Christmas Day games have a different feel to it. Watching some of our favorite stars in action, while the festival has taken over the world remains one of the best gifts for hoop fans. The late great Kobe Bryant was among the players that fans always wanted to see on this special day.

Typical to his nature, the Black Mamba never let his fans down. He played a total of 16 Christmas Day games, the last one was against the city rivals, the LA Clippers, in 2015. While we gear up for this year’s Christmas showdown, let’s take a trip down memory lane to some of Kobe’s most iconic games.

Kobe Bryant’s Christmas Day battles

Kobe played his first Christmas Day game in 1996 as a rookie where he only managed one rebound as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns. The Mamba marked his first good Christmas game in 1999 where he scored 18 points with 5 rebounds and assists. Kobe loved to put on a show every Christmas he took center stage. He carried this tradition for 16 years when he stepped onto the hardwood and gave a performance each time for the fans to remember. However, the most anticipated Kobe Christmas game was in 2004, and it had very little to do with the festival.

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The 2004 game was special because that was the first time when Kobe and Shaquille O’Neal faced each other as rivals. The anticipation around the game was a product of the messy trade that landed Shaq in the Miami Heat camp. So when the two stepped foot onto the court, fans wondered how this matchup would go because of their history together. Although Kobe put up one of his best performances in that game with 42 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, he didn’t get the necessary help from the rest of his teammates. Their first matchup ended up in Miami taking the game away by 104-102.

Kobe’s last Christmas game also ended up with the Lakers losing the game to the Clippers by 94-84. The late Mamba won 6 of his 16 Christmas Day matchups. Two of his biggest wins were back to back in 2007 and 2008 where he dropped 38 and 27 points respectively.

Who Was More Dominant During Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s First Faceoff During the 2004 Christmas Day Thriller?

With this year’s Christmas games just hours away, it’s good to see the tradition being kept alive. There are 5 games listed to be played today and has some of the biggest stars from the world of the NBA who will be taking charge on the court.

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