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LeBron James has been synonymous with NBA Christmas Day games for as long as he’s been in the league. His 19 appearances on the holiday stage are the most of any player in league history, and he has led his teams to an 11-8 record in those games, with his 11 Christmas wins representing another all-time record. And, yes, James has scored more points on Christmas Day (507) than any other player in the history of the NBA.
This year, James will play on Christmas for the 20th time in his career when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets at 8 p.m. (ET). In recent comments to the press, James admitted that he’d prefer to spend the holiday at home, but acknowledged the importance of the day on the NBA calendar and the honor it is to represent the league on the occasion.
“I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day,” he said. “But our number is called, so we have to go out and perform … But I mean, it’s the game, it’s the game I love. It’s the game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas. It’s always been an honor to play it.”
Here are some of the standout performances from James’ 19 previous Christmas Day games.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic, 2003
Zion Williamson’s 32 points are the 2nd most scored on Christmas Day by a player before turning 21. LeBron James put up 34 on #NBAXmas in 2003. #NBAVault pic.twitter.com/frVWQEOTNB
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) December 26, 2020
“I’m LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and I want to wish everyone a happy holiday, Merry Christmas, and hopefully Santa brings you all your gifts that you asked for,” James said in a promotional video before making his Christmas Day debut as an 18-year-old rookie. James rose to the occasion with 34 points for Cleveland, but Tracy McGrady ultimately stole the show with 41 points in the 113-101 Orlando win.
Still, James’ performance marked the arrival of a new superstar on the NBA’s grandest regular-season stage.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers, 2009
Christmas Day 2009 delivered a matchup between James and Kobe Bryant during a period in league history when the question of LeBron versus Kobe as the NBA’s best player was one of the hottest debates in sports. Inside a packed Staples Center, Cleveland jumped out to a commanding first-half lead that stunned the Los Angeles crowd and shifted the game’s tone for good.
James controlled the action throughout the game, with 26 points and nine assists, while Bryant notched 35 points, 10 boards and eight assists in a vintage performance — but the Cavaliers walked away with a 102–87 win.
