Christmas is a festival full of joy and blessings, but also a festival of passion and competition. On this day, the NBA will always present fans with one wonderful matchup after another, so that we can enjoy the festive atmosphere while also feeling the charm of basketball.
Over the past decade, we've witnessed many unforgettable Christmas battles. Some matches are close scores and the winner is not decided until the last minute, while others are one-sided and overwhelming, with one side showing unrivalled dominance and leaving the opponent powerless. Either way, these competitions have brought us countless surprises and shocks.
Today, I will take stock of the 5 most exciting Christmas battles in the past decade, let's reminisce about those classic moments and feel the style of those stars!
No. 5: In the 2013-14 season, the Warriors narrowly beat the Clippers 105-103
It's a Western Conference of the Greats, with both teams boasting young core players with very different styles but no less dynamic. The Clippers are known as the "City of Catches," with superteams like Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan who are adept at playing fast transition offense and spectacular aerial displays. The Warriors are known as the "Splash Brothers," with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson being the league's deadliest three-point shooters, capable of shooting accurately from any position.
The game was full of gunpowder from the start, the two sides did not give in to each other, and the score was tight. The Clippers relied on Paul's command and Griffin's outburst to take the lead at one point. But the Warriors didn't give up, and they relied on Curry's breakthrough and Thompson's projection to chase back the score again and again.
In the end, the Warriors narrowly won 105-103, and David Lee became the hero of the game, contributing 23 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes, showing all-around strength.
The game was an important start for the Warriors, marking the beginning of their years of competing in the Christmas game. In the years that followed, they became regulars in the Christmas game, bringing countless great game moments to the fans.
No. 4: In the 2018-19 season, the Celtics defeated the 76ers 121-114
It's a big game in the East, with both teams boasting a lot of star players of equal quality and the same goals. Led by Irving, the Celtics have young talents such as Tatum and Brown, and are the traditional giants of the East, with 17 championships. The 76ers, with Embiid as the core, have All-Star players such as Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons, and are upstarts in the East with unlimited potential.
The game was full of suspense from start to finish, with both sides attacking and defending each other, and the score kept alternating leads. The Celtics relied on Irving's heroic performance to take a 10-point advantage at one point. But the 76ers didn't give up, and they relied on Embiid's dominance and Butler's key shots to close the gap time and time again. In the end, the Celtics narrowly won 121-114, and Irving became the MVP of the game, scoring 40 points in 40 minutes, grabbing 10 rebounds, diching out two assists and completing one steal, showing unparalleled skill and leadership.
This game is a bad omen for the 76ers. Despite their talent in the starting five, they were unable to break through the bottleneck in the Eastern Conference semifinals that season and were eliminated from the tournament.
No. 3: In the 2015-16 season, the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 89-83
It's a revenge battle between the championships, with both teams boasting top-tier stars in very different styles, but equally ambitious. Led by LeBron James and with All-Star players such as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers are the dominant players in the East and have countless loyal fans.
The Warriors, with Stephen Curry as the core, have super players such as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and are the kings of the West, and set an all-time record of 73 wins that season.
This game is a repeat of last season's Finals, with the Cavaliers eager for revenge and the Warriors looking to prove themselves once again. The game was full of gunpowder and the score was tight.
In the end, the Warriors narrowly won 89-83, and Green became the hero of the game, contributing 22 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in 36 minutes, showing selfless team spirit and all-round skill. In contrast, Curry and Thompson's performances can only be described as mediocre.
Although LeBron James had 27 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks, he was not very efficient. The Cavaliers' starting lineup shot just 32.4 percent from the field, and their performance from beyond the three-point line was even worse.
No. 2: In the 2022-23 season, the Nuggets narrowly defeated the Suns 128-125 in overtime
Last season, the Nuggets' Christmas game against the Suns was a thrilling affair. The game was extremely intense, with the two sides going back and forth until overtime.
Jokic was undoubtedly the centerpiece of the game, scoring 41 points in 44 minutes, shooting 64.0 percent from the field, grabbing 15 rebounds and diching out 15 assists. Of course, his teammates Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon also performed well, contributing 26 and 28 points, respectively.
The Suns suffered a heavy blow just four minutes into the game, with key player Devin Booker forced off the court with a groin injury. Still, Landry Shamet stepped up and finished with 31 points, two rebounds and six assists to fill the void left by Booker. Chris Paul dished out 16 assists, but his shooting was not good, and in the end, the Suns couldn't turn the game around.
No. 1: In the 2016-17 season, the Cavaliers narrowly defeated the Warriors 109-108
Two things that were known to happen during the Riders were that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors would always meet in the NBA Finals, and that the two teams would play a high-profile game on Christmas Day. This time, Durant entered the game in a Warriors jersey.
In this matchup, LeBron James played well. He finished with 31 points on 54.5 percent shooting from the field, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out four assists. Defensively, he was just as good, contributing two steals and one block in 40 minutes of playing time.
Of course, James' teammates have also given him a lot of support. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love both scored over 20 points, and while their efficiency leaves something to be desired, their contributions in this crucial win cannot be ignored.
Kevin Durant also had a strong performance in his first Christmas game after joining the Warriors. He finished with 36 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Klay Thompson also contributed 24 points and became Durant's right-hand man. Surprisingly, however, Curry was mediocre in this game and didn't play as well as he should.
The main reason why the Cavaliers were able to narrow the win was that they managed to limit Curry's play, allowing him to play a mediocre 37 minutes of playing time. This was a key factor in the Cavaliers' victory.
Although Irving's shooting performance in the game was inconsistent, he hit a key shot in the final moments of the game to help the Cavaliers win by a narrow margin. Considering the intensity and suffocating tension of this match, it is undoubtedly one of the best Christmas fights of the last decade.
#2023年度创作挑战#