December 25
From Hoopedia
- 1931 - Lefty Driesell, the Maryland Terrapins coach credited with inventing Midnight Madness, is born in Norfolk, Virginia.
- 1947 - In the first NBA Christmas Day game ever, the New York Knicks down the visiting Providence Steamrollers, 89-75.
- 1960 - Syracuse hands the Knicks their worst defeat in franchise history, with a 62-point margin of victory.
- 1961 - An eventful Christmas Day double-header at the Garden finishes up at 12:16 A.M. NBA Commissioner Maurice Podoloff assesses the largest fine in history of league, as the Chicago Packers arrive fifty minutes late for their game with Detroit Pistons. The Packers win, 118-97. In the nightcap, Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors racks up 59 against the New York Knicks, but the Knicks prevail in double overtime, 136-135.
- 1972 - John Wooden, of the UCLA Bruins, becomes the first basketball coach to be named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.
- 1984 - New York Knicks star Bernard King scores 60 points, a franchise record, in a 120-114 loss to the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden.
- 1985 - Rookie Patrick Ewing (right) leads a Knicks comeback, as they overcome a Celtic 25-point lead and win 113-104 in overtime.
- 2004 - In their first meeting since the November 19, 2004 brawl, the and Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers, 98-93 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis without further incidents. Ben Wallace plays, as he had completed his suspension. Jermaine O'Neal, who had already served 15 games of his suspension, also plays because of a Federal judge's injunction. Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson were still under suspension and unable to participate.
