The Most Iconic NBA Christmas Games Of All Time

The festive period isn’t just a time to kick back and relax with our families. It can also be a major moment for sports, with the NBA hosting annual games that see the best of the best come together in a bid to win the festive title for the year.

Although there have been some interruptions in recent years, the most iconic NBA Christmas Games of all time show that things have often got pretty competitive out there on the court. The best bit? Each year offers up new chances to get some of the best games we get to see from the sport.

1994: Knicks vs. Bulls

Michael Jordan was still in retirement at the time, but that didn’t mean people were going to miss out on the 1994 Christmas NBA Game. The Knicks and the Bulls were the ones to go head to head, having already faced some cutthroat games throughout the rest of the season. While the Bulls were the ones to walk away victorious, it was an incredibly close game, ending on 107-104. Scottie Pippen was the particular standout of the fame, scoring 36 points for the Bulls, five steals, three assists, and even 16 rebounds. Of course, in true Pippen style, he was the one to defend the Bulls’ lead in the final moments of the game. 

2013: Clippers v. Warriors

The 2010s were filled with plenty of memorable moments in the NBA, including the long-standing rivalry between the Clippers and the Warriors. It was largely kicked off in 2013 when Stephen Curry was just starting to make a name for himself in the sport, and it wasn’t long before he got to show his true skills on the court. Still, it wasn’t easy. Curry was taking on Chris Paul, who was a member of the Clippers at the time, in a showdown that only one could win. Although it took until the fourth quarter for Curry to score 10 of his 15 points, it just wasn’t enough, with the Warriors walking away victorious 105-103.

2004: Heat vs. Lakers

What better way to heat things up on Christmas Day than to pit Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal against one another for the festive season? The pair had been playing together with the Los Angeles Lakers before Shaq split and moved to the Miami Heat. Still, it wasn’t until the Christmas Game that the former teammates came face to face again, with both battling it out to prove who was the best of the best. The Heat already went into the game with a ten-game winning streak, something the Lakers came so close to ending. The final two minutes of the game had everyone on the edge of their seats, with Bryant just missing out on the potential game-winning points in the final moments. 

2016: Warriors vs. Cavaliers

Much like the Clippers and the Warriors had a rivalry in the 2010s, it seems the latter also didn’t know how to make friends with the Cavaliers. Their 2010s rivalry all came together in 2016 with one of the most highly-anticipated rematches of all time in the form of the NBA Christmas Game. The hype was through the roof as the likes of Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James took to the court for the ultimate showdown, with each team going head-to-head until the final second. Irving was one of the biggest standouts of the game, helping to ultimately lead the Cavaliers to victory in a Christmas Game that certainly didn’t disappoint.

The most iconic NBA Christmas Games of all time have certainly given us plenty of memorable moments throughout the years. The best bit? It’s something the sport promises to recreate each year, and it hasn’t disappointed us yet.