1985
Kevin McHale breaks Larry Bird’s Celtics single game franchise record with 56 points in a 138-129 victory over the Pistons. McHale shoots 22-of-28 (78.6%) from the field, 12-of-13 from the free throw line, and adds 16 rebounds. Bird, who scores 30 points in this game, takes the franchise record back just nine days later by scoring 60 in a win against Atlanta.
1947
Three-time ABA All-Star Willie Wise is born in San Francisco, California.
1958
Spurs legend Johnny Moore is born in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
1979
Indiana State defeats New Mexico State 69-59 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament final to finish the ’78-’79 season undefeated, at 29-0. Larry Bird finishes with 20 points and 10 rebounds and is named MVP of the tournament. Indiana State would ultimately be defeated in the National Final by Michigan State. No team entered the NCAA Tournament undefeated again until UNLV in 1991.
1993
Rony Seikaly grabs 34 rebounds in a 125-106 Heat win over the Bullets. It sets the franchise single game record and is the third highest single game NBA post-merger total by any player.
1996
Cameron Johnson is born in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Both of his parents played college basketball, mom Amy at Kent State and dad Gil at Pittsburgh.
1998
Jayson Tatum is born in St. Louis, Missouri. As a senior, he led Chaminade Prep School to a Missouri state title.
1999
Corey Kispert is born in Edmonds, Washington. He led King’s High School to two Washington state titles but had to sit out most of his senior year after suffering a broken foot.
2014
LeBron James sets the Heat single game franchise record with 61 points in a 124-107 victory over the Hornets. It breaks the mark that Glen Rice had previously held for almost 19 years.
2017
Pete Maravich has his jersey #44 posthumously retired by the Hawks, in a ceremony featuring speeches from his wife and son. Having already been honored with a jersey retirement from the Jazz and Pelicans, Maravich became the second player with three retired NBA jerseys, after Wilt Chamberlain.
2024
Jusuf Nurkic finishes with 31 rebounds in a 118-110 Suns loss to the Thunder. It’s the highest single game output by any NBA player since Charles Barkley grabbed 33 rebounds in a 1996 game, and breaks the Suns single game franchise record, previously held by Tyson Chandler and Paul Silas.
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