Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts as his team plays the Orlando Magic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo\/Kevin Kolczynski)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts as he watches teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The Bulls won 124-108. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic smiles as he runs back up the court after an assist against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, celebrates with guard Klay Thompson during the second half of the team\u2019s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jeff Chiu)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts as his team plays the Orlando Magic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo\/Kevin Kolczynski)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts as his team plays the Orlando Magic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo\/Kevin Kolczynski)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts as he watches teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The Bulls won 124-108. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts as he watches teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. The Bulls won 124-108. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic smiles as he runs back up the court after an assist against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic smiles as he runs back up the court after an assist against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, celebrates with guard Klay Thompson during the second half of the team\u2019s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, celebrates with guard Klay Thompson during the second half of the team\u2019s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo\/Jeff Chiu)
MIAMI (AP) \u2014 Erik Spoelstra was part of 12 Christmas games as a staff member, assistant coach or head coach in his first 20 seasons with the Miami Heat.
And in the eight seasons that followed, the Heat played on Christmas only once.
Here\u2019s what he realized: For an NBA team, playing on Christmas beats not playing on Christmas. The Heat return to the league\u2019s holiday slate for the first time since 2020 on Monday, when they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the NBA\u2019s traditional Christmas quintuple header.
The other games: Milwaukee at New York, Golden State visits defending champion Denver, Boston visits the Los Angeles Lakers in the rekindling of the NBA\u2019s greatest all-time rivalry and Dallas goes to Phoenix.
\u201cIt is an honor to have that opportunity to play on Christmas,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cThe whole league doesn\u2019t play on the holiday and there were several years in a row where we were never even considered for playing on Christmas. And then you go back, you almost took it for granted that we were always playing on Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other teams also insist they don\u2019t take it for granted.
Golden State playing on Christmas has become a holiday tradition; the Warriors are on the Dec. 25 schedule for the 13th time in the last 14 years. And Warriors guard Stephen Curry still gets excited about what awaits.
\u201cMarquee games on Christmas, it\u2019s going to be a great atmosphere,\u201d Curry said. \u201cYou know, we\u2019ve been in that environment before, so I understand what it\u2019s going to be like. On the road, it\u2019s going to be fun to just compete. It\u2019s a test.\u201d
The Christmas slate was long considered the unofficial point in the NBA schedule where more fans start paying attention. Football is winding down, and the NBA games are all shown nationally either on ABC or ESPN.
LeBron James will pay attention, too \u2014 but not until certain other Christmas business is complete. The NBA\u2019s all-time leading scorer has played more games on Dec. 25 than anyone in league history, though his top priority entering the holiday is watching 9-year-old daughter Zhuri light up when she rips the wrapping paper off what\u2019s coming her way.
\u201cThe only thing I care about Monday right now is my daughter waking up and opening her gifts,\u201d James said Saturday after he and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Oklahoma City.
The Heat planned a short practice for Christmas Eve morning. They were getting most of Sunday off, along with Christmas morning. Players aren\u2019t due at the arena until Monday afternoon for the game, with Spoelstra trying to make sure everyone gets time to celebrate as they wish.
\u201cThese are a bunch of wins,\u201d Spoelstra said, \u201cbut we\u2019ve just got to make sure we get the win.\u201d
The Lakers have the most Christmas wins with 24, one more than the Knicks. The Knicks will play on Christmas for the 56th time, extending their record.
The teams without a Christmas win are Charlotte (0-0), Memphis (0-1) and Toronto (0-2).
James will aim for his 11th win on Christmas, which would break a tie with former teammate Dwyane Wade for the most by a player in NBA history. James will play in his 18th Christmas game, extending his record; Kobe Bryant played in 16 for the league\u2019s second-highest total.
Among active players, Kevin Durant has the second most and is set to play on Christmas for the 11th time when the Suns meet the Mavericks.
Spoelstra \u2014 who is 8-0 as a head coach on the holiday \u2014 will try to become the fifth coach with nine Christmas wins. He would join Jack Ramsay (11-3), Phil Jackson (11-7), Gene Shue (9-4) and Red Auerbach (9-6).
Of the 10 teams picked for Christmas this year, nine also played on Dec. 25 last year. The exception is Miami \u2014 the Eastern Conference champion Heat are back on the Christmas schedule, and Memphis is off after debuting last year.
The Lakers are on the Christmas schedule for the 25th consecutive year while Golden State is playing for the 11th straight year.
Boston got a Christmas game for the eighth consecutive year, Milwaukee for the sixth straight and Dallas for the fourth in a row.
New York and Phoenix have been picked in each of the last three years, and Denver and Philadelphia are back on the Christmas schedule for the second straight season.
Dallas\u2019 Luka Doncic will arrive in Phoenix 11 points shy of reaching 10,000 for his career. If he gets there Monday against the Suns, the milestone will come in his 358th career game \u2014 tying Bob McAdoo for the sixth-quickest trip to 10,000 points in NBA history.
The others who got there faster: Wilt Chamberlain (236 games), Michael Jordan (303), Elgin Baylor (315), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (319) and Oscar Robertson (334).
Meanwhile, for the Suns, Durant needs one point to become the fifth player in history with 300 on Christmas. He\u2019d join James (460 entering Monday), Bryant (395), Robertson (377) and Wade (314) on that list.
Charlotte has not played in a Christmas game, and a few other franchises have been waiting a long time to be part of the holiday lineup.
Sacramento\u2019s last Christmas game was 2003, Indiana\u2019s was in 2004, Detroit\u2019s was in 2005, Orlando\u2019s was in 2011 and the most recent ones for Chicago and San Antonio were in 2016.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson told the team\u2019s television broadcast Saturday night what awaits his prized English bulldog Rocco this year: \u201cHe does have a stocking. He\u2019s got some rabbit jerky in there. He\u2019s got some good stuff. So, Rocco\u2019s well taken care of.\u201d
But did Thompson get all of his teammates gifts? Evidently not. \u201cThe rookies just get to be benefited with my presence,\u201d Thompson said.
AP NBA: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/nba<\/a><\/span>
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n