The New York Knicks are a mainstay for the NBA on Christmas. Of the 76 seasons the league has put on a Christmas showcase, the Knicks have played 56 times— most all-time in the NBA. In the tristate area the colors of orange and blue are just as synonymous with the holiday spirit as your greens and reds, despite the more inconsistent appearances in the 2010s.
This season will mark the Knicks' 57th Christmas Day game as they host the San Antonio Spurs in the first action of the day. It feels like as good a time as any to reflect on the ghosts of New York Christmas past and break down just how good the Knicks have been while performing on Christmas over the years.
New York Knicks' Record on Christmas Day
The Knicks boast an all-time record of 24-32 on Christmas Day. While it is obviously not optimal to fall below .500 on yuletide New York's 24 wins are tied for the most all-time. So, even if they have lost more often than they've won, the Knicks are still one of the two most successful NBA franchises in the history of Christmas play. Conversely, those 32 losses are more than any team has suffered on the holiday. Such are the consequences of being the NBA's go-to Christmas team, regardless of how good a team they are that season.
Here is a complete accounting of the Knicks' Christmas Day battles , starting with their very first in 1947.
Notable Knicks Christmas Day Performances
No Knick has ever had a better Christmas than Bernard King in 1984. He scored 40 points in the first half of New York's game against the Nets that year and finished with a whopping 60 points on the day. It's a Christmas record that still stands to this day.
One year later Patrick Ewing had an excellent showing. On yuletide in 1985, the rookie center out of Georgetown dominated with a 32-point, 11-rebound outing that propelled the Knicks to a 25-point comeback win over the Celtics.
In more recent Knicks lore, the ever-entertaining Carmelo Anthony dropped a cool 37 points in a narrow win over the Celtics. King may have scored more points but he didn't look as smooth as 'Melo did.
Merry Christmas, and enjoy the games!
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as New York Knicks Christmas Day History: Record, Statistics, & More.
