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1947

In their inaugural EuroBasket appearance, the Soviet Union clinches the first of an eventual 14 titles by defeating defending champions and hosts Czechoslovakia 56-37 in the Championship Game in Prague. Egypt defeats Belgium in the third place game. Eventual powerhouse Yugoslavia also makes its EuroBasket debut, finishing in 13th place.

1948

Gar Heard is born in Hogansville, Georgia.

1958

Kelvin Ransey is born in Toledo, Ohio.

1963

Jeff Hornacek is born in Elmhurst, Illinois.

1967

Providence’s Jimmy Walker is the first overall pick of the Pistons in an NBA Draft that also features selections of Walt Frazier to the Knicks, Earl Monroe to the Bullets, and two future coaching legends in Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.

1968

The St. Louis Hawks are sold by Ben Kerner to a group of Atlanta-based investors, who soon after re-locate the franchise ahead of the ’68-’69 season.

1976

Chasity Melvin is born in Roseboro, North Carolina.

1977

Tyronn Lue is born in Mexico, Missouri.

1978

David Thompson leads the way with 37 points as the Nuggets defeat the Bucks 116-110 in game seven of the Western Conference Semifinals, clinching the franchise’s first NBA playoff series win.

1981

Game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals comes down the wire, with the Celtics scoring nine straight points late in the fourth quarter for a 91-90 comeback victory, to close out erasing a 3-1 series deficit and defeating the 76ers.

1987

The Bucks defeat the 76ers 102-89 in game five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals to clinch the series and advance. Julius Erving scores 24 points in the final game of his career.

1988

K.C. Jones unexpectedly announces that he is resigning as head coach of the Celtics at the completion of the season. Jones, who had won eight championships with the Celtics as a player, was the team’s coach for five seasons, which included two titles. When the Celtics are eliminated by the Pistons in the Conference Finals a few weeks later, Jones is ultimately replaced by Jimmie Rodgers.

1991

The #7 seed Warriors defeat the Spurs 110-107 in game four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, completing a first round upset. Tim Hardaway finishes with 32 points and nine assists, Chris Mullin scores 23, and Mitch Richmond adds 17 points and 11 rebounds. It marks the only playoff series win for Golden State in the Run-TMC era, as they are defeated by the Lakers in the Conference Semifinals and Mitch Richmond is traded to Sacramento in the subsequent offseason.

1992

Patrick Ewing leads the way with 31 points and 19 rebounds as the Knicks defeat the Pistons 94-87 in a winner-take-all game five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It effectively ends the “Bad Boys” era as Chuck Daly retires in the ensuing offseason and the Pistons miss the playoffs entirely in ’92-’93.

The Blazers defeat the Lakers 102-76 in game four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, which had been previously postponed and re-located from Los Angeles to Las Vegas due to the riots in response to the Rodney King verdict. The win closes out for the series and eliminates the Lakers, who were playing in their first postseason without Magic Johnson in 13 years.

1995

Vernon Maxwell is placed on an indefinite leave of absence by the Rockets, following a game one loss to the Jazz in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Upset over his role on the team following the mid-season acquisition of Clyde Drexler, Maxwell had been feuding with coach Rudy Tomjanovich and was reportedly feigning a hamstring injury.

1996

Domantas Sabonis is born in Portland, Oregon while his father, Arvydas, is playing for the Trail Blazers.

1998

Aided in large part by suspensions to key Heat players, the Knicks win game five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series 98-81 to finish off a #7 seed over #2 seed upset.

2001

A Karl Malone buzzer beating attempt goes awry and the Mavericks get their first playoff series win in 13 years, with an 84-83 victory over the Jazz in a winner-take-all game five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. It completes a Dallas comeback from 2-0 down in the series.

2004

Kevin Garnett is named league MVP for the ’03-’04 NBA season, in a landslide voting result over second place Tim Duncan. Garnett becomes the first MVP winner for the Timberwolves and only the second to be honored as such after joining the NBA with no college experience (following Moses Malone).

2011

Derrick Rose is named league MVP for the ’10-’11 season at age 22, becoming the youngest MVP in league history and only the second Bulls player to win the award, after Michael Jordan. Dwight Howard finishes second in voting.

2013

Carmelo Anthony scores 21 points to lead the Knicks to their first playoff series win in nine years, with a 88-80 victory over the Celtics in game six to close out their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. It’s the last appearance in a Celtics uniform for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, who both join the Nets in the ensuing offseason. It’s also the last game as Celtics coach for Doc Rivers, who is “traded” to the Clippers a couple months later.

2014

Chris Paul leads the Clippers with 22 points and 14 assists in a 126-121 victory over the Warriors in a winner-take-all game seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. It’s the last game as Warriors coach for Mark Jackson, who is fired in the ensuing offseason and replaced by Steve Kerr. Golden State would subsequently win 18 of its next 19 playoff series.

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