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Ohm Youngmisuk
CHRISTMAS DAY GAME recollections are a blur for Doc Rivers.
Since 1984, Rivers has performed or coached on Christmas a complete of 17 occasions. As he recounted two tales about his favourite Christmas moments, the Milwaukee Bucks head coach naturally turned to the Boston Celtics–Los Angeles Lakers rivalry — however he wasn’t utterly positive whether or not one of many recollections was really on Christmas.
Rivers, the previous Boston head coach, instructed one in every of his favourite tales: He famously collected $100 from every member of the Celtics’ traveling party on a street journey and stashed the cash within the ceiling of the guests locker room on the Lakers’ residence enviornment. (Rivers’ legendary motivational tactic really occurred after a February regular-season recreation towards the Lakers in 2010, and the Celtics returned to gather that cash within the NBA Finals).
He additionally thought it was attainable that the time Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson’s Lakers got here out in retro quick shorts towards Rivers’ Celtics might’ve occurred on Christmas. (It was on Dec. 30, 2007, shut sufficient to mix into Christmas). The Celtics and Lakers did play one another on the vacation in 2008.
What Rivers does bear in mind in actual element is the “love-hate” nature of taking part in on the vacation.
“I’ve had a number of Christmas video games,” Rivers defined to ESPN. “It is totally different. I like it and hate it on the identical time as a result of having time with your loved ones, it is so necessary.
“But additionally, there’s nothing higher. It is probably the most favourite recreation to win. On a Christmas afternoon, while you end that recreation and also you win — you come residence with your loved ones. It is simply a tremendous day. I’ve had some nice ones.”
The ten groups that play on the marquee vacation stage should match their Christmas Day household traditions round their game-day routine at residence or sacrifice opening presents with family members on Christmas if they’re on the street.
That’s the reason when the Golden State Warriors — who shall be taking part in for a thirteenth consecutive time on Christmas towards the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Heart — are on the street Dec. 25, they may have members of the family fly and be part of them on the journey. Whereas LeBron and Bronny James have the chance to play collectively on Christmas once more, the Lakers’ father-son duo nonetheless has to schedule the James household’s festivities round their matchup.
The NBA tries to make engaged on the vacation really feel as celebratory as attainable by giving the coaches and gamers a gift, like a pleasant leather-based pockets, a bag or an digital reward.
“You get up in Room 736 and also you overlook that it is Christmas,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr instructed ESPN of what it is wish to play a street recreation on Christmas. “And also you have a look at your textual content from Eric Hausen [Warriors vice president of team operations] saying, ‘Merry Christmas.’ And you are like, ‘Oh yeah, it is Christmas.’ You go down to your assembly within the third-floor ballroom, and everyone says ‘Merry Christmas’ and also you do the scouting report and it is simply weird.
“You go to the world, there’s all the time a present from [NBA commissioner] Adam Silver, which is sweet. And you then play and everyone within the enviornment is festive as a result of they’re coming from their Christmas morning and also you’re serious about your personal household and wishing you have been at residence. However that is the deal. That is what we join.”
Gamers and coaches who’ve video games on Christmas agree with Kerr and Rivers that it is an honor. However taking part in on the vacation, particularly on the street, also can go away some feeling just like the Grinch.
“We do an enormous dinner if it is a day recreation,” Rivers mentioned. “If it is the final recreation of the day, it is only a s—ty day. So far as you spend time ready round through the day at residence and you then go to the sport.”
As this Christmas approaches, stars and coaches share with ESPN their Christmas tales, yuletide emotions and even gripes about taking part in on Santa’s day.
Soar to a story:
A James Family Christmas
The Kerr Nightmare (on) Christmas
A Green Christmas Miracle
All I want for Christmas is a PJ
Mitchell’s Holiday Special
BRONNY JAMES, 21, would not bear in mind a time when he did not watch his father play on Christmas. Like Bronny, a whole era has grown up watching LeBron James play a file 19 occasions on Dec. 25 since his 2003 debut season, together with the previous 18 Christmas Days.
That additionally means the James household has shared their patriarch with the world each vacation.
“You simply tried to hope that recreation was residence so we might have him residence for Christmas,” Bronny instructed ESPN. “However we all the time go residence to our home and open presents within the morning. If he isn’t there, then we’ll wait or do it the day earlier than. So, it is all the time been sort of like a coin flip. However we attempt to make it occur [on Christmas Day] as a lot as attainable.”
Final Christmas was historic: The daddy-son duo turned the primary to be teammates for a recreation on the vacation. Whereas Bronny didn’t play, he watched Dad outshine Stephen Curry at Golden State with 31 factors, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block.
“I might a lot slightly be at residence with my household,” LeBron mentioned Saturday. “Nevertheless it’s the sport. It is the sport I like. It is the sport I watched once I was a child on Christmas Day, watching a number of the best to play the sport. It is all the time been an honor to play it. Clearly, I’ll be utterly trustworthy, I wish to be residence on the sofa with my household all all through the day. However my quantity known as, our numbers are known as, so we now have to exit and carry out. And I look ahead to it.”
