Phoenix Suns: Ranking the 5 best Christmas Day games in team history
By Ian Levy
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.