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2020 NBA Christmas Games – By The Numbers

The 73rd edition of the NBA on Christmas Day features five nationally televised games across ESPN and ABC: Pelicans at Miami Heat (12 p.m. ET, ESPN), Warriors at Bucks (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC), Nets at Celtics (5 p.m. ET, ABC), Mavericks at Lakers (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) and Clippers at Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Here are the 2020 NBA Christmas Games by the numbers…

• 4 – The four Conference Finalists from last season will be in action on Christmas Day: the Lakers and Nuggets from the Western Conference and the Heat and Celtics from the Eastern Conference.
  
• 5 – Five Kia NBA MVPs will compete on Christmas Day: the Bucks’ Antetokounmpo, the Warriors’ Curry, the Nets’ Durant, the Lakers’ James and Nets head coach Nash.
• 6 – Six players have recorded a triple-double in a game on Christmas Day: Draymond Green (2017), Russell Westbrook (2013), James (2010), Billy Cunningham (1970), John Havlicek (1967) and Oscar Robertson (1960, 1961, 1963, 1967). 
• 7 – Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra has won all seven of his Christmas Day games as an NBA head coach, tied with Les Harrison for the most wins without a loss. 
• 10 – Dwyane Wade has the most Christmas Day victories for a player with 10 – one more than James and Miami’s Udonis Haslem, who are tied for second place with nine each.
• 13 – The NBA will feature five games on Christmas Day for the 13th year in a row.
• 15 – James will play his 15th Christmas Day game, second most in NBA history behind Kobe Bryant (16).
• 19 – This marks ESPN’s 19th season of Christmas Day game coverage.  
• 23 – The Lakers have the most wins on Christmas Day with 23.
• 25 – As part of NBA Cares Season of Giving, the league is highlighting across its digital platforms the efforts of 25 community organizations supporting health and wellness, food security, education, volunteerism and social justice work in communities around the world.
• 35 – This year marks the 35th anniversary of the classic 1985 Christmas Day game when rookie Patrick Ewing (32 points, 11 rebounds) and the New York Knicks rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics 113-104 in double overtime. 
• 43.3 – Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady averaged an NBA-record 43.3 points on Christmas Day, scoring at least 40 points in all three of his games.
• 60 – Bernard King scored a Christmas Day-record 60 points for the Knicks against the New Jersey Nets in 1984.
  
• 98 – Of the players on the current rosters of the 10 teams playing on Christmas Day, 27 have been named to an NBA All-Star team and they have combined for 98 All-Star selections.
  
• 215 – Christmas Day games will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 56 languages.
• 361 – James ranks third on the career Christmas Day scoring list with 361 points, behind No. 1 Bryant (395) and No. 2 Robertson (377).
• 1947 – The NBA began playing games on Christmas Day in 1947 during the league’s second season.