3. Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics, 1969
In just their second season in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns won their first-ever Christmas Day matchup, pounding the Boston Celtics, 127-116. This was a bright spot in a relatively bright season, as they finished 39-43 and made the playoffs with the fourth-best record in the then-Western Division.
The Phoenix offense was powered by Jim Fox who put up 31 points and 10 rebounds. Future Hall-of-Famers Paul Silas and Gail Goodrich also made huge contributions — 25 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists for Silas and 24 points, 14 assists and 3 rebounds for Goodrich.
This was a confidence-building win for the Suns. The Celtics were in their first season after Bill Russell retired but still a powerhouse, led by John Havlicek and JoJo White and coming off a run of 11 championships in 13 seasons.