It doesn’t matter what day the James household celebrates Christmas yearly, Zhuri, the youngest daughter, all the time will get the festivities began.
“Zhuri shall be up at 6 within the morning and already downstairs ready for us,” Bronny mentioned. “We’ll come down like an hour later, and he or she’ll be mad that we’re so late. Simply sitting there staring on the presents.”
LeBron has probably the most factors (507), second-most assists (137) and sixth-most rebounds (143) on Christmas Day, but it surely has come on the value of getting to suit the household’s Christmas celebration across the video games.
“I by no means actually was bummed out [too much],” Bronny mentioned. “I imply, I used to be, sort of, however I knew why. So it wasn’t actually an issue for me, and we all the time discovered a solution to rejoice it by some means when he was again. However after all, each household desires to be collectively on Christmas. It was tough generally. Particularly for my mother [Savannah], simply having to plan one thing else.
“… My siblings and my mother are all the time collectively on Christmas. However simply having to plan one thing else to the place we will all be collectively on the identical time. It is simply one thing additional that lots of people do not acquired to cope with that. So it was positively just a little worrying on the entire household, however we made it occur.”
Every time LeBron, 40, decides to retire and finish his Christmas streak, maybe Bronny must undergo what his father has needed to do virtually each Christmas of his taking part in profession.
“Time is about to return the place I may be the one away and these guys are going to be residence [without me],” Bronny mentioned. “So, it is one thing that we acquired to determine.”
OVER THREE DECADES later, top-of-the-line finishes to a New York Knicks–Chicago Bulls recreation remains to be a Christmas nightmare for Kerr.
With 3.3 seconds left on the clock and the Bulls clinging to a 100-97 lead in Chicago on Dec. 25, 1994, Anthony Mason despatched his full-court inbounds heave crusing straight to Kerr, who was to the best of the basket. The then-Bulls shooter jumped to catch the basketball however was frightened he was going to fall and be known as for a journey.
So he tried tapping the ball to a teammate.
“I threw it proper to [Knicks guard] Hubert Davis,” Kerr instructed ESPN, nonetheless disgusted with himself all these many years later. “And he made a 3 to ship it to additional time. It was the largest mistake I’ve ever made. It was an enormous gaffe. It was simply dumb.
“One of many largest nightmares of my profession.”
1:21
Flashback: Steve Kerr slaps ball to Knicks’ Hubert Davis for tying 3
On Dec. 25, 1994, Bulls guard Steve Kerr tapped an extended inbounds cross away, but it surely went to Knicks guard Hubert Davis for a tying triple.
Thankfully for Kerr, Scottie Pippen saved him with top-of-the-line Christmas performances. Pippen scored all seven of Chicago’s factors in additional time and had two game-clinching blocks on the finish to carry off the Knicks 107-104. Pippen, who had 36 factors, 16 rebounds and 5 steals whereas taking part in all 53 minutes, hugged an virtually apologetic Kerr after the sport.
Michael Jordan, who would come out of retirement later that season, won’t have been as forgiving.
“I’d’ve been the goat,” mentioned Kerr, who performed in 5 Christmas video games. “Not the great GOAT. The unhealthy goat. It labored out, but it surely was humiliating. It was simply the dumbest play. I nonetheless do not fairly know why I did it.
“The issue is now each Christmas Day after they begin taking part in [vintage] video games on NBA TV, they nonetheless present that. I am like, f—, would you guys go away me alone?”
LIKE SO MANY, Curry’s Christmas custom rising up was to spend the day watching basketball.
So when it was his flip to play on the Christmas stage, Curry understood the second.
“It is a blessing since you perceive being one of many 10 groups that play means you are marketable,” Curry instructed ESPN. “The expertise of taking part in within the recreation is enjoyable. … Earlier than the in-season event, that was the NBA’s largest second earlier than the flip of the calendar yr. Positively felt like a unique vitality round it.”
This Christmas will mark the Warriors’ thirteenth consecutive yr taking part in on the vacation, with Curry taking part in in all however three of them over that span. However till lately, Curry could not discover his shot on Christmas. In his first eight Christmas video games, Curry shot a mixed 35-for-116 (30.2%), together with simply 10-for-49 (20.4%) from 3. His first two Christmas outings noticed him miss 23 of 27 pictures.
“I haven’t got a favourite,” Curry mentioned when requested about his favourite reminiscence of taking part in on the vacation. “I’ve historically not performed nice on Christmas Day, so citing nice recollections.”
Certainly one of Draymond Inexperienced’s favourite Christmas recollections got here throughout his indefinite suspension for hanging Jusuf Nurkic in 2023. Inexperienced was pissed off, contemplated retirement and needed to rediscover his drive for basketball.
However throughout that 12-game suspension, Inexperienced acquired to spend a really merry Christmas at residence together with his children and household — one thing he mentioned was good for his soul on the time.
“That was nice. It was really f—ing wonderful,” Inexperienced instructed ESPN. “Normally it is bizarre as a result of Christmas Day will not be like what you bear in mind as a child, the place you spend with your loved ones. We have been on the street [five times, once when Green was suspended]. I do know my 5-year-old’s first Christmas, I used to be gone.”
