The NBA certainly needed a big showing from its superstars on Christmas Day. Low ratings have dominated the league-wide conversations so far this season, and with the NFL trying their hand at a Christmas slate, it was on the 10 teams playing for the NBA to put on a show. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors certainly did that.
The Lakers and Warriors went down to the wire in the fourth of a five-game slate, with both sides hitting big shot after big shot. Curry drained two difficult 3-pointers when the Warriors needed them most, while LeBron facilitated the offense and had big shots throughout the night before Austin Reaves finished it with a game-winner to secure a 115-113 win.
After the game, James was asked what about the NBA makes it so great on a day like Christmas, and the Lakers superstar had a simple but effective answer, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“LeBron and Steph.”
James is right. He and Curry, even as they both reach the latter years of their career, are must-see TV. They always know exactly how to put on a show and be the biggest stars under the brightest of lights. And when watching Curry do what he did on Wednesday, LeBron knew there was no recourse other than to show his respect:
“You just tip your hat. When there’s a great player out there, you tip your hat and just try to execute the next possession. But you have a feeling of ’Shit’ versus us, like ‘Why?’ And then also being a fan too, you’re like how the hell did he make that? He’s unbelievable. Special. So you have an appreciation for it, for sure.”
The league is a better place when Curry and James are at the height of their powers. Between LeBron, Curry and Kevin Durant, the NBA conversation has had a consistent home for nearly two decades. And although that time is certainly closer to the end than the beginning, that doesn’t mean they still can’t have nights like Christmas.
LeBron James: Christmas still belongs to NBA
The NBA’s Christmas Day slate did not disappoint in the slightest this year. Virtually all of the five games came down to the wire, with the Lakers needing a game-winning bucket from Austin Reaves to steal a win over the Warriors. It was an incredible day for a league that desperately needed a win after conversations about low ratings have dominated the news cycle.
And what made it even better is that the NBA had an incredible Christmas Day despite efforts from the NFL to take over the holiday slate. The NFL scheduled two marquee matchups — Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans — for a morning and afternoon game. In a move that felt almost intentional, they broadcast the games on Netflix, making it much harder to flip between NFL and NBA on a TV.
Regardless of what the numbers say, the NBA had a phenomenal Christmas. And LeBron James made sure to mention this in his postgame interview.
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