Top 5 LeBron James' Christmas Day performances
LeBron James is the megastar of his generation, so it's only fitting that he has become a Christmas Day fixture across two decades. Time and time again, the King has treated NBA fans to impressive Yuletide performances against a variety of worthy opponents.
As James gears up for his 18th straight Christmas Day game, fans can take a trip down memory lane and relive his greatest Dec. 25 performances.
5. LBJ vs. Shaq and The Flash, 2007
In December 2007, the Miami Heat were a little over a year removed from their first NBA title. This means that their Christmas '07 lineup had Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, two forces to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. James, meanwhile, didn't have a Diesel-like running mate on the Cavaliers lineup.
Still, LBJ did what he does better than most players in NBA history: Make his teammates look very, very good. James finished with 12 assists, a testament to how he got scorers like Drew Gooden and Daniel Gibson going. He did this while also leading the team in scoring with his 25 points on a 47.4% clip. The final score read 96–82 in favor of the Cavs.
4. A rare Yuletide triple-double, 2010
For years, NBA fans dreamed of getting a LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant matchup in the NBA Finals. While this never materialized, the Christmas Day game of 2010 was a sight to behold as Bron and Kobe Bean went at each other. Though the game ended in a lopsided 96–80 Miami Heat win, the clash between two generational stars was must-see TV.
How did LeBron impose his will in this game? By logging a Christmas Day triple-double—something that only three other players in NBA history had done up to that point. James finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Bryant, meanwhile, had 17 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
3. Excellence among future Hall of Famers, 2012
December 25, 2012, had a blockbuster Miami Heat-Oklahoma City Thunder game that featured Olympians, champions, and MVPs of the past, present and future. It was also a rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals, which saw James winning his first NBA title. Six months after that Finals conquest, James was still the most dominant player in the game.
With all due respect to Russell Westbrook (a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double), Kevin Durant (33 points, seven rebounds) and Dwyane Wade (21 points on 47.1% shooting), James was the star of this night. His 29 points on 12-for-20 shooting highlight his scoring dominance, and his eight rebounds and nine assists underscore his versatility.
2. A thrilling win in Cleveland, 2016
After the Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA championship, the Golden State Warriors wasted no time in getting some serious backup. Their game-changer came in the form of Kevin Durant, who played his first Christmas Day game as a Warrior on December 25, 2016.
Durant's presence made the Warriors-Cavs matchup an even more interesting spectacle, and sure enough, he poured in 36 points in this nip-and-tuck affair. But, the King and his cohorts would not be denied. Despite being down by more than two possessions in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers clawed back and secured the 109–108 victory. James (31 points and 13 rebounds) simply would not be denied.
1. Scorer extraordinaire, 2011
As far as scoring production goes, James's best Christmas Day games were his 2021 outing with the Lakers and his 2011 performance in a Miami jersey. Since his 38 points in 2021 went down the drain because of the Dallas Mavericks' 124–115 win, his 37 points in 2011 have a better argument for being labeled his best Christmas Day game ever.
James also had 10 rebounds and six assists in this Miami Heat-Dallas Mavericks game, which was special for two more reasons. First, it was a rematch of the dramatic 2011 NBA Finals that the Mavs won. Second, this game was held on the opening night of the 2011-2012 season, which had a delayed start due to a lockout. A dominant LBJ performance was a great way for the NBA to ring in a new season.