Christmas Day is exciting for obvious reasons, but it is extra special for NBA fans and players. The league has made the holiday its own by pitting the finest teams against each other. Christmas Day is usually the best the regular season has to offer, and as is the norm, each fixture is more tantalizing than the next. Teams that finish in the bottom five in the standings in the previous campaign usually do not play on Christmas. However, Victor Wembanyama’s rising star power left the NBA with no choice but to slot in the Spurs.
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Most players aren’t too keen on playing on the holiday but the Frenchman is looking forward to it. Ahead of his team’s Christmas Day duel against the Knicks at the Madison Square Garden, the sophomore star told reporters he’s ecstatic to get the opportunity to play on the most important date on the regular season calendar, especially in the Big Apple. He told reporters,
“Very excited [to play on Christmas]… First of all, I get to spend Christmas is New York. It’ll be like the movies I hope. Get a little snow. For me, right now I approach it like another game. You get to learn about the team, scout them, and apply [on the court]. I’m sure it’s going to be special.”
"Spending Christmas in New York, gonna be like the movies I hope…"
–– Victor Wembanyama on playing the Knicks Christmas pic.twitter.com/yiyC6l89ip
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 24, 2024
The league wanting Wembanyama to be part of their Christmas festivities speaks volumes, as it’s not an honor that they often bestowed upon the Spurs in their heydays.
Spurs and Knicks’ vastly different Christmas experiences
The Spurs are among the most successful and consistent franchises in NBA history. However, they have often been overlooked when the NBA slates its Christmas Day schedule. They have played on the holiday only 11 times in their history. They have a 5-6 record.
They last played on the holiday in 2016, their fourth straight on the most important day on the regular season calendar. However, they haven’t played since. On the contrary, the Knicks have been a Christmas Day fixture for over half a century. They have played a league record 52 times on the holiday. Only the Lakers are in the same stratosphere as New York. They have played 50 times on Christmas and boast a 24-26 record.
The Knicks also have 24 wins, the tied-most for victories on the holiday. However, their 32 defeats are also the most for any team. In fact, the Knicks have lost more games on the day than 25 franchises have even played.
New York will have the chance to get to 25 wins before the Lakers do, as they are scheduled to tip off eight hours before LA does. However, Wembanyama is determined to spoil the party and hand the Knicks their record 33rd loss on Christmas Day.
