There’s only one thing better than Christmas: NBA Christmas. It’s a time of cheer and a time to celebrate with your loved ones and see the biggest stars in the league. But for every magical holiday performance, there’s been a fair share of Scrooges on the court.
What makes a performance a Scrooge performance? In this case I looked exclusively at performances by players on the road and led their team to a win. Nothing more Scrooge-like than sending the crowd home sad on Christmas Day.
Dominique Wilkins, Christmas 1987
In 1987, the Atlanta Hawks went into Philadelphia on Christmas Day to face Charles Barkley’s 76ers. Two years removed from a scoring title, Dominique Wilkins walked into The Spectrum and put on an all-time NBA Christmas Scrooge performance. In 41 minutes, Wilkins put up 45 points and nine rebounds, leading the Hawks to a 106-100 victory.
Wilkins and the Hawks would go on to clinch the fourth seed in the East. They would ultimately lose to the Celtics in seven in the second round.
Sean Elliott, Christmas 1992
The San Antonio Spurs were a team on the rise in the 1992-93 NBA season. With the young pairing of Sean Elliott and David Robinson, they were able to play a marquee NBA Christmas matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. And Elliott decided to make his name known in LA as a Scrooge.
In a 103-94 victory, Elliott put up 32 points and eight assists on an absurd 11/14 from the field. Elliott’s heat wouldn’t fade as he would notch his first all-star appearance later in the season.
Rasheed Wallace, Christmas 2000
The Portland Trail Blazers turned into a force in the late 90s and early 2000s with back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. In 2000, they forced the eventual champion Lakers to seven games. The coveted NBA Christmas game would be an opportunity for sweet revenge.
Rasheed Wallace, who was en route to his first all-star appearance, showed out. In 44 minutes he logged 33 points and eight rebounds against the reigning MVP Shaquille O’Neal. The Blazers were victorious, winning 109-104. Though the Blazers were the Christmas Scrooge, the Lakers got their revenge in the postseason with a first-round sweep.
LeBron James, Christmas 2011
Most basketball fans are well aware of the biggest blemish on LeBron James’ legacy, his Finals meltdown against the Dallas Mavericks. Since the NBA went into a lockout in the 2011 offseason, the following shortened season tipped off with an NBA Christmas.
So not only was this a special day, this Finals rematch was more personal for King James. It was the first game since James’ infamous collapse. And he played like he had something to prove.
James put up 37 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, leading the Miami Heat to a 105-94 victory in Dallas. And as we all know, James’ Scrooge reign would continue, as he would win his third MVP award and his first NBA Championship later that season.
Kawhi Leonard, Christmas 2019
Fresh off an NBA Championship, Kawhi Leonard headed to the West Coast to join the Clippers in the 2019 offseason. With Paul George joining him, the in-town rivalry grew more intense with LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the pairing for the Lakers. Although both teams share the same arena, Leonard made sure to assert himself as a Scrooge during 2019’s NBA Christmas.
Leonard put up 35 points and 12 rebounds in a 111-106 victory over the Lakers. Of course, this season had a fractured ending with a mid-season pause due to COVID-19. But the Lakers got the last laugh in the Bubble, winning the 2020 Championship.
Patty Mills, Christmas 2021
The new-look Brooklyn Nets were a force to be reckoned with after the addition of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. But as we all know, that trio unfortunately played in very few games as a collective. But the role players stepped up in their absence. And on Christmas Day in 2021, Patty Mills was a major Scrooge for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The veteran guard put up 34 points and hit eight three pointers en route to a 122-115 victory in Crypto.com Arena. The Nets would end up trading Harden to Philadelphia midway through the season. And to make matters worse, they’d get swept in the first round by Boston to end the season.
With a five-game slate scheduled for Christmas Day, could we see any new Scrooge games? What’s your favorite Christmas game memory?
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