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NBA: Spreading Christmas cheer
A few years ago, Dwyane Wade was asked how it felt playing his first Christmas Day game.
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Christmas gifts
All-time leaders on Dec. 25
Points
377 Oscar Robertson
242 Kobe Bryant
239 Dolph Schayes
237 Walt Bellamy
236 Shaquille O’Neal
Pts. per game
43.3 Tracy McGrady
32.2 Jerry West
31.7 Wilt Chamberlain
31.5 George Gervin
31.4 Oscar Robertson
Rebounds
176 Bill Russell
163 Wes Unseld
152 Wilt Chamberlain
144 Dolph Schayes
136 Wayne Embry
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"Growing up you always watched those games,” Wade said. "If you’re playing, you’re a good team and people think highly of you. If you’re not playing on Christmas, you want to be.”
It’s not as special as it once was.
This year, five Christmas Day games will be nationally televised. Days of matching only the elite teams on Dec. 25 are long gone.
It’s not shocking. In an era when most cities have three or more sports-talk radio stations, and games air on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNXYZ, saturation isn’t an issue. Put it on TV and fans will watch.
Ironically, many NBA teams for decades played on Christmas Day.
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