Christmas Game: LeBron James and Kevin Durant’s First Match Up of the Season

Future Hall of Fame players LeBron James and Kevin Durant will face off in their fifth Christmas game against each other.

This will also mark the first match up of the season between the two. James and Durant have had many battles over the years and have cemented themselves as two of the best to step on the court.

In their four previous battles on Christmas, James has won three out of the four.

For James, this will be his 18th consecutive Christmas game and 20th overall , an impressive stat in itself. This will be Durant's third consecutive Christmas game and his 12th overall.

Rockets' Kevin Durant's First Time Against LeBron James

While these two have had countless battles over the years, this will mark the first time that Durant will face James as a member of the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers are two teams that are battling in a competitive Western Conference. Going into the Christmas game, the Lakers are in fourth place (19-9) and the Rockets are in sixth place (17-10).

Both teams are looking to end their two-game losing streak.

Through 24 games, Durant is leading the Rockets in scoring with 25.3 points per game. He's also averaging five rebounds and 4.1 assists. James, who missed the start of the season, is averaging 20.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and seven assists through 12 games.

In his 18th season, Durant appreciates the fact he's still playing at a high level and that he's playing on the holiday.

"I'm just grateful to still be here playing my game, being on a t eam that people want to see on Christmas," Durant said in a MSN article. "The NBA usually gets it right with the most popular teams in the league, so to be among those teams is an honor. So, we're all looking forward to it."

He's also excited to play against James again on Christmas."It's been cool seeing him the last 20 years," Durant said. "It's always been pressure packed, energetic. So I'm looking forward to it."

"There's a level of pride you take in being selected to play on Christmas," Durant said. "You try to go out there and play your hardest and have some fun, represent the NBA the best you can."

LeBron James and Kevin Durant's First Christmas Match Up Was Electric

The first time James and Durant played against each other on Christmas was back in 2012. James was on the Miami Heat and Durant was with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Both players did not disappoint as they put on a show for fans. Miami came out with the 103-97 victory and James finished the game with 29 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Durant led all scorers with 33 points and finished with seven rebounds and three assists.

This game was a rematch of the previous NBA Finals as the Heat defeated the Thunder 4-1. Fast forward to now, both players have multiple titles and have racked up a lot of accolades for their respective careers.

The Rockets and Lakers will tip off Christmas Day at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC-ESPN.