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.

After a strong start to the season, the Golden State Warriors have hit a slump. Following a 12-3 start, the Warriors have dropped 10 of their last 13 games before heading into a primetime matchup on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers.

While LeBron James is one-half of a long-discussed debate about the greatest of all time, there’s no question that the NBA’s Yuletide matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors delivered - ratings- and thrill-wise.