Which teams have played the most Christmas games?

Christmas Day is one of the biggest stages NBA teams can play on during the regular season. Being selected to play is an honor for any team. On this day, the league aims to showcase its brightest stars, biggest rivalries and best teams.

Last year, all of the current MVP winners, NBA champions, and the biggest names in the game were there. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant were all in action.

This is one of the NBA's longer traditions, and fans always look forward to the Christmas Day games. It's a full day of exciting games between some of the best players and teams.

The NBA began scheduling games on Christmas Day in 1947, its second season. At first, matchups were determined by location and geographic rivalries so that players would still have a chance to spend some time with their families.

Things have changed since then and the focus is now on showcasing some of the best players and teams each year, so now on Christmas Day we can see the MVPs, reigning champions and teams that went deep into the playoffs the previous season.

The first time the NBA appeared on national television on Christmas Day was in 1967, when the Lakers faced the San Diego Rockets in front of a national audience. In the decades that followed, NBA games on Christmas Day became more and more prominent, airing on ABC, ESPN and TNT.

Since 2008, the league has played five games on Christmas, typically generating the highest ratings of the regular season – unless the NFL is also playing.

There have been some memorable Christmas Day moments in the NBA over the years. In 1984, New York Knicks forward Bernard King scored 60 points, which remains the most points scored in a Christmas game. Knicks legend Patrick Ewing also had some great Christmas games. In 1985, he led his team back from a 25-point deficit to beat Boston, and the following year he beat the Bulls on a last-second shot.

Years later, in 2004, fans were able to watch Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neil face off on Christmas Day after they parted ways as teammates on the Lakers. It was the most-watched regular season game since 1998.

New York Knicks

With 56 games on Christmas Day, the New York Knicks have played more NBA games on December 25 than any other team in league history. The Knicks were one of the first teams to play on Christmas Day. In the league's second season, 1947-48, they beat the Providence Steamrollers 89-75.

Over the years, Knicks players have put on some memorable performances on Christmas Day, most notably Bernard King's 60-point performance in 1984. To date, no player has broken his Christmas Day record.

The last time the Knicks played on Christmas Day was in 2023, when they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 129-122. So far, the Knicks have a 24-32 record on Christmas Day, most frequently facing the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.

New York is expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season, so we will likely see them make another Christmas Day appearance.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are one of the NBA's most storied franchises, and the league rarely misses an opportunity to showcase them on Christmas Day. So far, the Lakers have played in 50 Christmas games and have a 24-26 record.

They played their first game on Christmas Day 1949–1950 as the Minneapolis Lakers and beat the Fort Wayne Pistons 72–58.

The Lakers' most notable Christmas Day game was arguably in 2004, when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal faced off after their falling out as teammates on the Lakers. Since 1999, there hasn't been a Christmas Day when the Lakers haven't played.

The last time they met the Boston Celtics was in 2023.

Boston Celtics

Much like the Lakers, the Boston Celtics are one of the NBA's biggest and most famous franchises. They hold a league record of 18 championships and were by far the best team in the NBA last season.

To date, the Celtics have played 37 Christmas Day games and won 17 of them. The first time they played on Christmas Day was in 1948, which resulted in a close 80-77 loss to the Philadelphia Warriors. Over the years, they have played the New York Knicks most often on Christmas Day, winning five of eight games.

Last year, the Celtics played against the Lakers and won 126-115. The Celtics have become a staple of the Christmas festivities and have played every year since 2016.

The Orlando Magic are not a team that is often in action on Christmas Day. So far, the Magic have played nine Christmas Day games and won five of them.

Orlando's first Christmas Day game came in the 1993-94 season and ended in a loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Magic last played in 2011.

This year, the Magic may not be one of the first teams considered for a Christmas Day game, but they have good reason why the league would like to showcase this young team.