Christmas is a huge day in the NBA world. The day generally features some marquee matchups and draws the attention of plenty of fans. We have often seen some legendary performances on Christmas day, with stars often battling it out in close games.
There are a lot of Christmas Day games that could be considered as “the best”. Everyone’s opinion on the subject is likely different. Lakers superstar LeBron James himself has recently expressed his view on the matter, claiming that he played in the best Christmas Day game ever, which was when the Warriors faced the Cavaliers in Cleveland in 2016.
LeBron James: “I think I’ve played…the best Christmas Day game ever. Us vs. Golden State in Cleveland.” pic.twitter.com/VceJyUdBFR
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/talk_debates/status/1474054164972019724
I think I’ve played…the best Christmas Day game ever. Us vs. Golden State in Cleveland.
That game featured two superteams with a lot of star power facing off against one another. Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors during the 2016 offseason and seeing him and LeBron James battle against one another was certainly entertaining. There were plenty of great highlights to talk about. The Cavaliers ended up winning the game 109-108 after Kyrie Irving hit a ridiculous game-winner. As far as fun games go, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Those two teams look different now. The Golden State Warriors still have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green on the roster, but Kevin Durant is now on the Brooklyn Nets. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have both departed from the Cavaliers, while Kevin Love has remained.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors were both contenders from 2015-2018, and we’ve seen them face off against one another in 4 different Finals. There is no question that we will always remember that rivalry and that their games made for some good entertainment. While they won’t be part of this year’s Christmas slate, it is always fun to reminisce on great basketball.
