Top 5 LeBron James Christmas Day Performances

LeBron James is the megastar of his generation, so it’s only fitting that he’s become a fixture on Christmas Day for two decades. Time and time again, the King has treated NBA fans to impressive Christmas performances against a variety of worthy opponents.

As James prepares for his 18th straight Christmas Day game, fans can take a trip down memory lane and relive his best performances on December 25th.

5. LBJ vs. Shaq and The Flash, 2007

In December 2007, the Miami Heat were just over a year removed from their first NBA title. That means their Christmas ’07 lineup featured 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.

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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 so while also leading the team in scoring with his 25 points on a 47.4% clip. The final score was 96-82 in favor of the Cavs.

4. A rare Christmastime triple-double, 2010

For years, NBA fans dreamed of having a matchup between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals. Although this never came to fruition, the 2010 Christmas Day game was a sight to behold as Bron and Kobe Bean went at it. Although the game ended in a lopsided 96-80 Miami Heat victory, the clash between two generational stars was unwatchable TV.

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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. Outstanding Among Future Hall of Famers, 2012

December 25, 2012, featured a blockbuster Miami Heat-Oklahoma City Thunder game that featured Olympians, champions and MVPs from the past, present and future. It was also a rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals, where James won his first NBA title. Six months after this Finals capture, James was still the most dominant player in the game.

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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 the 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 victory in Cleveland, 2016

After the Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Championship, the Golden State Warriors wasted no time 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.

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Durant’s presence made the Warriors-Cavs matchup an even more interesting spectacle, and sure enough, he poured in 36 points in this crackerjack 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 battled back to secure the 109-108 win. James (31 points and 13 rebounds) simply would not be denied.

1. Scorer extraordinaire, 2011

In terms of scoring production, James’ 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 were washed away by the Dallas Mavericks’ 124-115 victory, his 37 points in 2011 have a better case for being labeled as his best Christmas Day game ever.

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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, which 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 begin a new season.