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1908

Naismith Hall of Fame coach Emmett “Branch” McCracken is born in Monrovia, Indiana.

1939

Dick Vitale is born in Passaic, New Jersey. His first basketball job came as a elementary school coach in nearby Garfield, New Jersey.

1947

The Cleveland Rebels BAA franchise folds, becoming the first of four teams to shutter after just one season of the league. The NBA would not return to Cleveland until 1970, when the Cavaliers franchise began play.

1951

Brian Taylor is born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He led Perth Amboy High School to the 1967 New Jersey state title and graduated as the second leading scorer in state history.

1952

Two-time NBA All-Star Billy Knight is born in Braddock, Pennsylvania.

1964

Wayman Tisdale is born in Fort Worth, Texas. His youth initially gravitated around music and church and he didn’t take up organized basketball until the eighth grade.

1977

Peja Stojakovic is born in Pozega, Croatia.

1978

Even though they knew he would return to college for his senior season and therefore they could lose his rights if they didn’t sign him by the 1979 draft, the Celtics select Larry Bird with the #6 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He does eventually sign a contract with the team after the ’78-’79 NCAA season ends.

1980

Udonis Haslem is born in Miami, Florida.

One day before the NBA Draft, the Warriors trade Robert Parish and the #3 overall pick (which is used on Minnesota‘s Kevin McHale) to the Celtics in exchange for the #1 pick (which Golden State uses on Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll).

1981

Childhood friends Mark Aguirre (DePaul) and Isiah Thomas (Indiana) are the first two picks in the NBA Draft, going to the Mavericks and Pistons, respectively. Though both would go on to superstar pro careers, it was #3 overall pick Buck Williams (Maryland) who earned Rookie of the Year with the Nets.

1985

Sebastian Telfair is born in Brooklyn, New York.

The Lakers defeat the Celtics 111-100 in a thrilling game six of the NBA Finals, becoming the first road team ever to clinch a Finals at the Boston Garden. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 29 points and is named Finals MVP at age 38, as the Lakers break an eight series losing streak against the Celtics in NBA Finals match-ups.

1995

Robert Horry sets the NBA Finals single game record with seven steals, also finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as the Rockets defeat the Magic 117-106 in game two to take a 2-0 series lead.

1999

The Pacers play their final home game at Market Square Arena, a 101-94 loss to the Knicks in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers begin play at the new Conseco Fieldhouse for the ’99-’00 season.

2000

Thanks to the Pacers deploying the “Hack-a-Shaq” technique, Shaquille O’Neal shatters the NBA postseason record for free throw attempts in one game, taking 39 in game two of the NBA Finals and making only 18 of them, but finishing with 40 points and 24 rebounds in a 111-104 Lakers win. The previous record was 32 attempts by Bob Cousy in a 1953 Eastern Conference Semifinals game.

2012

LeBron James finishes with 31 points and 12 rebounds as the Heat finish off the Eastern Conference Finals with a 101-88 victory over the Celtics in game seven.

2013

Less than a month after he was named NBA Coach of the Year for the ’12-’13 season, George Karl is fired as head coach of the Nuggets, just nine wins shy of Doug Moe’s franchise record for coaching.

For the first time in his storied career, Tracy McGrady finally gets to play in the NBA Finals, logging garbage time minutes in game two for the Spurs, who lose to the Heat 103-84. McGrady was a late season free agent signing by the Spurs and retires after the season ends.

2017

The Warriors suffer their only loss of the 2017 postseason, a 137-116 defeat against the Cavaliers in game four of the NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving finishes with 40 points while LeBron James has 31 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds for the Cavs, who avoid a sweep with the victory.

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