1985

The Celtics suffer their only home loss of the ’85-’86 season (regular season or playoffs), a 121-103 defeat at the hands of the Trail Blazers, who are led by Clyde Drexler’s 19 points. Larry Bird finishes with 20 points and 11 rebounds but struggles from the field, shooting 9-of-26 (34.6%). Boston would ultimately set the NBA record with a 40-1 home record.

1957

NBA player and coach Bill Hanzlik is born in Middletown, Ohio.

1963

Bob Pettit becomes the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Dolph Schayes during a Hawks loss to the Pistons. Pettit held the record for less than two years before Wilt Chamberlain surpassed him.

1984

Though he played just four-and-a-half seasons with the team at the end of his career, Bob Lanier has his jersey #16 retired by the Bucks.

1994

Giannis Antetokounmpo (nee Giannis Adetokunbo) is born in Athens, Greece. His father, a soccer player, and his mother, a high jumper, were both Nigerian immigrants.

1997

Sabrina Ionescu is born in Walnut Creek, California. She was named USA Today Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2016 while starring for Miramonte High School.

An NBA regular season game takes place in Mexico for the first time ever, with the Rockets defeating the Mavericks 108-106 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City.

2000

Kobe Bryant scores 50 or more points in a game for the first time in his career, finishing with 51 (along with eight assists and seven rebounds) in a 125-122 Lakers loss in overtime to the Warriors. Bryant would eventually exceed 50 points in a game 25 times in his career, the third most in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. At 22 years and 105 days, he is the youngest player in Lakers franchise history to score 50+ in a single game.

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