The NBA’s Christmas success couldn’t have come at a better time

Kevin Durant was on the court in Phoenix getting ready for the extra late 8:30 p.m. tipoff for the NBA Christmas Finals as Stephen Curry and LeBron James put the finishing touches on the fourth thriller of the best day of the NBA season so far. But somehow, Durant knew exactly how important that day had been for the league.

“Today was a step in the right direction to get people excited about the game of basketball again,” Durant told ESPN in a wide-ranging interview after leading the Phoenix Suns to a 110-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets. “Hopefully it’s not just because it’s Christmas. Hopefully they stay invested in the game, in every player, every team for the rest of the season and not just the playoffs or the finals.”

“I want to see the people, the viewership. I want things to get better again. The league will not come to nothing, but we are in a difficult phase when it comes to that.”

The NBA has been the subject of particularly negative discussion for most of this season, with talk of their style of play, how many 3-pointers they take, stars missing games, or simply for not making any effort at all during All-Star Weekend have , and countless other problems. But the Christmas games reminded us how good the game can still be. Four of the five games went to the final minute, and the average margin of victory was just five points, the lowest for a Christmas of at least five games in NBA history.

Each game ended in thrilling fashion, with young stars like San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (42 points, 18 rebounds), Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (26 points) and Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey (33 points, 12 assists) showing standout performances alongside Durant’s old guard delivered (27 points), Kyrie Irving (39 points), Curry (38 points) and James (31 points).

The biggest plays came from role players like the Lakers’ Austin Reaves, who eclipsed Curry’s heroics with a game-winning layup to Andrew Wiggins, and New York’s Josh Hart, whose rebounding and defense sealed the Knicks’ victory over Wembanyama and delivered an inspired win Spurs group.

And it seemed like everyone knew how important it was to the league.

“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” James told ABC’s Lisa Salters after the Lakers’ win over the Warriors. He even turned around and looked directly into the camera to emphasize his point.

James is well aware that the NFL has encroached on NBA territory in recent years. This year, the NFL pitted two major games — and a halftime show with Beyoncé — against the NBA’s lineup on Netflix. James woke up determined to reclaim this territory.

“It really sucks not having Christmas unis anymore!” James posted on X: “It was a great feeling walking into the changing room and seeing these.”

Over the summer, James did a joint interview with Curry and Durant during their epic Olympic run in France, which NBA Entertainment released ahead of Christmas List. It was wistful and nostalgic. Retirement was openly discussed. This also applied to legacies. The message was clear: fans should enjoy these guys while they can, because they won’t be around much longer.

But the realization was disheartening: What will the NBA do when she’s gone?

James and Curry took up that message again Wednesday night after their last head-to-head matchup.

“It’s always great fun. The history of the competition, the spirit, its greatness. It just makes me appreciate everything we went through and the struggles back and forth,” Curry said. “In 2024 I’m still doing it and somehow the games are pretty electrifying and a must-see TV situation. I love it. … That’s why it sucks to lose, because these are those moments that are a little more important.”

James was even more direct. When asked by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin what’s still great about the NBA today, he simply replied, “LeBron and Steph.”

As Durant left the arena at 11 p.m. into the still-balmy Phoenix night, he struck a different tone. The 36-year-old veteran, who came into the league 17 years ago with a Seattle team that no longer exists, said he doesn’t like to think of himself and Curry and James as the defining players of their era because of the Future Hall is ignoring Famers James Harden and Russell Westbrook, with whom he reached his first NBA finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012. That team never reached the Finals again (and Harden was traded to Houston before the next season), but the Thunder won 219 games over the next four years before Durant was traded to Golden State.

“I feel like the fans just want free agency and drama and only care about playoffs and finals and what that means for someone else’s legacy,” he said. “Then they become programmed to just think about what caused them to not want to care about the regular season.”

But he doesn’t blame them either, in a fragmented media environment in which the NBA competes for attention not only with other television shows but also with streaming networks and social media platforms.

“So to consume a January night game — Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks or Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors that isn’t on national television? Maybe just look at the stats,” Durant said.

“My thing is that you can’t focus on the product and think that people are going to appreciate that product, like some shows do. We should all be on the same team. But it feels like everyone is at odds with each other. “I’m trying to get more attention now instead of just everyone trying to steer the game in the right direction.

At least for one day, the NBA was moving in the right direction. The games were great. The players were dynamic. Not just the three superstars who have led the league for two decades, but also the young players they will soon pass it on to.

If there are lessons to be learned from what went right on Christmas, Durant will be among those looking for them in hopes of changing the discourse around the league as the calendar turns to 2025.

“I take this seriously and I don’t know why people don’t want to see us play anymore, why they don’t like the 3-point line or what the real problem is,” he said. “I’m trying to think about it and understand it. I love this game. I want it to continue.”