Despite finishing 10th in the Western Conference and failing to make the NBA Playoffs last season, the Golden State Warriors are set to retain their spot on the Christmas Day schedule later this year.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Thursday, the Warriors are poised to play host to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas in another iteration of their long-time rivalry.
Curry and James — two of the most iconic players in NBA history — are currently teaming up for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the Golden State superstar scoring 36 points in an exhilarating come-from-behind victory over Serbia in the Semi-Final on Thursday.
The Christmas Day schedule reiterates that Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors remain one of the NBA’s biggest drawcards
James and Curry are no strangers to playing against each other on Christmas Day, having met on multiple occasions during the mid 2010’s rivalry between Golden State and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The five-game Christmas Day slate is also set to feature the New York Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs, the Minnesota Timberwolves renewing their playoff battle in visiting the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA champion Boston Celtics hosting the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Denver Nuggets taking on the Suns in Phoenix.
The Warriors retaining their spot on the Christmas Day schedule clearly encapsulates the fact that they remain a big attraction despite a year that didn’t reach expectation last season. That’s specifically thanks to Curry who even at 36-years-old, is still one of the faces of the league and one of the most entertaining players in the NBA.
This will be Golden State’s 12th-straight Christmas Day game, having recorded a 6-5 record which included a 120-114 loss to Denver at Ball Arena in 2023. They had previously beaten the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns in each of the previous two years.
Focus will now turn to whether the Warriors will retain their position on the opening night schedule, with that appearing more in danger after reports that Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves will feature in one of the two games to tip-off next season.
