Image by Erik Drost/Wikipedia
It was a busy day in sports on Wednesday. The NFL had Christmas matchups as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Houston Texans. On the NBA side, it was an action packed day with five games. The games did not disappoint this year and gave fans something to cheer about. Here’s a quick glance at this year’s Christmas games and what went down.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks: In the first game of Christmas, the Knicks took down the Spurs. The San Antonio Spurs traveled to New York in what was their first Christmas game since 2016. The Spurs came into this game 15-14. Their star player Victor Wembanyama made his Christmas debut and proved that he will be in Christmas games for years to come. He finished with 42 points, 18 rebounds and four assists. Wembanyama’s 42 points broke the Spurs’ record for points on Christmas. LaMarcus Aldridge previously held the record with 33 points. The Spurs had a shot at winning this game, but the Knicks had a stellar performance of their own. Mikal Bridges finished with 41 points. Wembanyama and Bridges set the tone for this year’s Christmas games and some other good games followed.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks: In the second game of Christmas, the Timberwolves beat the Mavericks. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks are familiar with one another. In last year’s playoffs, these teams met in the Western Conference Finals. The Mavericks won that series 4-1 and faced the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Timberwolves had a chance to get some revenge in this last matchup as they beat Dallas 105-99. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists. It was a good effort from the Timberwolves all around as they had five players in double figures. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 39 points after Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury. He is now expected to miss an extended period of time.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics: In the third game of Christmas, the Sixers beat the Celtics. The Philadelphia 76ers have had a disappointing season, but on a big stage, they picked up a good win over the defending champions (who are also a division rival). The Sixers won 118-114 in a game where Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid shined. Maxey had 33 points and 12 assists and Embiid had 27 points and nine rebounds. The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum, who finished with 32 points. Boston had a solid showing as a team as Jaylen Brown had 23 points, Derrick White had 21 points and Al Horford had 17. The champions are now on a two-game losing streak but have a chance to bounce back as they take on the Indiana Pacers in their next game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors: In the fourth game of Christmas, the Lakers stunned the Warriors. The Los Angeles Lakers were on the road as they took on their division rival Golden State Warriors. The Lakers won 115-113 in an exciting game. LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points and their guard Austin Reaves finished with a triple-double. Reaves had 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was the hero of the game as his basket with seconds left gave the Lakers the lead. Before that, Stephen Curry hit a big shot that tied the game. This game came down to the wire and despite 38 points from Curry, Los Angeles secured the win. James and Curry have history throughout the years, and in what could be their last time battling on Christmas, the gifted fans with something special.
Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns: In the fifth game of Christmas, the Suns beat the Nuggets. The Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 110-100. Phoenix played with Devin Booker who was out with a groin injury. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each had 27 points for the Suns. On the other side, Nikola Jokic had 25 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns controlled this game most of the time and managed to snap the losing streak they were on.
The NBA’s Christmas games are usually competitive and this year had some solid games. Next year could be even better.
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