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.