LeBron James expressed a preference for spending Christmas at home with family rather than playing in his record-extending 20th NBA Christmas Day game. The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Houston Rockets on December 25 in a key Western Conference matchup between the No. 4 and No. 6 seeds. James acknowledged the honor of the occasion while highlighting his personal wishes.
The NBA's Christmas Day slate features high-stakes games, with the Los Angeles Lakers facing the Houston Rockets in the penultimate matchup. Scheduled for Thursday at Crypto.com Arena, this contest pits the fourth-seeded Lakers against the sixth-seeded Rockets in the Western Conference playoff race. For LeBron James, it marks his 20th appearance on the holiday, a milestone that underscores his status as the league's all-time leading scorer and top Christmas Day performer with 507 points at an average of 26.7 per game.
James, who turns 41 on December 30, offered a candid reflection on the tradition during a recent interview. "I'd much rather be at home with my family," he said. "But I mean, it's the game, it's the game I love. It's the game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas. It's always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I'm gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called -- our number is called, so we have to go out and perform and I look forward to it."
This is not the first time James has voiced a desire for Christmas off, though the Lakers' home-court advantage this year provides some comfort. The 40-year-old forward, in his 23rd NBA season, recently noted watching more golf than basketball, fueling speculation about his longevity. Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds Lakers star Luka Dončić's availability after he exited a recent game with a leg contusion, potentially marking his first Christmas Day outing if he plays.
The game will air on ABC and ESPN, adding to the holiday spotlight on James and the Lakers' depth, which has kept them competitive even without key players at times.
