Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Senior Writer
Kevin Durant was on the court in Phoenix warming up for the late 8:30 p.m. tip-off of the NBA’s final Christmas Day game. At the time, Stephen Curry and LeBron James were putting the finishing touches on the fourth thriller of the NBA season’s biggest day. so far. But somehow, Durant knew exactly how important this day was to 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. he said. “I don’t think it’s just because it’s Christmas. I hope they stay focused on the game and invest in each player and each team, not just in the playoffs and the Finals, but throughout the rest of the season.”
“I want to see the ratings, people. I want to see it pick up. It’s not like the league is going anywhere, but it’s in a tough spot in terms of that.”
The NBA has been the subject of particularly negative discussion for much of this season, whether it’s its style of play, how many 3-pointers a team is making, star players missing games, or All-Star Weekend. There has been talk of a lack of effort in some way. There are countless other problems. But the Christmas game was a reminder that this game could still be good. Four of the five games were decided until the last moment, with an average point difference of just five points, the worst for a Christmas with the lowest five-game stretch in NBA history.
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Each game had a thrilling finish, with young stars such as San Antonio’s Victor Wembaneyama (42 points, 18 rebounds), Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (26 points) and Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey (33 points, 12 assists). But he delivered an outstanding performance alongside Durant’s veteran guard. (27 points), Kyrie Irving (39 points), Curry (38 points), James (31 points).
The biggest plays were from the Lakers’ Austin Reaves, who added to Curry’s heroics with a game-winning layup over Andrew Wiggins, and from the Lakers’ Austin Reaves, whose rebounding and defense sealed the Knicks’ victory over Wembaneyama and inspired Curry’s heroics. It was created by role players such as New York’s Josh Hart. Spurs group.
And it seemed as if 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 at the camera to emphasize his point.
James has been acutely aware of the NFL’s encroachment on the NBA’s territory in recent years. This year, the NFL brought two high-profile games against the NBA and a halftime show featuring Beyoncé to Netflix. James awoke and decided to reclaim his territory.
“It’s such a shame we don’t have Christmas Day uniforms anymore!” James wrote on X. “It was a great feeling to walk into the locker room and see those players.”
Wednesday, January 8th
Thunder at Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
Spurs vs. Bucks, 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 15th
Knicks at 76ers, 7:30 p.m.
Heat at Lakers, 10 p.m.
always east
Over the summer, James did a joint interview with Curry and Durant during their epic Olympic run in France, and NBA Entertainment released the interview ahead of their Christmas schedule. It was nostalgic and sad. Retirement was openly discussed. So was heritage. The message was clear. They won’t be around for much longer, so fans should enjoy them while they can.
But the conclusions reached were daunting. What is the NBA going to do without them?
James and Curry continued to emphasize that message again Wednesday night after their recent head-to-head showdown.
“It’s always great. The history of the sport, the spirit, his greatness. It just makes you appreciate everything we’ve been through and the up-and-down battles,” Curry said. “It’s still going on in 2024, and somehow the games are so exciting, it’s a must-see TV situation. I love it. … That’s why it’s a shame to lose, because these Because the moment is a little more important.”
James was even more direct. When asked by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin what’s great about the NBA today, he simply replied, “LeBron and Steph.”
As Durant walked out of the arena into the still-calm Phoenix night of 11 p.m., he struck a different tone. The 36-year-old veteran, who entered the league 17 years ago with a now-defunct Seattle team, doesn’t like to think of himself, Curry and James as era-defining players, as he ignores future Hall. He said no. James Harden and Russell Westbrook made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although that team never returned to the Finals (and Harden was traded to Houston before the next season), the Thunder won 219 games over the next four years until Durant left for Golden State.
“I feel like fans only want free agency and drama and only care about the playoffs and the Finals and what it means to someone’s legacy,” he said. “Then they’re programmed to just think about that and not want to worry about the regular season.”
But he doesn’t blame them in a fractured media environment where the NBA is gaining attention not only from other TV shows but also from streaming networks and social media platforms.
“So to watch a January night game, Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks, or Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors, that won’t be aired on national television? You might just be following the stats. ” Durant said.
“What I’m saying is you can’t downplay a product like some shows do and think people are going to appreciate it. We’re all supposed to be on the same team. But I feel like everyone’s conflicting right now, not everyone trying to move the game in the right direction, but trying to get more attention. ”
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For one day at least, the NBA was moving in the right direction. The match was great. The players were dynamic. Not just the three superstars who have carried the league for 20 years, but also the young players who will soon take over the league.
If there’s a lesson to be learned from what went wrong on Christmas, Durant will be one of those looking for it, hoping to change the discourse around the league as the calendar flips to 2025. There is.
“I’m taking this seriously, but I’m stuck inside wondering why people don’t want to watch us play anymore, why they don’t like the 3-point line, what the real problem is. ” he said. “I’m thinking about it and trying to understand it. I love this game. I want to see it continue.”
