Phoenix Suns: Ranking the 5 best Christmas Day games in team history
By Ian Levy
4. Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 1973
The Suns were mostly a mess in the early days of the franchise, making the playoffs just once in their first season. But smack in the middle of that run of futility they pulled of a monumental Christmas Day beatdown of the mighty Lakers.
At this point, the Lakers had already been around for decades, winning six titles and making another nine NBA Finals appearances. They were coming off a run of seven NBA Finals appearances in 10 years and their roster boasted three future Hall-of-Famers — Jerry West, Connie Hawkins and Gail Goodrich. And yet the Suns came away with a 135-100 win.
The Suns roster was filled with players whose names would mostly be lost to history. They had seven different players score in double-figures but of that group — Mike Bantom, Charlie Scott, Dick Van Arsdale, Neal Walk, Keith Erickson, Corky Calhoun and Gary Melchionni — only Van Arsdale is likely familiar to any moden NBA fans and that may only be because he worked for the organization as a coach and front office executive until 2006.
It was a huge game and a bright spot for a franchise still looking to find its footing.