Not sure if you knew this or not, but the Portland Trail Blazers are awesome on Christmas Day. Let’s look at some big wins on Dec. 25.
Portland is hot as tarnation right about now, and its summery blue skies are obscured by smoke from the region’s wildfires. When you walk down the street, you start to feel like you might be coming down with a cold — but it’s just a sore throat from inhaling all that smoky residue.
So those of us here in Rip City don’t mind taking a peek ahead to the cooler month of December and to Dec. 25, 2018, when our beloved Portland Trail Blazers will take on the Jazz in Utah. It will be the final NBA game of the day.
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Our man Nate — Nate Mann, that is; see what I did there? — already covered this here at the RCP, so I won’t rehash too many of his details.
With one exception: 14-3. That’s the Blazers record on Christmas Day.
Yup. Portland is usually awesome on Christmas.
Blazers and Christmas
According to a sortable chart populated with NBA data and posted on Wikipedia, the Blazers 14-3 record (an .824 winning percentage) on Christmas is second only to the Miami Heat’s 10-2 (for an .833 winning percentage).
Only five teams have won more games on Christmas than Portland: The Knicks (22), Lakers (21), Kings (18), 76ers (17) and Wizards (16).
So, yeah — the Blazers are generally excellent on Christmas.
Of Portland’s 14 Christmas Day wins, which ones are the most impressive?
The First Win
The Blazers first Christmas Day win came in their second attempt. They beat the rival Seattle SuperSonics 116-113 in a 1972 home game that was about as evenly matched as one could imagine. (Neither team was very good at the time.)
Sidney Wicks led all scorers with 38 points, adding seven rebounds and eight assists.
Portland also beat the SuperSonics on Christmas Day during their championship season of 1976-1977.
Beat LA!
On Dec. 25, 2000, the Portland beat a totally stacked Los Angeles Lakers team in L.A., 109-104. (The same Lakers team that would go on to win the second of three straight NBA titles.)
Rasheed Wallace scored 33 points for the Blazers, and Damon Stoudamire chipped in a near-triple double with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal scored 33 points and grabbed 15 boards. Kobe Bryant added 29 points and Rick Fox tallied 22 of his own.
But it wasn’t enough, and Portland had one of its sweetest Christmas Day victories ever.
B-Roy
It’s Christmas Day 2009. The Blazers (20-11) are facing the Denver Nuggets (20-9) in Portland.
And Brandon Roy goes off!
B-Roy scored 41 points on 16/26 shooting, including 3/6 from three.
Dude was unstoppable.
But so was Carmelo Anthony (32 points, nine rebounds).
What we witnessed that day was two players playing at peak playing-ness.
Have a look.
Portland won that game, thanks to “The Natural,” and it was a sweet, sweet Christmas in Rip City.
As coach Jack Ramsay once said, “Christmas meant being at home with the family and having a game we always won. That was a perfect Christmas to me.”
Let’s hope 2018 adds another win to Portland’s impressive Christmas Day resume.
See you at the ball court. Ho ho ho!