The History of Celtics on Christmas Day

Christmas Day is a good time to spend time with family members, open presents, and watch the NBA all day lengthy. The NBA on Christmas is a convention in contrast to some other within the basketball world and it’s seen as an important honor to have your crew play one among these video games with the entire world watching.

This season will mark the thirty eighth time in franchise historical past the Boston Celtics might be taking part in on Christmas Day for the reason that custom started in 1947. Let’s stroll down reminiscence lane and relive among the most memorable moments the Celtics have given us on Christmas.

The Celtics have a team-record of 17-20 on Christmas Day video games however have discovered extra success in recent times — of their final 10 matchups, they’ve a document of 6-4.

The primary recreation the Boston Celtics ever performed on Christmas was on December twenty fifth, 1948 in an 80-77 loss to the Philadelphia Warriors. This loss would begin a six-year shedding streak on Christmas Day till 1954 when Boston acquired their first win in an 108-99 victory over the Milwaukee Hawks. Bob Cousy led the way in which for Boston with 35 factors alongside 23 factors from Ed Macauley and Invoice Sharman.

One thing fascinating to notice is that in franchise historical past, the Celtics have solely performed in 6 residence video games on Christmas. After the sport in 1964, the Celtics wouldn’t have one other residence Christmas recreation till 2017, 53 years later. Why the lengthy stoppage?

The rumors behind the dearth of Christmas video games within the Backyard had been round Celtics head coach Crimson Auerbach doing the charitable factor and refused to make crew staffers and stadium staff work on Christmas Day or as a result of the NBA was too afraid to place a recreation in Boston because of the harsh New England climate.

Each of the tales had been confirmed false, as Chris Forsberg particulars in a 2017 ESPN article. No person actually is aware of the origins as to why they by no means performed Christmas Day video games in Boston. NBC Sports activities Boston’s Chris Forsberg requested Celtics crew president Wealthy Gotham to attempt to get a concrete reply and Gotham’s response was that the Backyard simply wasn’t obtainable to be used throughout Christmas time.

Gotham defined that it was the “Disney on Ice” program that usually had the Backyard throughout this time. They might start dropping off supplies for the present round Christmas Eve so their present may begin on December twenty sixth. The Celtics began taking part in video games at residence once more because of former Celtics GM Danny Ainge who in 2016, urged the Celtics entrance workplace to present followers the reward of Christmas Day basketball in TD Backyard for the subsequent season.

Since 2017, the Celtics have performed in three extra Christmas video games at TD Backyard with this yr’s matchup in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers on the parquet.

Taking part in on Christmas Day is seen as a badge of honor to gamers across the league however that additionally comes with sacrificing spending time with household. In 1985, the Celtics ran right into a state of affairs with star Kevin McHale about this situation after they had been scheduled to play the New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.

The crew as an entire was not thrilled about having to play on Christmas Day after not taking part in the previous 4 seasons on December twenty fifth and McHale was particularly sad, voicing his frustrations about not eager to miss out on time along with his household. He determined to not journey with the crew, as a substitute opening presents at residence after which taking a separate flight to New York on Christmas morning. A few of McHale’s teammates had been angered by this and so was the NBA. They fined him for lacking the crew flight.

McHale would have 29 factors, nevertheless it was a disastrous recreation for the Celtics. After they constructed up a 25-point lead mid-way via the third quarter, they choked it away because the Knicks had been in a position to come all the way in which again and win 113-104 in double additional time.

This was the worst loss the 1985 Celtics would have all season, nevertheless it didn’t appear to trouble them very a lot. They might go on to have a document of 46-8 to finish the common season, win the championship, and go down as one of many biggest groups ever assembled.

Shifting again to the fashionable day, I want to go over a few of my private favourite recollections watching the Celtics on Christmas Day.

The primary recreation that involves my thoughts is Christmas 2016 when the Boston Celtics confronted off in opposition to the New York Knicks in Madison Sq. Backyard. Each groups wore Christmas themed jerseys for the final time ever as Adidas’ jersey contract with the NBA can be taken over by Nike, who didn’t keep it up the custom.

The Knicks wore a blue jersey with cursive orange font whereas the Celtics wore these stunning inexperienced jerseys with white cursive font that stated “Boston.” To this present day, I feel these are the most effective jerseys the Celtics have ever worn and I’ll stand by that perpetually.

The jerseys weren’t the one nice half about this recreation. Each groups performed a back-and-forth affair with tons of highlights. The funniest one looking back was when Al Horford dunked on future teammate Kristaps Porzingis and had your entire Celtics bench hyped.

The Celtics would have a nine-point lead with round 2 minutes to go within the recreation till the Knicks rattled off an 11-2 run in a minute to tie the sport. The Celtics weren’t deterred. Marcus Sensible would hit the sport profitable three with 47 seconds remaining and Avery Bradley compelled a turnover on Carmelo Anthony to seal the win for Boston. Isaiah Thomas led the way in which for the Celtics with 27 factors and it was sufficient to beat Carmelo Anthony’s 29-point efficiency.

The following notable recreation was in 2018 in opposition to the 76ers. The 2018-19 Celtics had lots of points with drama on and off the courtroom with Kyrie Irving on the forefront. Though Celtics followers have bitter recollections of Kyrie now, throughout the 2018 Christmas Day recreation, he placed on a present that electrified the TD Backyard crowd.

Kyrie Irving would go off for 40 factors and 10 rebounds on 17-33 capturing and 5-10 from three, with just one free throw. Irving would hit among the greatest photographs of his Celtics profession, beginning with a fadeaway jumper over Jimmy Butler to tie the sport with below 20 seconds remaining to power additional time. Then he would take over, he splashed a 3 to present the Celtics a 1-point lead with two minutes to go. J.J. Reddick missed a 3 for the 76ers on the subsequent possession, Jayson Tatum threw it forward to Kyrie who would proceed to drag up from 30 ft and swish the dagger three for a Celtics victory.

Kyrie may not ever be remembered positively for some Celtics followers, however that one Christmas needs to be remembered as the height of his time in Boston.

The ultimate notable recreation was in 2022 in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Jays mixed for 70 factors as Boston blew out Milwaukee 139-118.

Jayson Tatum dropped 41 factors, the second most ever by a Celtic on Christmas Day behind solely Tommy Heinson’s 45-point efficiency in 1961. Tatum additionally had among the best highlights of his profession with a vicious poster dunk on Giannis. The sport was shut till the Celtics began to drag away within the third quarter, however I’ll all the time keep in mind this recreation for the insane efficiency Tatum placed on show.

In conclusion, the Celtics have an extended historical past in terms of taking part in on Christmas Day with tons of memorable moments and with the 2024 Christmas recreation upon us, we needs to be in retailer for one more chapter to this long-storied custom.

Merry Christmas and Blissful Holidays everybody!