This Date in the NBA: November
Key dates in NBA history:
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Nov. 1, 1946
The first NBA game, which took place in Toronto, resulted in a 68-66 win for the New York Knicks over the Toronto Huskies. Fans who were taller than George Nostrand, Toronto’s 6-8 center, were allowed to enter without paying.
Nov. 1, 1949
Dick McGuire first played for the New York Knicks against the Chicago Stags. The Knicks secured an overtime victory with a score of 89-87.
Nov. 1, 1949
Ed Macauley debuted for the St. Louis Bombers in a game against the Tri-City Blackhawks, in which the Bombers triumphed with a score of 72-51.
Nov. 1, 1950
Bill Sharman had his first game for the Washington Capitols at their home venue against the Indianapolis Olympians. The Capitols emerged victorious with a score of 100-84.
Nov. 1, 1950
Bob Cousy debuted for the Boston Celtics at Ft. Wayne, where the Pistons triumphed with a score of 107-84.
Nov. 1, 1986
Brad Daugherty makes his NBA debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game they win 113-106 against the Washington Bullets.
Nov. 1, 1991
Dikembe Mutombo debuted in the NBA during the Denver Nuggets’ 108-105 defeat to the Golden State Warriors.
Nov. 1, 1996
On the exact 50th anniversary of the first NBA game in Toronto, where teams from New York and Toronto competed, the New York Knicks emerged victorious over the Toronto Raptors with a score of 107-99.
Nov. 1, 1996
Allen Iverson and Ray Allen made their NBA debuts for the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks respectively. The game ended with a victory for the Bucks, with a score of 111-103.
In their 96-82 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers, Steve Nash made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns.
Ben Wallace had his NBA debut with the Washington Wizards, which ended in a 96-92 loss to the Orlando Magic.
Nov. 1, 2000
Pat Riley joined Lenny Wilkens as one of only two coaches in NBA history to achieve 1,000 regular season victories. This milestone was reached when the Miami Heat started the season with a 105-79 win against the Orlando Magic.
Nov. 1, 2001
Chris Andersen, a 6-foot-10 power forward from Blinn Community College in Texas, was the No. 1 selection of the Fayetteville Patriots in the inaugural NBDL Draft, now known as the NBA G League.
Nov. 1, 2001
Pau Gasol debuted in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies, but they lost 90-80 to the Detroit Pistons.
Nov. 1, 2005
Chris Paul debuted in the NBA with a 93-67 victory over the Sacramento Kings, playing for the New Orleans Hornets.
Nov. 1, 2006
Kyle Lowry debuted in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, losing 118-117 to the New York Knicks.
Nov. 1, 2016
Vince Carter has become the 24th player in NBA history to achieve 24,000 career points.
Nov. 2, 1946
Red Auerbach had his first professional coaching experience with the Washington Capitols, scoring a 50-33 road victory against the Detroit Falcons.
Nov. 2, 1949
Slater Martin and Vern Mikkelsen debuted for the Minneapolis Lakers during a game against the Philadelphia Warriors, which the Lakers won with a score of 81-69.
Nov. 2, 1990
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record for a non-overtime game with a 162-158 victory over the Denver Nuggets at McNichols Arena. The total of 320 points is the highest ever scored by two teams in such a game.
Nov. 2, 1990
The Phoenix Suns triumphed over the Utah Jazz 119-96 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan, marking the first regular season game played outside North America by any major professional sports league. The two teams faced each other again the following night in Tokyo, with the Jazz emerging victorious 102-101.
Nov. 2, 1996
Pat Riley, the coach of the Heat, became the eighth coach to achieve 800 wins following Miami’s 97-95 victory over Indiana. This accomplishment came two weeks before his 15th coaching anniversary, making him the fastest coach to reach this milestone in NBA history.
Nov. 2, 1999
The 1999-2000 NBA season kicked off at 7 p.m. (ET) with NBA.com’s seven-hour live simulcast of the new 24-hour TV network, NBA.com TV. Additionally, the website offered Japanese-language audio broadcasts of the 1999 NBA Japan Games for the first time, which featured the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings playing two regular season games at the Tokyo Dome on November 6 and 7. Produced at the NBA Entertainment facility in Secaucus, N.J., NBA.com TV delivers real-time statistics, scores, news, live studio-based programming, real-time NBA game “look-ins”, game highlights, classic NBA games, NBA videos and special programming from NBA’s award-winning archives.
Nov. 2, 1999
In his NBA debut, LA Clippers rookie Lamar Odom scored 30 points, despite a 104-92 loss to Seattle.
Nov. 2, 2005
Andrew Bynum, center for the Los Angeles Lakers, has become the youngest player to participate in a regular season NBA game at the age of 18 years and six days. He surpasses the 10-year old record held by Jermaine O’Neal by 46 days.
Nov. 2, 2013
NBA All-Star Walt Bellamy, a four-time participant and Hall of Famer, passes away at 74.
Nov. 3, 1948
The Washington Capitols set a record in NBA history by winning the first 15 consecutive games of the season, starting with a 77-70 victory over the Philadelphia Warriors. This record remained unbeaten for 45 years until it was matched by the Houston Rockets in the 1993-94 season.
Nov. 3, 1949
Dolph Schayes had his NBA debut with the Syracuse Nationals in a game they won 78-58 against the Denver Nuggets.
