Just like opening presents, eating turkey or ham and helping the underprivileged, the Los Angeles Lakers playing on national television has become a Christmas tradition over the years.
It is hard for many to remember the last time the Lakers didn’t play on Christmas Day. That’s because the last time it happened was in the 1997-98 season (there were no Christmas Day games in 1998 because of a lockout that pushed the start of the season to February).
On Thursday evening, the Christmas Day games for this coming season were leaked. Per Shams Charania, the Purple and Gold will be visiting the Golden State Warriors, which means fans will be treated to a matchup of arguably the two greatest players of the last dozen years or so: LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
NBA Christmas Day games for the 2024-25 season, per sources:
🎄Spurs at Knicks
🎄Timberwolves at Mavericks
🎄76ers at Celtics
🎄Lakers at Warriors
🎄Nuggets at Suns— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 9, 2024
The last time Los Angeles played the Warriors on Christmas was in 2018, which was James’ first season with the team. You may recall that although it won handily, James suffered a groin injury that kept him out of action for several weeks afterward.
The Warriors look even weaker than they were this past season when they failed to make the playoffs, as Klay Thompson left to join the Dallas Mavericks. But one can be sure they will be fired up by the presence of the Southland’s finest basketball team.