NBA Christmas Day records: All-time stat leaders for points, games, assists, rebounds and more

Scott Rafferty

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NBA Christmas Day records: All-time stat leaders for points, games, assists, rebounds and more image

In addition to the regular season and playoffs, the NBA tracks Christmas Day records.

It makes sense considering Christmas has long been one of the biggest days on the NBA calendar. The league started playing games on Christmas Day in 1947. The 2023-24 season will mark the 76th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day.

With that in mind, which legend has scored the most points on the holiday? Has Stephen Curry made the most 3-pointers? Who has played the most games? And where does LeBron James rank in each category?

The Sporting News has you covered below with the single game and all-time leaders heading into the Christmas Day 2023 games.

NBA Christmas Day single game records

All stats are from the NBA Christmas Day 2023 Media Guide unless otherwise noted.

Most points in single game

Bernard King remains the only player who has ever scored 60 points on Christmas Day.

RankPlayerPointsYear
1.Bernard King601984
2.Wilt Chamberlain591961
3.Rick Barry501966
4.Jerry West471963
5.Tracy McGrady462002

Most assists in single game

Tiny Archibald and Guy Rodgers share the record for most assists in a Christmas Day game with 18.

RankPlayerAssistsYear
1.Tiny Archibald181972
 Guy Rodgers181966
3.Oscar Robertson171961
4.Chris Paul 162022
 Tiny Archibald161975
 Oscar Robertson161965
 Oscar Robertson161963
 Oscar Robertson161960

Most rebounds in single game

Wilt Chamberlain's 36 rebounds are the most ever in a Christmas Day game.

RankPlayerReboundsYear
1.Wilt Chamberlain361961
2.Bill Russell341965
 Wilt Chamberlain341959
4.Bill Russell331958
5.Bill Russell311964

Most steals in single game

A number of players have finished with six steals on Christmas Day, but Kyrie Irving is the only player in NBA history to record seven on the holiday.

RankPlayerStealsYear
1.Kyrie Irving72016
2.Jrue Holiday62019
 Russell Westbrook62015
 Derrick Rose62010
 Doug Christie62002
 Michael Jordan61986
 Micheal Ray Richardson61979
 Paul Westphal61975
 Kevin Porter61974

Most blocks in single game

In 2018, Rudy Gobert came close to DeAndre Jordan's Christmas Day record of eight blocks (via Stathead).

RankPlayerBlocksYear
1.DeAndre Jordan82011
2.Rudy Gobert72018
 Elvin Hayes71980
4.Tim Duncan62013
 DeAndre Jordan62013
 Tyson Chandler62011
 Amar'e Stoudemire62010
 Larry Smith61980
 Terry Tyler61979

Most turnovers in single game

The most turnovers committed on Christmas Day is nine by Kobe Bryant (via Stathead).

RankPlayerTurnoversYear
1.Kobe Bryant92004
2.Kobe Bryant82007
 Kobe Bryant82011
 Michael Cooper81983
 LeBron James82003
 Micheal Ray Richardson81981
 Rajon Rondo82009

Most 3-pointers made in single game

Expecting to see Stephen Curry here? The greatest shooter of all time has never made more than five 3-pointers in a game on Christmas Day. Patty Mills holds the record with eight.

RankPlayer3-pointersYear
1.Patty Mills82021
2.Landry Shamet72022
 Kyrie Irving72020
 Duncan Robinson72020
 Brandon Ingram72019
5.Tim Hardaway Jr.62022
 Julius Randle62021
 Khris Middleton62020
 James Harden62019
 Kyle Kuzma62017
 Kevin Love62017
 Ryan Anderson62011
LeBron James, 10062022
(NBA Getty Images)

NBA Christmas Day all-time records

All stats are from the NBA Christmas Day 2023 Media Guide unless otherwise noted.

Most total games played

In 2022, LeBron James surpassed Kobe Bryant for the most games played on Christmas Day.

RankPlayerGames
1.LeBron James17
2.Kobe Bryant16
3.Earl Monroe13
 Shaquille O'Neal13
 Dolph Schayes13
 Dwyane Wade13

Most total points

LeBron James surpassed Kobe Bryant as the NBA's all-time scorer on Christmas Day in 2021.

RankPlayerPoints
1.LeBron James460
2.Kobe Bryant395
3.Oscar Robertson377
4.Dwyane Wade314
5.Kevin Durant299

Most total assists

LeBron James is the closest to Oscar Robertson's record for total assists on Christmas Day.

RankPlayerAssists
1.Oscar Robertson144
2.LeBron James119
3.Russell Westbrook97
4.Kobe Bryant85
5.James Harden81

Most total rebounds

While Wilt Chamberlain owns the record for most rebounds recorded in a single game on Christmas Day, Bill Russell has the legend beat when it comes to total rebounds.

RankPlayerRebounds
1.Bill Russell176
2.Wes Unseld163
3.Shaquille O'Neal155
4.Wilt Chamberlain152
5.Dolph Schayes144

Most total steals

Former teammates Russell Westbrook and LeBron James lead the way in total steals on Christmas Day.

RankPlayerSteals
1.Russell Westbrook29
2.LeBron James26
3.Scottie Pippen24
4.Dwyane Wade23
5.Kobe Bryant17
 Michael Jordan17
 Micheal Ray Richardson17

Most total blocks

Nobody has blocked more shots on Christmas Day than Shaquille O'Neal.

RankPlayerBlocks
1.Shaquille O'Neal25
2.Elvin Hayes22
3.DeAndre Jordan21
4.Dwight Howard19
5.Amar'e Stoudemire16

Most total turnovers

LeBron James isn't far behind Kobe Bryant for the most total turnovers on Christmas Day. (Via Stathead).

RankPlayerTurnovers
1.Kobe Bryant65
2.LeBron James60
3.Russell Westbrook 47
4.Dwyane Wade39
5.Shaquille O'Neal32

Most total 3-pointers made

In 2022, James Harden drained five 3s to overtake LeBron James for first place all-time on Christmas. With Harden's Clippers idle this Christmas, James could retake first place with four triples.

RankPlayer3-pointers
1.James Harden31
2.LeBron James 28
3.Kevin Durant25
4.J.J. Redick24
5.Klay Thompson20

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.