Los Angeles Lakers Christmas Day History: Record, Statistics, & More

The Lakers have played on Christmas 50 times so far.

The Lakers will play on Christmas again this year with LeBron James / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are a global brand, one of the most recognizable teams in all of American sports and a viewership powerhouse for the NBA. Of late, that famous team has also featured one of the two most famous basketball players in existence: LeBron James. It is therefore no surprise that the Lakers are a common Christmas choice, and especially with The King on the roster.

Since their first appearance in 1961, the Lakers have played on Christmas 50 times. That number is second-highest among all NBA teams, behind only the New York Knicks. The Lakers' 24 wins is tied with the Knicks for most all-time and they've generally played better than New York on yuletide, losing only 26 contests to the Knicks' 32 losses.

L.A. has also been a very consistent staple of Christmas hoops over the last few generations. The Lakers have played on Christmas for 25 straight seasons, with 2024 marking their 26th consecutive holiday showing. They were even one of only two teams shown in 2006 when only one game was played on the 25th of December. Fans love watching the Lakers, and more importantly, the NBA loves what putting the Lakers on during Christmas brings to the table.

Los Angeles Lakers' Record on Christmas Day

Below you'll find a full accounting of how the Lakers have performed on Christmas throughout the years. This includes the pre-Los Angeles years, when they were the Minneapolis Lakers from 1946-1960. If the franchise counts the championship banners from back then, we'll count their Christmas games.

YEAR	OPPONENT	RESULT	ALL-TIME W-L
1949	Fort Wayne Pistons	Lakers 72, Pistons 58	1-0
1950	Washington Capitols	Lakers 93, Capitols 79	2-0
1951	Boston Celtics	Lakers 108, Celtics 79	3-0
1952	Indianapolis Olympians	Lakers 90, Olympians 73	4-0
1953	Baltimore Bullets	Bullets 88, Lakers 78	4-1
1954	Philadelphia Warriors	Lakers 99, Warriors 91	5-1
1955	Boston Celtics	Celtics 115, Lakers 112	5-2
1956	Fort Wayne Pistons	Lakers 100, Pistons 89	6-2
1957	Detroit Pistons	Lakers 106, Pistons 104	7-2
1958	Detroit Pistons	Pistons 98, Lakers 97	7-3
1959	St. Louis Hawks	Hawks 112, Lakers 96	7-4
1961	Cincinnati Royals	Lakers 141, Royals 127	8-4
1963	New York Knicks	Lakers 134, Knicks 126	9-4
1965	Detroit Pistons	Lakers 115, Pistons 106	10-4
1967	San Diego Rockets	Rockets 104, Lakers 101	10-5
1968	Phoenix Suns	Lakers 119, Suns 99	11-5
1970	Boston Celtics	Lakers 123, Celtics 113	12-5
1973	Phoenix Suns	Suns 135, Lakers 100	12-6
1976	Phoenix Suns	Suns 113, Lakers 96	12-7
1977	Seattle SuperSonics	Lakers 111, SuperSonics 96	13-7
1981	Phoenix Suns	Lakers 104, Suns 101	14-7
1983	Portland Trail Blazers	Trail Blazers 141, Lakers 121	14-8
1988	Utah Jazz	Jazz 101, Lakers 87	14-9
1991	Los Angeles Clippers	Lakers 85, Clippers 75	15-9
1996	Phoenix Suns	Lakers 108, Suns 87	16-9
1999	San Antonio Spurs	Lakers 99, Spurs 93	17-9
2000	Portland Trail Blazers	Trail Blazers 109, Lakers 104	17-10
2001	Philadelphia 76ers	Lakers 88, 76ers 82	18-10
2002	Sacramento Kings	Kings 105, Lakers 99	18-11
2003	Houston Rockets	Rockets 99, Lakers 87	18-12
2004	Miami Heat	Heat 104, Lakers 102	18-13
2005	Miami Heat	Heat 97, Lakers 92	18-14
2006	Miami Heat	Heat 101, Lakers 85	18-15
2007	Phoenix Suns	Lakers 122, Suns 115	19-15
2008	Boston Celtics	Lakers 92, Celtics 83	20-15
2009	Cleveland Cavaliers	Cavaliers 102, Lakers 87	20-16
2010	Miami Heat	Heat 96, Lakers 80	20-17
2011	Chicago Bulls	Bulls 88, Lakers 87	20-18
2012	New York Knicks	Lakers 100, Knicks 94	21-18
2013	Miami Heat	Heat 101, Lakers 95	21-19
2014	Chicago Bulls	Bulls 113, Lakers 93	21-20
2015	Los Angeles Clippers	Clippers 94, Lakers 84	21-21
2016	Los Angeles Clippers	Lakers 111, Clippers 102	22-21
2017	Minnesota Timberwolves	Timberwolves 121, Lakers 104	22-22
2018	Golden State Warriors	Lakers 127, Warriors 101	23-22
2019	Los Angeles Clippers	Clippers 111, Lakers 106	23-23
2020	Dallas Mavericks	Lakers 138, Mavericks 115	24-23
2021	Brooklyn Nets	Nets 122, Lakers 115	24-24
2022	Dallas Mavericks	Mavericks 124, Lakers 115	24-25
2023	Boston Celtics	Celtics 126, Lakers 115	24-26

Notable Lakers Christmas Day Performances

There are many to choose from, but the best performance out of a Lakers player has to be from the man himself, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Universally accepted as one of the greatest players of all time, Kareem dropped 35 points to go with 17 rebounds and nine assists back in 1977 to lead the Lakers over the Seattle SuperSonics.

Before his time, Elgin Baylor set the standard by scoring 40 points on Christmas 1961. He battled Oscar Robertson in a huge 141–127 win in the first holiday matchup for the Lakers after moving to Los Angeles. Baylor finished with seven rebounds to go along with his 40 points on 15-of-27 shooting.

Shortly thereafter, Jerry West went off. In the year 1963 West's Lakers battled the Knicks, another Christmas Day mainstay for the NBA, and the man who became known as The Logo put up 47 points to bring home the win. That point total stands as the fourth-highest scoring game on Christmas in NBA history.

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