No NBA team has seen the limelight of the league’s marquee Christmas Day slate of games like the New York Knicks.
Since 1947, the Knicks have played on Dec. 25 more than any other team, going 23-31 on the holiday.
Between the team’s 89-75 win over the Providence Steamrollers 75 years ago and their 101-87 victory over the Atlanta Hawks last year, the Knicks have seen the highs and lows of playing on the sport’s biggest regular season stage.
And for the first time, the Knicks will play on Christmas when their fans can participate in legal New York sports betting.
This year’s Xmas showdown pits the Knicks against Philadelphia, in a game ESPN and ABC will televise nationally at noon Eastern time.
While game odds haven’t been released yet, oddsmakers at BetMGM Sportsbook NY have the Knicks at +20000 to win the franchise’s first title in 50 years.
NewYorkBets.com took a look at some of the highlights of the Knicks 54 Christmas Day contests as you prepare for NBA betting this holiday.
Last Five Knicks Games on Christmas Day
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Best of the Knicks on Christmas
To get you in the holiday spirit, here’s a look at three memorable Christmas Day games for the Knicks. If you plan to wager on the NBA this Christmas, NewYorkBets.com has the best information on all the NY betting apps.
2021: Knicks Earn First Christmas Day Win in a Decade
The Knicks’ win over the Hawks last Christmas snaped a six-game losing streak for the franchise on the holiday.
New York’s 101-87 win over Atlanta was their first since beating Boston, 106-104, in 2011 and the fourth win in 11 Christmas Day games this century.
Forward Julius Randle came up clutch for New York at the Garden, scoring a team-high 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while also grabbing 12 rebounds.
2001: Knicks Snap Skid by Beating Raptors
The heyday of the Vince Carter Toronto era saw the Raptors travel to MSG, where they ran into the four-man buzzsaw that was Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell, Othella Harrington and Mark Jackson.
That quartet showed up in earnest on Christmas Day 2001, scoring 84 points to propel the Knicks to a 102-94 victory.
Houston was the man of the hour, scoring a team-high 34 points, while Sprewell had 21 and six boards for Jeff Van Gundy’s squad.
Those starters were able to do enough to erase 15 points from Carter.
It was one of a select few highlights of the year for the Knicks, who went 30-52 in what turned out to be Van Gundy’s final year in New York City.
1986: Patrick Ewing Carries Knicks Past MJ at MSG
It was a mano a mano throwdown at the Garden on Christmas Day in 1986, with Knicks center Patrick Ewing doing everything he could to thwart Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Ewing scored 28 points and pulled down 17 rebounds in an 86-85 win over the Bulls, overcoming a 30-point outing by Jordan.
Ewing received help in the form of 19 points from Gerald Henderson and 14 points from Bill Cartwright.
The 1986-87 season, however, would go down as one to forget for the Knicks, with coach Hubie Brown getting canned after 16 games and interim coach Bob Hill going 20-46 in his stead.
