Celtics to face Lakers on Christmas Day 2023
The NBA's biggest rivalry will take place on one of the league's most successful days.
The most heated rivalry in the NBA will return on the most wonderful day of the year.
Celtics
The Celtics will travel to Los Angeles and play their sworn enemy, the Lakers, on Dec. 25, 2023, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Millions of people will fixate their eyes on the two most successful teams in basketball after they open presents and spend time with family.
The Celtics are no strangers to playing on Christmas Day. This year will mark the eighth straight season they have participated in the NBA’s highly marketed event. But this will be the first time they face their biggest foe on Christmas since 2008, when the Lakers defeated the Celtics, 92-83.
This marquee matchup is one of five highly anticipated games taking place on Christmas Day. As per tradition, the New York Knicks will kick off the holiday’s hoop festivities at Madison Square Garden, where they will host Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks.
After that, a rematch of the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals will take place, with the Philadelphia 76ers traveling to Miami to take on the Heat, the reigning Eastern Conference Champions.
Games will take place after the Celtics finish playing as well. Right afterward, former teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will face each other as the Dallas Mavericks will visit Phoenix and play the Suns. Both of these teams have drastically transformed since the infamous Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference Finals, which the Mavericks and Suns also played at Footprint Center.
To wrap up the night, the Golden State Warriors will take on the Nuggets, the reigning NBA champions, in Denver.
The Celtics played their first Christmas game in 1948, and since then they are 16-20 all time when playing on this day. Times have yet to be announced as of Friday, but this matchup between two historic teams will draw significant interest no matter when it is.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com