It’s Christmas. From Michael Jordan to LeBron James, including Kobe Bryant, Bernard King and Scottie Pippen, an overview of the best Christmas Games that the NBA has offered us.
1984 – Nets vs Knicks, the vain masterpiece of Bernard King
Injuries prevented him from having a huge career and everlasting recognition from the general public. But Bernard King was indeed the biggest scoring machine in the NBA at the time. And for this recurring poster at the time for the Christmas Games, the real King of New York has gone totally nuts. Incandescent.
In addition to his 7 rebounds and 4 assists, Bernard King planted 60 pawns at 19 of 30 (and 22 of 26 in the LF). The biggest all-time performance for a Christmas game, and certainly the best game ever by a Knick. Moreover, this orgy was a point record at Madison Square Garden which held nearly 25 years.
An orgy which was not enough to overcome the neighbors of New Jersey. Notably because the Nets also had a fabulous player that the general public does not remember. Undermined by drug problems before being banned from the league, Michael Ray Richardson still managed to participate in three All-Star Games, nab a title of best passer and three best interceptors. And that night, his 36 pts, 5 rebounds, 4 wts and 4 steals prevented the most beautiful perf released on December 25 from ending in a victory (120-114).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97sMYhgdE7s
2013 – Warriors vs Clippers, match fou
The Golden State Warriors were just a future great team in the making. Steve Kerr was not yet their coach, as he would succeed Mark Jackson the following offseason. Despite the youth of the Warriors’ squad, this game was arguably one of the most exciting and crazy Christmas Games of the decade.
The Splash Bros didn’t impress more than that (especially Curry, who scored a complicated 5 of 17), but the game was super tight. The Warriors narrowly won (103-105) thanks to the cracking of the two great men of the evening opposite. Blake Griffin (20, pts, 14 rebounds) was ejected after entering the game of a cunning end. Then on the last seconds, Chris Paul (26 words, 11 pds) loses the ball, recovers it by making a return in zone not whistled, and is very badly covered by Klay Thompson on the drive. On the next throw-in, Jamal Crawford has the winning ball, but pressed again by Klay, is a bit short.
Not necessarily the first we go through since there was no memorable performance, but certainly one of the craziest Christmas matches to watch in recent years.
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