From MJ to DRose, Remembering When the Chicago Bulls Played on Christmas

The Chicago Bulls have played a total of 21 times on Christmas Day, but it's been a while since the NBA scheduled them on their biggest day of the year.

Dec 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) and guard Jimmy Butler (21) celebrate during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Christmas and Chicago Bulls basketball used to go together like milk and cookies. Just as Santa!

The franchise has played 21 times on the holiday, and there is no question that they were a fundamental part of making it one of the NBA's biggest days of the year. Their first-ever Christmas Day performance came all the way back in 1966 at Madison Square Garden. After one more performance in the 60s, they went on to play in four Christmas games in the 70s.

Nevertheless, it was not until the 90s that the day essentially became synonymous with Bulls basketball. Michael Jordan and Company played in seven Christmas games between 1990 and 1997. The only year the NBA skipped over them was in 1995, when the GOAT had yet to come out of retirement for his second three-peat. Unsurprisingly, Jordan went a perfect 6-0 in his NBA Christmas appearances.

While a Christmas hiatus followed after Jordan's second retirement, they would become a staple yet again in the 2010s. The team played in their longest streak of Christmas games in franchise history, suiting up in seven consecutive years. For what it's worth, they went 4-3 during this stretch, with their most memorable win coming against Kobe Bryant's Lakers in 2011.

Derrick Rose bolstered his MVP case with a remarkable floating jump shot through traffic with only seconds remaining. The Los Angeles crowd was stunned.

So, when was the last time this franchise earned one of the NBA's coveted spots? That would be in 2016, when the infamous "Three Alphas" team was pitted against the San Antonio Spurs. Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, and Rajon Rondo struggled to keep things competitive, losing 119-100 and allowing LaMarcus Aldridge to drop some coal in their stockings with 33 points on 15-20 shooting.

Since that afternoon, the Bulls have been held out of eight straight Christmas day lineups. And rightfully so. The organization has essentially been in a never-ending rebuild, struggling to return to relevancy and land the star player that attracts a national audience. While the team does appear to be on a slightly better track now with some intriguing youngsters on the roster, getting booked for the NBA's most important day of the year still feels far out of reach.

Dec 23, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz fans show their Christmas spirit against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images

Chicago Bulls All-Time Record on Christmas

1966 – Knicks 133, Bulls 132
1968 – Royals 103, Bulls 98
1970 – Bullets 128, Bulls 112
1971 – Bulls 109, Trail Blazers 88
1972 – Suns 115, Bulls 108
1976 – Bulls 96, Kings 91
1986 – Knicks 86, Bulls 85
1990 – Bulls 98, Pistons 86
1991 – Bulls 121, Celtics 99
1992 – Bulls 89, Knicks 77
1993 – Bulls 95, Magic 93
1994 – Bulls 107, Knicks 104 (OT)
1996 – Bulls 95, Pistons 83
1997 – Bulls 90, Heat 80
2010 – Knicks 103, Bulls 95
2011 – Bulls 88, Lakers 87
2012 – Rockets 120, Bulls 97
2013 – Bulls 95, Nets 78
2014 – Bulls 113, Lakers 93
2015 – Bulls 105, Thunder 96
2016 – Spurs 119, Bulls 100

All-time record: 13-8