NBA Christmas Day 2019: NBA stars' performances on Christmas Day

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Leading up to one of the biggest dates on the NBA schedule, we're covering some of the biggest moments, performances and rivalries on NBA Christmas Day.

Today, we're taking a look at how some of the NBA's biggest stars have faired on Christmas.

Stephen Curry

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Record: 3-4

Averages: 12.3 points (29.3% FG, 20.5% 3PT, 87.0% FT), 7.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals

Best performance: 19 points, seven assists, two steals in win vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2015)

Fun fact: Or, not so fun fact – Christmas Day seems to be Curry's kryptonite. It's the one day of the entire NBA season that he consistently does not kill teams like he does all other 82-plus games. His shooting percentages from the field and from beyond the arc are like the Monstars from Space Jam come and take his powers every Christmas morning.

Kevin Durant

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Record: 4-5

Averages: 30.0 points (51.7% FG, 39.3% 3PT, 85.4% FT), 7.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.2 steals

Best performance: 44 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks in win vs. Denver Nuggets (2010)

Fun fact: Durant is two points away from passing Shaquille O'Neal for fifth all-time most points on Christmas Day. His 30.0 points per game on the holiday is the second-most among all active players (Carmelo Anthony, 31.0 ppg) and he holds the all-time record for total 3s made on Christmas.

James Harden

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Record: 6-1

Averages: 26.3 points (45.6% FG, 35.4% 3PT, 81.6% FT), 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals

Best performance: 41 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals, one block in a win vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2018)

Fun fact: Harden is just two points away from passing Carmelo Anthony for fifth all-time in scoring on Christmas Day among active players. If he can record four assists, he'll pass Rajon Rondo (who also plays on Christmas) for third-most assists all-time on the holiday among active players. It's also worth seeing if the prolific scorer can break Bernard King's record of 60 points on Christmas.

Dwight Howard

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Record: 5-2

Averages: 10.6 points (39.1% FG, 47.1% FT), 15.0 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.3 steals, 1.0 assists

Best performance: 15 points, 20 rebounds, three assists, two blocks in win vs. San Antonio Spurs (2013)

Fun fact: Howard is ranked fourth all-time in blocks on Christmas Day with 18, trailing DeAndre Jordan (19), Elvin Hayes (22) and Shaquille O'Neal (25). He leads all active players in all-time rebounds with 105 and is the only active NBA player to post multiple 20-rebound games on Christmas.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie

Record: 2-3

Averages: 24.6 points (44.6% FG, 30.0% 3PT, 92.9% FT), 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 steals

Best performance: 40 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal in a win over the 76ers (2018)

Fun fact: Kyrie's seven steals on Christmas Day 2016 against the Warriors is the most steals in a game on the holiday in NBA history. His game-winning shot was also the first game-winner on Christmas since Penny Hardaway's shot to beat the Houston Rockets in 1995. Both game-winners were in a rematch of the NBA Finals from the season before.

LeBron James

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Record: 9-4

Averages: 26.0 points (49.8% FG, 30.8% 3PT, 64.0% FT), 7.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals

Best performance: 27 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in win vs. Los Angeles Lakers (2010)

Fun fact: LeBron is third all-time in points and second all-time in assists on Christmas Day. He is third all-time for 3-pointers made on the holiday with 20 and is three Christmas Day games shy of tying Kobe Bryant's record for most games played (two after this Christmas). He is 57 points short of passing Bryant's Christmas scoring record as well, which he would be on pace to break as long as he plays in at least one more Christmas Day game after this year.

Russell Westbrook

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Record: 6-3

Averages: 23.4 points (39.5% FG, 25.0% 3FG, 75.0% FT), 8.6 assists, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 steals

Best performance: 34 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, five steals in win vs. San Antonio Spurs (2014)

Fun fact: Westbrook is the all-time record holder for most steals in NBA history on Christmas Day with 28. He is also top-five all-time in assists on Christmas and is just three assists shy of passing Dwyane Wade for fourth-most ever. His 15 assists in 2016 are the most assists in a single game any active player has recorded on the holiday.

Stars who have never played on Christmas

To name a few...

• Devin Booker

• DeMarcus Cousins

• DeMar DeRozan

• Kyle Lowry (first appearance this season)

• Rudy Gobert

• Kemba Walker (first appearance this season)

Author(s)
Kyle Irving Photo

Kyle Irving is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.