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1926

Jack Nichols is born in Wenatchee, Washington. He was inducted into the Washington Sports Hall of Fame in 1965.

1928

Paul Arizin is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He tried out but did not make the varsity team at La Salle College High School, and was already a sophomore at Villanova University when the basketball coach recruited him to join.

1947

The Knicks defeat the Cleveland Rebels 93-71 in game three of the BAA Quarterfinals, clinching the series. This would turn out to be the final game in Rebels franchise history, as the team folded in the ensuing off-season.

1957

Kyle Macy is born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1975 while starring for Peru High School.

Bob Cousy has an NBA playoffs single game record 19 assists, along with 21 points, as the Celtics defeat the St. Louis Hawks 124-109 in game of the NBA Finals. Cousy’s 19 assists would hold as the NBA playoffs record until 1983, when it was broken by Johnny Moore, and as the NBA Finals record until 1984, when it was broken by Magic Johnson.

1959

The Celtics clinch the second title in franchise history and finish off the first ever sweep in an NBA Finals by defeating the Minneapolis Lakers 118-113 in game four. Bill Sharman leads the Celtics with 29 points while Bill Russell finishes with 15 points and 30 rebounds.

1962

The first and only championship of the American Basketball League (ABL) is won by George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers, who defeat the Kansas City Steers 106-102 in the winner-take-all game five of the ABL Finals.

1968

During a postponement of their Eastern Conference Finals series, Boston’s Bill Russell and Philadelphia’s Wilt Chamberlain attend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral in Atlanta. One night later they play against each other in game two.

1970

The Lakers defeat the Suns 129-94 in game seven of the Western Conference Semifinals, finishing a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to avoid an upset and advance to the Conference Finals. Wilt Chamberlain leads the Lakers with 30 points and 27 rebounds.

1972

Julius Erving signs a free agency contract with the Hawks. The deal is unannounced, as Erving is simultaneously under contract with the Virginia Squires of the ABA and one day later was eligible for the NBA Draft (and was selected by the Bucks). Erving suited up for the Hawks for two exhibition games ahead of the ’72-’73 season before a judge ruled that his Squires contract was still valid and he subsequently returned to the ABA.

1978

Dave Cowens becomes the first player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals in a single season. Cowens compiles 20 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal in a season ending Celtics win over the Buffalo Braves, to finish the ’77-’78 season averaging 18.6 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.

1982

Jo Jo White has his jersey #10 retired by the Celtics. White was a seven-time All-Star for the franchise, part of two championship teams, and Finals MVP in 1976.

1999

NCAA All-American Saddiq Bey is born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2008

Eventual Rookie of the Year Candace Parker (Tennessee) is the #1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft of the Los Angeles Sparks.

2013

Connecticut finishes a dominating run through the NCAA women’s tournament by crushing Louisville 93-60 in the National Final in New Orleans. Freshman Breanna Stewart is named Most Outstanding Player. The Huskies won their six tournament games by an average margin of 36.3 points, with an 18-point victory over Notre Dame in the National Semifinal serving as the tightest match-up.

2019

After a 30-point performance in a Mavericks win over the Suns, a 40-year-old Dirk Nowitzki announces that he is retiring at the end of the season, making this his final home game in Dallas. The game also featured a 39-year-old Jamal Crawford becoming the oldest player in NBA history to top 50 points in a game, finishing with 51 off the bench for the Suns.

2024

The Celtics become the first team to go an entire NBA game without attempting a single free throw, during a 104-91 loss to the Bucks. It’s also just the second time in NBA history that a team doesn’t make a free throw, joining the Raptors in ’95-’96.

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