However shoutout to AR, that was clutch.”

• AR & LBJ: Reaves turned the tenth participant to report a #NBAXmas triple-double (26 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast) and scored 10 factors within the 4th, whereas LeBron added 5 factors and 5 dimes
• Reaves: “Sitting right here on Christmas with a game-winner and a triple-double — it’s actually the win that issues essentially the most to me.”

3. WEMBY & BRIDGES’ HISTORIC DUEL AT MSG

Knicks 117, Spurs 114: With 7:16 left within the #NBAXmas opener at Madison Sq. Backyard, Victor Wembanyama – having one of many best #NBAXmas debuts ever – and the Spurs began taking management.

Then historical past occurred.

In one other traditional that noticed Wembanyama (42 pts, 18 reb, 4 blk) rating the Third-most factors in a Christmas debut, the Knicks received 41 huge factors from Mikal Bridges and a few signature, clutch Josh Hart hustle to win their fifth straight recreation. | Recap

• First Time In 63 Years: The 40-40 duel marked the primary time since 1961 – and third time ever – that two opponents have every put up 40 on Christmas
• The First Two Occasions? Richie Guerin vs. Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson vs. Elgin Baylor – each on the identical day in ‘61
• First Time Ever: Not solely did Wemby break the Spurs’ Christmas scoring report, he turned the primary participant ever with 40+ pts, 15+ reb, 4+ blk & 5+ treys in a recreation
• However Bridges’ season-high (17-25 FG, 6-9 3PT), together with 17 NY offensive rebounds, despatched the third-place Knicks to 20-10

The Remaining Minutes: In a recreation that featured 20 lead modifications, San Antonio used a 19-6 run early within the 4th Q – together with 11 pts from Wemby – to go up 102-94 with simply over 7 left.

Then the 2 former Villanova roommates took over, pacing a 23-12 run that electrified The Mecca.

• Bridges and Hart hit back-to-back treys to get the Knicks again into it, on the best way to fifteen mixed factors down the stretch – greater than the Spurs’ entire squad
• No Stop: However because the Knicks rallied, the Spurs wouldn’t go away, with a CP3 trey bringing San Antonio inside 3 with 42 seconds, at 117-114
• All Hart: San Antonio compelled a Jalen Brunson miss with 22 seconds left, however Hart grabbed the offensive board. With 4 seconds left, he grabbed one other
• ‘Workforce’ On 3: Karl-Anthony Cities chipped in 21 pts, and Brunson added 20 because the Knicks’ beginning 5 – the top-scoring beginning unit within the NBA – scored 102 of New York’s 117

4. SIXERS TOP C’S, WOLVES HOWL & SUNS SHINE

On #NBAXMas, with the entire hoops world watching, the surging Sixers made their strongest assertion of the season.

76ers 118, Celtics 114: In one other back-and-forth thriller, Tyrese Maxey (33 pts) and Joel Embiid (27) dazzled to beat 20 made 3s from Boston because the Sixers staved off the defending champs in Beantown for a large dub. | Recap

A Sport Of Runs: After squandering a 16-point lead within the 1st half, Philly used a 21-4 run within the 4th to take management, and though Boston responded with a 10-0 run to chop its deficit to 3, clutch free throws from Maxey, Embiid and Paul George sealed the win.

• Fireplace From 3: It’s the Celtics’ first loss this season once they hit 20+ 3s in a recreation (10-1 report), as Philly additionally lit it up from deep (17-40), together with a career-high seven triples from Caleb Martin
• 4 of Martin’s 3s got here within the 4th quarter as he and Maxey mixed for 25 of Philly’s 36 factors within the remaining body
• Jayson Tatum led Boston with 32 factors and 15 boards, but it surely wasn’t sufficient because the C’s suffered their first back-to-back losses of the season

Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 99: In a Western Convention Finals rematch, the Mavs had come again – all the best way again – to chop a 28-point deficit to 2 with 19 seconds left, when Anthony Edwards got here by means of. | Recap

• The First-Timer: In his first-ever Christmas recreation, Ant capped a 26-point evening by utilizing each ounce of explosiveness to get to the rim and put the Wolves up 103-99
• The Lengthy-Timer: Kyrie Irving’s 39 factors – together with 15 within the 4th to energy a 29-11 Mavs run – marked the second-most he’s ever scored on Christmas (40 in 2018)
• The Mavs wanted all of them, with Luka Doncic (calf) leaving the sport within the 2nd Q
• Ant On Kyrie: “To me, he’s the best level guard”

Klay Climbs To fifth: With 4 3s, Klay Thompson handed Reggie Miller (2,560) for fifth on the NBA’s all-time three-point checklist.

• Stated Klay, who selected No. 31 in Dallas as a tribute to Miller: It’s a “dream come true.”
• Stated Mavs coach Jason Kidd: “He’s one of many best shooters to play the sport.”

Suns 110, Nuggets 100: Within the nightcap, with Devin Booker out for Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal stepped up, posting 27 factors apiece to assist the Suns draw back from the Nuggets, regardless of a giant double-double from Nikola Jokić (25 pts, 15 reb). | Recap

5. WIN STREAKS COLLIDE TONIGHT ON NBA TV AS INDY HOSTS OKC

Extra must-see matchups tip off tonight, starting with a battle between two of the most well liked groups in hoops because the Pacers host the Thunder (7 ET, NBA TV).

OKC enters Thursday atop the West standings, driving the longest lively win streak within the NBA at eight video games.

Indiana is on a five-game heater — tied for the second-longest win streak within the NBA — shifting the crew from eleventh within the East to eighth.

After falling to 10-15 — their lowest win proportion because the 2022-23 season — the Pacers are 15-15, trying to transfer above .500 for the primary time since opening the yr at 1-0.

The important thing to their run? Workforce offense and elite playmaking from All-Star level guard Tyrese Haliburton.

• Clicking: Of their final 5 video games, the Pacers rank fourth in OffRtg (118.1), second in assists (32.0) and first in FG% (50.6)
• The driving drive? Haliburton, averaging 10.6 apg in that span whereas serving to Indy improve its ‘extensive open’ area aim frequency to 31.4% — the second-best within the NBA
• One other increase? Indy’s bench. After main the NBA in bench factors the previous two seasons, the Pacers’ second unit has come alive throughout their win streak, taking pictures an NBA-best 52.9% for 37.8 ppg

Tonight, Indy’s red-hot offense faces a stiff problem towards OKC’s top-ranked protection, which leads the NBA in factors allowed (103.1), opponents FG% (42.4) and steals (12.2).

• Leveling Up: Amid their win eight-game win streak, OKC’s protection has raised the bar, permitting simply 101.0 ppg whereas rising its steals (13.8)

Power vs. Power: Can Indy’s scorching offense crack OKC’s lockdown protection and transfer its report above .500 for the primary time since October? Or will the Thunder lengthen their win streak to 9?

Within the second leg of NBA TV’s doubleheader, Lauri Markkanen and the Jazz will face Shaedon Sharpe and the Blazers in Portland (10 ET).

• Trying Sharpe: In Saturday’s loss to the Spurs, Sharpe recorded his 14th profession recreation of 25+ factors — essentially the most by any Blazer in franchise historical past earlier than turning 22 years outdated
• Hitting The Markk: On the opposite facet, Markkanen is averaging 24.7 factors and 9.3 boards in Utah’s final three video games, main to 2 wins

LP Lineup: Seven video games get underway tonight on League Go, together with Spherical 3 of the Sunshine State rivalry, because the Magic look to enhance to 3-0 towards the Warmth this season.