My Top 3 Most Memorable Christmas Day Performances in NBA History

Before we begin, I want to ask a question: What are your family Christmas traditions? For as long as I can remember, my family's tradition has always been to wake up first thing Christmas morning and open our presents, followed by watching the NBA Christmas games throughout the day. The NBA games on Christmas have a special aura built around them, which has resulted in some of the memorable and impressive performances in NBA history. The premier players always look forward to performing on Christmas day because they know all eyes will be watching. Growing up through the years, I've seen amazing performances from the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Shaq, and Kyrie Irving just to name a few. Reflecting back on these performances, led me to rank my personal top three most memorable performances in NBA history.

1) Kobe Bryant Drops 42 Points in Shaq's Return to LA (2004)

Alright y'all I must admit, I had to be a little bias here and place Kobe at number one. Kobe's performance vs Shaq's Miami Heat on Christmas day in 2004 is my most memorable performance for a number of reasons. The anticipation of this matchup was at an all-time high, considering this was Shaq's return to LA after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat and this was Shaq's first time matching up against his former partner-in-crime Kobe Bryant. Shaq and Kobe were the dynamic duo that 3-peated as Champions together in LA before their departure. Many people feel that the trade happened due to Kobe being overshadowed by Shaq and wanted to prove that he could win a championship being the number one option. Shaq added fuel to the fire by stating that "Dwayne Wade was younger and just as lethal as Kobe", which I'm sure made Kobe that much more excited. The Lakers were definitely the weaker team between the two, but that didn't stop Kobe from putting on a classic performance. Kobe hit amazing shot after amazing shot and finished the game with 42 points and 6 assists in an overtime loss to the Heat, who held Kobe scoreless in overtime. Although the Lakers loss this game, Kobe put on a performance of a lifetime and reminded everyone who the best players on Earth was during that time.

2) LeBron James Triple-Double vs Los Angeles Lakers (2010)

I still remember this day like yesterday... Listen as I mentioned previously, when it comes to the Kobe vs LeBron debate, I have always been team Kobe. Anytime Kobe and LeBron were matched up against one another, it was always must-see tv. Kobe played in the Western Conference and LeBron played in the Eastern conference, meaning that they only played each other twice a year. The anticipation only increased over time and this Christmas matchup in 2010 between the two had all eyes watching. The Lakers were coming off of a 2-peat as champions and this was LeBron's first time as a villain after making "the decision", making this a dream matchup for fans. I am a Kobe fan, but I must admit LeBron went crazy this game. He was dominant and put on a show like no other, from catching lobs off the backboard, to throwing dimes, and more. LeBron and the Heat were clowning the Lakers, resulting in a 96-80 victory. LeBron finished the game with 27 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds notching a triple-double in a spectacular performance for the ages.

3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors (2016) Alright y'all, I had no choice but to include this game as my third most memorable Christmas Day performance. Yes, I know this is an overall game performance and not a particular player's performance, but I had to add. This game between the Cavaliers and the Warriors is a bonafide classic, especially considering that this game was the first meeting between the two teams since the Cavs beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals a few months prior. This game featured LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving, which made for a spectacular moment. The game was back-and-forth from beginning to end, before my favorite player Kyrie Irving started going crazy in the fourth hitting bucket after bucket before scoring a turn-around game winner over Tristan Thompson with 3.4 seconds left to secure the victory. The nostalgia factor was that Kyrie had hit the game winner over Stephen Curry to secure the Championship a few months prior, making for a legendary moment. Again guys, this was "my" personal favorite Christmas Day moments, not the best! With that being said, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!