(Associated Press)

He remembers exactly where he was Jan. 7, when his NBA contract became guaranteed for the remainder of this season.

“We were in Chicago,” the Phoenix Suns’ Dionte Christmas said. “And I was waiting. I knew that day was the day. I had worked out on the court, and just talking to my teammates, they were saying, ‘Usually, they’ll call you into an office and talk.’ The owner and the GM were like, ‘Christmas, we want to talk to you.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, man. Not again. Same old story.’ So I go back and they were playing a joke. They were like, ‘Your time here was good, but…we’re gonna keep you.’

“They pulled a joke on me, but it was a good one. It was probably one of the best days of my career. … It all came together in that moment. It felt good.”

It hasn’t been an ideal first NBA season for Christmas, who’s averaging 2.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 6.7 minutes per game in 22 appearances with Phoenix. But it’s a living. And it’s not in Europe.

Christmas, a Temple graduate, cut his teeth everywhere on the map. In his first four seasons as a pro, he played in Israel, Turkey, Czech Republic, Greece, Russia and Italy. It was all in a bid to stay patient enough for an opportunity such as Monday’s, when he and the Suns came into his hometown of Philadelphia to face the 76ers.

“I remember my mom saying, ‘You can make it. These teams aren’t watching you for nothing,’” said Christmas, who procured more than 50 tickets for the game.

Christmas went as far as to ask his former Temple teammate, Sixers forward Lavoy Allen, and his Suns teammates Marcus and Markieff Morris for a few extra tickets to meet all of the requests he got.

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(Associated Press)

Jrue Holiday had a career night, so did Maalik Wayns (if you can call it that), and the Sixers held off Phoenix, 104-101, Sunday night.

Here are some odds and ends from the game, which ended a two-game skid for the Sixers:

• Holiday had a career-best 33 points, along with 13 assists, in the win. Only one other Sixer in the last 25 years has had at least 30 points and 13 helpers -- some guy named Iverson.
• With five of them, Holiday has the second-most points-assists double-doubles in the NBA. He trails only Rajon Rondo in that department.
• Maalik Wayns, the rookie out of Villanova, was lauded in post-game by Sixers coach Doug Collins. What he didn't give them in defense, Wayns made up for in offense. He had a career-best seven points in seven minutes.
• Two guys Collins wasn't too pleased with? Rookie Arnett Moultrie and veteran Spencer Hawes, two bigs who combined for 22 first-half minutes...and zero boards. Oof.
• Holiday gets credit for scoring the final three points of the game, but the Sixers couldn't have won without Evan Turner. He was the one defending the Suns' Michael Beasley when he missed a tough shot under the rim in the closing seconds of regulation.
• QUOTABLE: “When he’s not in the game, you definitely can feel it,” Thad Young said of Holiday, who played 39 minutes. “The ball, it doesn’t move around a lot. Jrue is our distributor who’s going to get into the paint and make plays. Sometimes the offense gets stagnant without Jrue in there.”

The Sixers have off Monday and host Dallas Tuesday.