Christmas Day has always been a bittersweet subject for Savannah James. Year after year, the power couple somehow finds a little time to spend together during the holidays, even though LeBron James is usually away on game duty for most of it. Life was bound to get harder after he moved to the Philadelphia 76ers. But Adam Silver’s scheduling surprise has put Savannah in an even bigger bind than before.

When LeBron signed with the 76ers this summer, he left his son Bronny behind in LA, a detail many observers noted as the one major cost of the blockbuster move. But the NBA has just put father and son on opposite sides of the court this Christmas Day, leaving Savannah some serious dilemmas about who to cheer for.

LeBron’s wife has often spoken about the challenges of Christmas Day before in their family. Wherever they are, they have brunch together (at least they try to), followed by a Chinese dinner. Last year, Savannah confirmed that LeBron has always been part of the NBA’s Christmas games slate with no break.

“I would like ship all the gifts to the hotel, had the hotel put up a Christmas tree, like I had to create Christmas where we were because we weren’t home for a long time,” Savannah said on the Everybody’s Crazy podcast.

It was slightly easier during the years James had a game in LA itself, but even then, the kids had to be early risers on what should’ve been a cozy holiday morning.

“Usually at noon, the game is early, so we have to wake up like super-duper early so that he can still stay in his routine of his pregame thing,” Savannah explained.

That story completely checks out because a viral video from years ago still does the rounds on social media to this day. The clip shows the entire James household up early, with Zhuri, by far, having the most energy. She was the first one waiting by the Christmas tree! LeBron jokingly described that a reindeer had bitten off the carrots while Santa had dunked some of the cookies into the milk at the table.

Well, the kids have grown bigger, but that early morning routine is most likely going to repeat itself because the NBA announced on Tuesday that James will travel to face Luka Doncic and Co. in the 5 p.m. Christmas Day matchup on ABC and ESPN.

It will be LeBron’s record 21st Christmas Day game, and easily the most personal. That’s because Bronny enters his third NBA season as a Laker, having stayed in LA after his father’s departure.

ESPN’s Sam Block also tweeted: “LeBron vs Bronny on NBA Christmas Day is by far the greatest matchup in NBA history.” The full five-game slate also features an NBA Finals rematch between the Knicks and Spurs, the Heat against the Celtics, and two West showdowns. But nothing on the board comes close to the gravity of this one.

LeBron played with Bronny for two seasons in Los Angeles, after making history as the first father-son duo to share an NBA court. Now, they are set to make more history with the first father-son matchup on Christmas Day!

Fans React… and There’s Curiosity Around What Savannah Is Going to Do

Social media, particularly X, was thrown into a frenzy. “Real question is: what jersey will Mrs. James be wearing?” one fan posted, and nobody had a good answer, because there isn’t one. Savannah James attending a Sixers-Lakers Christmas game is the definition of a no-win situation!

As recently as last year, Savannah admitted that “the NBA [has] been sucking up my Christmases for a long time.” However, she was happy that Bronny and LeBron were on the same team, playing in LA, making it easier for her to go and support them, and that Bryce was also returning home for the holidays. Unfortunately, that ‘support’ bit is going to get a lot more complicated very soon.

A portion of the fanbase, though, was also rooting for some extra drama on the court.

“Can’t wait to see LeBron dunk on Bronny in the paint Christmas Day” was one of the milder takes. “Perhaps it will also result in the first father-son hard foul followed by the first father-son brawl in NBA history. That would seriously rule for a multitude of reasons,” offered another fan.

Now, if you add viral announcer Mike Breen to that equation, his “BANG” and “James from downtown” calls might see a fresh tune-up altogether.

“The ultimate ‘I brought you into this world, I can take you out’ moment,” another fan commented, who was rooting for a fight between father and son.

LeBron James isn’t the only Sixer with a homecoming on the schedule. Jaylen Brown’s return to Boston will also draw enormous attention this season. But none of those games carry the same weight as December 25 in Los Angeles.

LeBron spent eight years in that building. His son still plays there. His wife will be in the arena somewhere, deciding in real time which way to look when the ball goes up.