Christmas Past: NBA Christmas Day Game Quiz

Answer: False

In 1946 a men's professional league, the Basketball Association of American (BAA), was founded. It did not become known as the NBA until 1949, when the BAA joined with the National Basketball League. The first NBA game was played on November 1, 1946, in Toronto, featuring the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knicks.

In 1947 the NBA decided to hold its first Christmas Day game. Since then, it is typically the only major sporting event held on December 25, as Major League Baseball is not in season, the National Football League only schedules games if Christmas falls on a weekend, and National Hockey League player contracts provide for a seasonal break from December 24-26, unless the 26th is a Saturday.

Then their break is December 23-25. In the past college football had the Aloha and Hawaii Bowls on December 25, but they have both been discontinued.

Answer: Lock Out

The NBA experienced a lockout in 1998, the third in its history, over the salary cap and players' wages. From July 1, 1998 - January 20, 1999, the owners staged a lockout and ultimately the season was shortened to 50 games. Another lockout occurred in 2011; that year the first NBA game of the season was played on Christmas Day.

Answer: New York Knicks

The Knicks won the game 89-75. Back then the teams chosen to play were typically local rivals. This was done to shorten the travel time to and from the game in order to make sure the players could have more family time. Now the teams chosen to play the Christmas game typically have the best records.

In many cases one of the games features the two teams from the previous year's playoffs.

Answer: Bernard King

In 1984 Bernard King played for the New York Knicks; the Christmas Day game that year featured the Knicks against the New Jersey Nets. It was a stellar season for the future Hall of Famer. He ended the season as the NBA Scoring Champion and on the All-NBA First Team for the second year in a row.

Answer: Phil Jackson

According to a 2010 article in "The New York Times", Jackson has been involved in at least 20 Christmas Day NBA games as a player (New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets) and as a head coach (Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers). In fact, he was a fixture as a coach on the Christmas Day game, participating in every game but two from 1990-2011. To date, he is the fastest NBA coach to win 1000 games, doing so at the game on Christmas Day in 2008. Doc Rivers also has participated in the game as a player (New York Knicks) and coach (Boston Celtics).

Answer: Stan Van Gundy

Stan Van Gundy and the Magic received what was called a "hefty" fine for his statement, "I actually feel sorry for people who have nothing to do on Christmas Day other than watch an NBA game", and said that "the day is best spent with family". Even so, he is not the only person who has offered criticism. Just a year later, in reference to the matchup between the Lakers and Heat, Phil Jackson, whose parents were both ministers, voiced his concern about the game, "I don't think anybody should play on Christmas Day", and LeBron James agreed, saying, "...if you ask any player in the League, we'd rather be home with our families...." Tom Thibodeau had similar sentiments, but added that it was "an honor and a privilege to be playing".

The NBA does, however, refrain from scheduling games on Christmas Eve so that players can have family time.

Answer: Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal

Although they were Laker teammates from 1996-2004, Kobe and Shaq never appeared to get along the best. In 1996, Kobe had just graduated from high school and had been traded to the Lakers from the Hornets; he was young, confident, and very out-going, boasting that he would lead the Lakers in scoring. Shaq, on the other hand, had just been signed as a free agent; his view on the situation was "I'm not gonna be babysitting." Obviously Kobe needed some time to mature as a player, but Shaq was looking for a championship ring. Even though that eventually happened (three times, in fact!) the two continued their feuding.

At the end of the 2003-04 season, Shaq chose to be traded to the Miami Heat, while Kobe, now a free agent, resigned with the Lakers.

After the announcement was made regarding the Christmas Day game schedule, a few comments were traded back and forth. On the day of the game, however, the two players bumped forearms and played. This game became the most-watched Christmas Day game ever, with 13.2 million viewers.

Answer: Larry Bird

There are five categories of statistics that are recorded in NBA games - points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. In a triple-double a player has achieved double digit numbers in three of the five categories. Larry Bird played in many a Christmas Day game during his career as a Celtic, but never made a triple-double. LeBron James did in 2010, and so did Oscar Robertson (4 times in the 1960s!) John Havlicek (1967), Billy Cunningham (1970), Russell Westbrook (2013), and Draymond Green (2017).

Answer: Wilt Chamberlain

This feat was accomplished in a 1961 game against the New York Knicks. Chamberlain, who was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, also scored 59 points that game, which remained a scoring record for twenty-three years. His team lost by a point in double overtime.

The top five spots on the rebound list include Chamberlain, who also grabbed 34 in the 1959 game, and Bill Russell - 34 in 1965, 33 in 1958, and 31 in 1964.

Answer: False

It seems like the teams have been going out of their way to include some type of holiday decoration to their uniform. For example, the Knicks wore a third team jersey (2009-11) that had been previously used only for St. Patrick's Day games. Some players in the 2010 game wore holiday game shoes - Kobe Bryant's were lime green! Sometimes a special NBA patch has been sewn to the uniforms, and, in 2015, teams wore special holiday socks.