The Los Angeles Lakers edged out the Golden State Warriors 115-113 in a thrilling Christmas Day matchup. Austin Reaves hit the game-winning layup with one second left, following Stephen Curry’s game-tying 31-foot three-pointer with seven seconds remaining. LeBron James, playing in his NBA-record 19th Christmas Day game, contributed 31 points and 10 assists. Curry led the Warriors with 38 points, including eight three-pointers. Reaves recorded a triple-double for the Lakers with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, despite the loss of Anthony Davis to a sprained left ankle early in the game.
In another close contest, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-114. Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with a season-high 41 points, outpacing Victor Wembanyama’s monster Christmas debut performance of 42 points, an impressive Spurs’ holiday record. Wembanyama also grabbed 18 rebounds, adding four assists and four blocked shots in his standout performance. Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points, 9 rebounds), Jalen Brunson (20 points), and Josh Hart (12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists) also contributed significantly to the Knicks’ victory. Jeremy Sochan led the Spurs with 21 points and 9 rebounds.
The Minnesota Timberwolves secured a 105-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks, despite a late-game injury to Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić, who strained his left calf. Dončić scored 14 points before exiting the game. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 26 points, while Kyrie Irving scored 39 for the Mavericks. The Mavericks mounted a significant comeback attempt after trailing by 28 points but ultimately fell short. Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota.
The Philadelphia 76ers triumphed over the Boston Celtics 118-114, with Joel Embiid scoring 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 33 points and 12 assists. Caleb Martin scored 23 for the 76ers, while Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Jaylen Brown (23 points) and Derrick White (21 points) also contributed for Boston. Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis left the game with an ankle injury in the second half.
In the final Christmas game, the Phoenix Suns defeated the Denver Nuggets 110-100. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 27 points for the Suns. Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with 25 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns overcame the absence of Devin Booker and Grayson Allen to secure the victory and end a three-game losing streak.