The hype of the LeBron James Laker train continues. For the 12th consecutive time and his first time in a Laker uniform, the 33-year-old future Hall of Famer will be showcasing his talents yet again in the league's annual Christmas games.
This will be LeBron's 12th straight Christmas Day game. He has not missed a December 25 game since the League expanded the schedule on Christmas beginning in 2007. pic.twitter.com/oJcDPOUyqb
— HOOP (@HOOPmag) August 8, 2018
LeBron's ability to provide brilliant all-around performances and explosive dunks on every given night has him taking the spotlight in just about every slate of Christmas games. Just last year, he played in a Christmas Day rematch with the Golden State Warriors and lost a nail-biter to the defending champs. LeBron recorded 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and a team-high 40 minutes of play that night.
James has given fans moments to remember during these holiday games, and none of them were better than his performance in the 2011 game against the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. That was the first game of the 2011 season after months of lockout moved the start of the NBA calendar to December. It was also a shot at redemption for LeBron after Dirk and the Mavs handed the Miami Heat a shocking upset in the 2011 Finals, beating them 4-2. That night, James logged 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks as the Heat beat the Mavs, 105-94.
Article Continues BelowInterestingly, James mentioned in an interview last year with Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com that playing in Los Angeles during holiday games has been always exciting for him.
“I've had a lot of games that kind of stood out … playing in the Staples Center is always a treat.”
This time around, though, the Lakers will be visiting the Bay Area for a Christmas Day showdown with the Warriors. With sweet-shooting, versatile players on both sides of the floor, it will surely be a matchup to remember.