LeBron James put on a show in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 129–120 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, pouring in 40 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. The victory halted the Lakers’ four-game losing streak ahead of their big Christmas Day matchup at home against the Boston Celtics.
Although the Celtics-Lakers game is expected to be the highlight of the NBA’s five-game Christmas slate, James isn’t looking that far ahead. The 38-year-old said after Saturday’s win that he was looking forward to celebrating the holiday with his family and not stressing about the Monday game.
“All I care about is tomorrow’s day off,” James said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I can give a damn about Monday. The only thing I care about Monday right now is my daughter waking up and opening up her gifts. That’s it. Please don’t even talk to me about Christmas Day right now. Christmas Eve is what I’m looking forward to. I’m ready to get my a– on this couch.”
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James has become a staple in the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule, as the NBA typically features its biggest stars on the holiday slate. Indeed, James is tied with Dwyane Wade for the NBA record for most Christmas Day wins with 10. James likely has a routine for celebrating the holiday while also having to play, and he gave the public a glimpse at his mindset on Saturday.
The Lakers enter Monday’s game with a 16–14 record as they host the Celtics, who are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves with an NBA-best 22–6 record.
The Celtics and Lakers are scheduled to tip off at 5 p.m. ET Monday at Crypto.com Arena.
