CNN
 — 

Cheering on your favorite NBA team or watching the very biggest stars of the basketball world is a welcome present for many on Christmas Day and this year will be no different.

One of the marquee matchups on December 25 sees Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors square off against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at 8 p.m. ET

But while James, Curry and Draymond Green are reaching the twilights of their respective careers, fans will instantly be taken back to their golden years and the trio starring in what is widely seen as the best Christmas Day game of all time.

We head back to Christmas Day 2016.

The world was doing the mannequin challenge with “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100, Lamar Jackson had just won the Heisman Trophy and Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were breaking hearts with “La La Land.”

But the biggest blockbuster of all came at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Christmas Day matchup between the Warriors and the Cavaliers.

The franchises were solidified as two of the best across the NBA and, just months prior, the teams had battled for the Larry O’Brien Trophy over seven games in the 2016 Finals.

The Cavs had come from 3-1 down to complete a historic 4-3 series win and viewers were expecting another hotly contested matchup in the primetime Christmas Day slot – and they weren’t disappointed.

After the Finals loss, the Warriors responded by picking up 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant to go alongside an already loaded roster which featured Curry, Green and Klay Thompson.

This was Durant’s first game against James and Co. for the Warriors and fans were eager to see how the newly formed Golden State squad would match up against Cleveland in what would eventually be the Finals matchup come the end of the season.

How would LeBron, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving respond to the Warriors’ latest move?

Right from tip-off, the game lived up to its blockbuster billing.

Durant wasted no time in showing up in front of the Cavs and kickstarted the matchup with the first points of the game. The rangy forward deflected the ball from James before marching down the court and laying the ball in for an easy two.

As both teams went back and forth, the now 14-time All-Star and current Phoenix Suns star went on to score another 10 points in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 27-25 lead after the opening 12 minutes.

The second quarter followed a similar pattern as the teams traded buckets, neither allowing the other to grab any significant advantage.

The “Splash Brothers” – Curry and Thompson – began to find their range from deep but a joint effort from the Cavs’ big three of James, Love and Irving kept the game close.

With the Warriors leading 55-52 at the interval, it was all to play for heading into the second half.

Coming out of the break, Golden State picked up from where it left off. Durant continued to spearhead the Warriors offense with Thompson providing deep-range support, nailing multiple threes.

But as he did throughout the 2016 Finals, James put his team on his back and dragged the Cavs to within striking distance.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer racked up 16 points in the third quarter alone, making four three-pointers in his efforts to keep the game close.

Despite James’ best attempts, the Warriors had extended their lead and were seven points clear going into the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers needed something close to a Christmas Day miracle to overturn the deficit.

Golden State fans and players were well aware of Cleveland’s ability to produce heroic comebacks and the Cavaliers began their charge in the fourth.

Scoring had suddenly become harder for the Warriors and memories of the NBA Finals would have started to run through the Golden State squad’s minds.

The Cavaliers had upped their intensity and, in front of a boisterous home crowd, had seemingly turned the game on its head.

Led by Irving’s masterful fourth quarter, Cleveland managed to reduce the deficit and the score was knotted up at 103-103 with just two minutes to play.

With the game tied, Irving, James and Curry all scored crucial buckets but were still left facing a 108-107 Warriors lead with mere seconds left.

Trailing by one, Irving took matters into his own hands. The guard went at Thompson, spinning before deftly finishing with a fadeaway to give the Cavaliers the 109-108 lead and what would be the win.

“The kid is special,” James said of Irving after the game, per the Associated Press. “It was never in doubt.”

Irving scored 25 points to go alongside 10 assists, seven steals and six rebounds – with just two turnovers in 44 minutes on the floor – in an incredible display of clutch basketball. James led the Cavaliers with a 31-point, 13-rebound double-double while fellow star Kevin Love added 20 points, including three triples.

The man from Akron, Ohio, was aware of the fans’ expectations coming into the game and didn’t disappoint.

“It lived up to what everyone wanted it to,” he added.

Durant led the game in scoring with 36 points along with 15 rebounds, but it ultimately wasn’t enough. But while the Warriors fell short in this one, they did go on to enact revenge on the Cavaliers to win the 2017 NBA Finals with Durant being named Finals MVP.

Fans will be hoping that any of the four games on this year’s Christmas Day schedule come close to the holiday season classic of 2016.

-Advertisement-

Cleveland, OH – Residents in Northeast Ohio face an Air Quality Advisory today as ground-level fine particle pollution reaches unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. Officials urge those with respiratory issues, children, and the elderly to limit outdoor activities.

According to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), the advisory began at midnight and will remain in effect through midnight tonight. Local air quality monitors predict that weather patterns will cause pollutants to linger, impacting areas like Cleveland, Akron, and Mentor. Residents can monitor real-time air quality updates at airnow.gov and sign up for text alerts at enviroflash.info.

To help mitigate pollution, NOACA encourages simple actions such as carpooling, avoiding engine idling, and postponing outdoor chores like mowing until air quality improves. Commuters are advised to use public transportation or consolidate trips where possible to limit emissions.

Looking ahead, Northeast Ohio’s forecast features mild but wet conditions heading into the weekend. Friday brings a 50% chance of afternoon showers with highs near 48°F. Rain is likely Saturday and Sunday, with highs reaching the low 50s. Gusty winds up to 20 mph may impact visibility for drivers.

Stay updated on changing conditions and travel plans by checking local weather alerts and preparing for rain-heavy travel periods through Sunday.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram & like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on more relevant news stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS!

CLEVELAND — Not many movies stand the test of time, but “A Christmas Story” is a genuine classic. 

The 1983 film only lasted a month in the box office but has since become a cult classic, drawing fans to the Cleveland home where it was shot all year long. One northeast Ohio native had a small but memorable part in the film and made lifelong friendships.

Drew Hocevar may be remembered for playing the “mean elf” in the film, but he’s anything but.

Known as the “male elf” in the credits, it’s the only acting role Hocevar has ever auditioned for. He was working at Higbees department store when he got the part.

“They just called me, and I got the elf part!” he said.

He said it was just something fun to do. Being a teacher is what really paid the bills. Hocevar is a former special education teacher and now volunteers as a mechanic working on the merry-go-round at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Some of the artifacts he saved from the movie are on display at the museum.

“I snagged my hat and ran,” he said.

He said the rest of the costume was thrown away.

Hocevar’s cast-signed poster and bb-gun are on display at the museum

The museum has a few other special “A Christmas Story” displays, including Lego sculptures depicting memorable scenes from the movie including Hocevar’s scene of him pushing kids down a slide on a fake snow-topped mountain.

Over 40 years later he remains friends with some of the cast including his elf counterpart and recently had lunch with her.

The movie plays numerous times throughout the holiday season, but Hocevar said he tends not to watch. His friends, however, have a special name for Christmas Day.

“24 hours of Drew!” he said.