For NBA fans, Christmas Day has become more than just a holiday-it’s a tradition. Much like turkey and touchdowns on Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 has turned into a marquee stage for basketball, with the league consistently rolling out some of its most high-profile matchups. And once again, the Los Angeles Lakers are right in the thick of it.
This year, the Lakers will square off against the Houston Rockets in a game that features two of the biggest names in the sport: LeBron James and Kevin Durant. It’s a matchup that brings together not just two all-time greats, but two players who’ve defined the NBA landscape over the past decade-plus. When these two share the court, it’s never just another game-it’s a moment.
For LeBron, this Christmas Day appearance will be his 20th, setting yet another record in a career already packed with milestones. And while there’s no doubt he’d rather be spending the day with family-something he’s been candid about-he also recognizes the significance of the moment.
“I'd much rather be at home with my family,” James said. “But I mean, it's the game, it's the game that I love.
It's a game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas. It's always been an honor to play it.
Obviously, I'm gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But our number is called, so we have to go out and perform and I look forward to it.”
That mix of honesty and reverence speaks volumes. For players, suiting up on Christmas is both a sacrifice and a privilege. And for James, who grew up watching legends take the floor on this very day, it’s a full-circle moment-one he’s now lived through 20 times.
LeBron’s history on Christmas is as rich as it is successful. Some of his most memorable holiday games came against the very team he now leads.
Back in 2009, his Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Lakers during the height of the Kobe Bryant era. He followed that with Christmas matchups as a member of the Miami Heat in 2010 and 2013-both also against L.A.
And each time, his team walked away with the win.
Now, as the face of the Lakers, James is on the other side of those matchups. And the Lakers themselves are no strangers to this stage. This year marks their 27th straight Christmas Day game and their 52nd overall-second only to the New York Knicks in total appearances on the holiday.
That kind of consistency speaks to the franchise’s place in the league’s hierarchy. When it’s time to showcase the NBA’s best and brightest, the Lakers are almost always in the picture.
Whether it’s Magic vs. Bird, Shaq and Kobe, or now LeBron and AD, L.A. has long been a centerpiece of the league’s holiday spotlight.
As for this year’s opponent, the Rockets bring plenty of intrigue themselves. With Durant leading the charge, Houston has the firepower to make this a must-watch affair. And with both teams looking to make a statement as the season hits full stride, there’s more on the line than just holiday bragging rights.
So while the players might be giving up a quiet day at home, fans are getting a gift of their own: another chapter in the storied rivalry between two of the game’s biggest stars, played out on one of basketball’s biggest stages.