LeBron James resets NBA Christmas Day record with heroic effort vs. Warriors
Yesterday at 01:54 AM
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers headed north to face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in one of the NBA’s traditional Christmas Day matchups.
The rivalry between LeBron James and Stephen Curry was reignited for the first time this season, and the Lakers secured a thrilling 115-113 victory to improve their record to 17-13, thanks to a game-winning layup by Austin Reaves.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry making history on Christmas day
The storied rivals made history tonight. As per StatMamba on X (formerly Twitter), both James and Curry are the only players in NBA history to score 30 or more points on Christmas Day at the age of 35 or older, with James having done it three times and Curry achieving it in this game.
James posted 31 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and two steals, further cementing his NBA record for the most points scored on Christmas Day with 507. He also holds records for the most Christmas Day appearances (19) and wins (11).
Curry poured in 38 points, including eight three-pointers, tying the NBA record for the most threes made in a Christmas game. He also contributed six assists and one rebound in the performance.
Oldest players to score 30+ PTS on Christmas:
LeBron James (Tonight)
LeBron James (2022)
LeBron James (2021)
Steph Curry (Tonight) https://t.co/fYCtISiGXJ— StatMamba (@StatMamba) December 26, 2024
James, at 39, is playing in his record-tying 22nd season, while Curry, who turns 37 in March, is in his 16th. Both players boast impressive postseason resumes, with James leading his teams to 10 NBA Finals and Curry guiding Golden State to six — both have won four championships.
James and Curry head-to-head
Curry and James faced off in four consecutive NBA Finals during James’ second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, from 2014-15 to 2017-18. The Warriors triumphed in three of those matchups.
Since James joined the Lakers, despite both being in the Western Conference and the same division, they’ve only met in one more postseason series — the 2023 Western Conference semifinals. James and the Lakers won in six games, improving his head-to-head playoff record against Curry to 2-3.
James, a four-time league MVP, and Curry, a two-time MVP, briefly became teammates this summer, leading Team USA to its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Both have left an indelible mark on the game, reshaping it in their own ways.
Both players have acknowledged that their time in the league is limited, and it’s uncertain how many more seasons they have left before retiring. This makes it all the more crucial to savor these exciting moments while they are still competing at the highest level.
Austin Reaves capping-off Christmas day with a win for the Lakers
The Lakers came out on top despite Anthony Davis contributing no points and playing only 7 minutes before exiting with an ankle injury. Reaves rose to the occasion, posting a 26-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, which included the game-winning shot with just one second remaining.
Reaves sealed his triple-double with a game-winning layup. With just 6.1 seconds left, Max Christie inbounded the ball to Reaves, who drove to the basket and scored, giving the Lakers a 115-113 lead with only 1 second remaining. Steph Curry attempted a half-court shot in the final moments, but couldn't pull off another late-game miracle, allowing the Lakers to secure the Christmas Day victory.
The post LeBron James resets NBA Christmas Day record with heroic effort vs. Warriors appeared first on ClutchPoints.
