LeBron James Discusses Significance Of Playing On Christmas Day

No one has played more NBA seasons than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James as he is in the midst of his 23rd year. As he gets set to turn 41 years old on Dec. 30, he continues to defy the odds as James remains a positive player on a winning team.

At this stage of his career, there is nothing left for the four-time champion to prove. What keeps him going is his love for the game and once that leaves, retirement enters the conversation.

As Christmas Day looms, James is set to play in his 20th game on the holiday, as it is a marquee day for the NBA. After playing two decades worth of basketball, the all-time leading scorer explained what playing on Christmas Day means to him, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I’d much rather be at home with my family. But it’s the game, it’s the game that I love, it’s the game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas has always been a honor. Obviously, I’m going to be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called, our number is called, so we have to go out and perform and we’re looking forward to that.”

Most players are excited to play on a grand stage like Christmas Day, but some sacrifices have to be made. Fortunately for the Lakers, they will be in Los Angeles to take on the Houston Rockets, which makes it easier for the team to spend time with their families before and after the game.

James has experienced everything this league has to offer and his response to wanting to spend time with family is a respectable one. At the end of the day, however, he recognizes he has a job to do and that is to put on a show on Christmas.

LeBron James: Lakers need to be ready for challenge of missing players

While the Lakers have been winning at a nice rate, injuries have truly dampened their true potential. No one in the NBA feels bad for the Lakers and they need to find ways to win given these trying circumstances.

After going down four starters against the L.A. Clippers on Saturday, the Lakers looked outmatched and struggled to make shots. Scoring 88 points in today’s NBA is not a winning formula, so James thinks the team needs to be better prepared for the challenge of missing key players.