As an alternative of being together with his workforce in Denver that Christmas in 2023, Inexperienced acquired to open presents together with his children at residence. The one different time he didn’t swimsuit up when the Warriors performed on Christmas got here in 2020 when a foot damage saved him on the bench in avenue garments in Milwaukee.
Inexperienced mentioned that when he has to play on Christmas, he generally will “scratch the itch” and let his children unwrap a present earlier than absolutely celebrating as soon as he’s residence after the sport. However although Inexperienced is only one of 10 gamers to file a Christmas Day triple-double, taking part in on the vacation can typically make him really feel as depressing as Scrooge.
“As an NBA participant, you wish to be on that stage — marquee video games and everyone’s watching,” Inexperienced mentioned. “However as a human, it f—ing sucks, if I am trustworthy.
“… I completely liked as a child watching NBA video games on Christmas Day. Kobe Bryant and the white [Lakers] jerseys. I liked [Shaquille O’Neal]. … However the NFL has began having video games on Christmas Day, so perhaps they take Christmas over and we go residence.”
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Luka Doncic: My first focus is a championship, not MVP award
Dave McMenamin sits down with Lakers star Luka Doncic to debate his NBA targets and private life.
WAKING UP EARLY for a midday tipoff on a regular-season weekend recreation will be the worst for a lot of NBA gamers. For Josh Hart, the Knicks’ conventional early begin is the right time to play on Christmas, particularly now that he has two boys who’re 2½ years previous.
“Now Christmas is magical,” Hart instructed ESPN. “One of the best Christmas recreation is the 12 o’clock since you get the morning clearly consumed in regards to the recreation, basketball and stuff like that. I like it. You get up, get some breakfast, head to the Backyard, get your work, hopefully get a win, and you then get to rejoice Christmas.”
This shall be Hart’s seventh Christmas recreation. He has performed within the vacation recreation as a Laker, Pelican and now Knickerbocker.
His most memorable Christmas recreation was with the Lakers after they knocked off the Warriors 127-101 in 2018. It was James’ first Christmas recreation with L.A., however the star sustained a groin damage within the win. Rajon Rondo stepped in with 15 factors, 10 assists and 5 rebounds off the bench.
“We beat that Warriors workforce with Steph, Klay [Thompson], [Kevin Durant], Draymond,” Hart mentioned. “LeBron acquired harm. Rondo became Playoff Rondo and sort of led us to that win. He sadly broke his [finger]. I gave him an ’09 bottle of Harlan [Estate wine] that he opened on the aircraft. That sort of actually acquired me into wine.”
The next yr had Hart saying “Bah humbug.” After being traded from the Lakers to New Orleans, Hart, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram had the Pelicans on the Christmas stage, however they have been the ultimate recreation of the night time towards the Denver Nuggets. Whereas the Pelicans gained 112-100, they remained in Denver after the sport. The Pelicans, like many street groups, opted to not fly till the subsequent day to get some relaxation slightly than arrive residence at 3 within the morning.
Whereas the workforce did fly members of the family to Denver and had a Christmas social gathering on the resort the night time earlier than the sport, Hart mentioned all he and a few Pelicans gamers needed for Christmas was a non-public jet to fly them again residence to New Orleans after the sport.
“The 8:30 [p.m.] recreation in Denver, it was the worst recreation,” mentioned Hart, who’s 4-2 on Christmas. “We have been considering, how might we get again? We have been going to ‘PJ’ after the sport to get again residence. However the workforce stayed the night time. So yeah, it was by far the worst recreation of the season.”
IT HAS BEEN 4 years since Donovan Mitchell final performed on Christmas Day.
He scored 33 factors and outdueled Jalen Brunson, who had 27 factors, within the Utah Jazz‘s 120-116 Christmas win over the Mavericks in 2021.
This Christmas, they may go at it once more when Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers go to Brunson’s New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard.
“Man, I like taking part in on Christmas,” Mitchell instructed ESPN, barely capable of include his enthusiasm. “It means you’re doing one thing proper as a workforce, proper?
“I bear in mind being at my grandmother’s, getting up at 12 and being up till 12, watching basketball all day. So to be part of that’s really particular.”
Mitchell’s routine throughout his first two Christmas Day video games with the Jazz was to maintain all the pieces as regular as attainable. He ready prefer it was a typical recreation day, and that meant celebrating Christmas both the day earlier than or the day after, which he mentioned is his mom’s birthday.
However with the Cavs-Knicks recreation tipping off as the primary recreation of the day, Mitchell will get to rejoice and open presents together with his household afterward at his New York space residence.
Mitchell, who grew up within the New York and Connecticut space, shall be dwelling out a Christmas dream taking part in on the Backyard.
“Simply one thing that I by no means take without any consideration,” Mitchell mentioned. “As a result of not everyone can say they performed on Christmas Day, not to mention taking part in Madison Sq. Backyard like we’re.
“It will be particular.”
ESPN’s Jamal Collier and Dave McMenamin contributed to this story.