Nov. 3, 1951
Neil Johnston debuted for the Philadelphia Warriors in a home game against the Ft. Wayne Pistons, which they won 70-69.
Nov. 3, 1956
Cliff Hagan had his first game for the St. Louis Hawks at home versus Syracuse. However, the Nationals emerged victorious with a score of 75-73.
Nov. 3, 1962
Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors recorded the fourth-highest point total in NBA history by scoring 72 points against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nov. 3, 1982
Randy Smith surpassed Johnny “Red” Kerr as the NBA’s All-time Iron Man when he played his 845th consecutive game. Smith continued his streak until he reached 906 consecutive games, ending on March 13, 1983. However, his record was later broken by A.C. Green of the Dallas Mavericks, who played his 907th consecutive game on November 20, 1997.
Nov. 3, 1989
Bill Walton’s jersey number 32 was retired by the Portland Trail Blazers nineteen years after their first home game.
Nov. 3, 1989
Sarunas Marciulionis and Alexander Volkov achieved the milestone of being the first Soviet Union players to feature in a regular NBA season game. Despite Marciulionis scoring 19 points, Golden State was defeated by Phoenix 136-106. Meanwhile, Volkov didn’t score any points and his team, Atlanta, lost to Indiana 126-103.
Nov. 3, 1989
The Minnesota Timberwolves began their inaugural NBA season with a 106-94 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics, who were the home team.
Nov. 3, 1990
Moses Malone of Atlanta made NBA history for the most career free throws, hitting 7 out of 9 in a narrow 121-120 victory over Indiana at the Omni. He surpassed the previous record of 7,694 held by Oscar Robertson with those seven successful attempts. However, on March 24, 2001, Karl Malone from the Utah Jazz outdid Moses Malone’s record, making his 8,532nd free throw in a game against the Washington Wizards.
Nov. 3, 1990
Gary Payton made his NBA debut with the Seattle SuperSonics, leading them to a 118-106 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Nov. 3, 1995
Chicago secured their first win in a record 72 games in a single NBA season, and the first in a record 37 home games at the start of a season, with a 105-91 victory over Charlotte.
Nov. 3, 1995
The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies, the NBA’s two Canadian expansion teams, both triumphed in their first regular-season games. The Raptors bested New Jersey 94-79 at SkyDome, cheered on by over 33,000 fans. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies secured a victory on the road, beating Portland 92-80 at the Blazers’ new venue, the Rose Garden.
Nov. 3, 1995
Just before the start of the 1995-96 season, a significant trade occurred in which Charlotte traded center Alonzo Mourning, guard Pete Myers, and forward-center LeRon Ellis to Miami. In return, they received swingman Glen Rice, point guard Khalid Reeves, center Matt Geiger, and a 1996 first round draft pick.
Nov. 3, 1995
Kevin Garnett debuted in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a game they lost to the Sacramento Kings, 95-86.
Nov. 3, 1996
Kobe Bryant debuted in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers in their 91-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nov. 3, 1999
On opening night against the Washington Wizards, the Boston Celtics host a special evening in tribute to Red Auerbach, who contributed to all of the team’s 16 NBA championships. During halftime, Celtics legends Bill Russell and Tom Heinsohn join Auerbach in hoisting a banner marking his 50th season. The night’s game, as well as all other home games, will showcase video highlights, dedications, and short, impactful scenes recounting memories and notable events from Auerbach’s illustrious career.
Nov. 3, 1999
The Los Angeles Lakers introduced their new home, Staples Center, by welcoming the Vancouver Grizzlies. A ceremony revealing the Lakers’ retired jerseys and championship banners in their new establishment was co-hosted by Magic Johnson and Chick Hearn.
Nov. 3, 2001
The NBDL revealed the picks for the 2001-02 Supplemental Draft. The Roanoke Dazzle chose Lorenzo Coleman, a 7-foot center from Tennessee Tech, as their No. 1 overall selection.
Nov. 3, 2001
In his first game against his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, Steve Smith of the San Antonio Spurs tied an NBA record for the most 3-point field goals without a miss in a game. Smith successfully shot 8 out of 8 from beyond the arc, contributing to his total of 36 points in the game, leading the Spurs to a 106-90 victory.
Nov. 3, 2004
Dwight Howard made his NBA debut during the Orlando Magic’s 93-92 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Nov. 3, 2008
Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb have been traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Allen Iverson.
Nov. 3, 2023
The inaugural In-Season Tournament kicks off with the first set of Group Play games, starting with a match between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers. This is one of seven Group Play games set to take place. In this tournament, all 30 participating teams will unveil new playing courts at their respective arenas. Each court will have a unique color scheme and will feature the NBA Cup at center court.
Nov. 4, 1950
Paul Arizin first played for the Philadelphia Warriors in a home game against the Boston Celtics, which the Warriors won with a score of 77-68.
Nov. 4, 1960
Wilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia set an NBA record for the highest number of failed free throw attempts in a game, missing all 10 against Detroit. This questionable record stood for over 40 years until Shaquille O’Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers broke it. O’Neal missed all 11 free throw attempts in a game against Seattle on December 8, 2000.
Nov. 4, 1961
Wilt Chamberlain, playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, started a record-breaking streak of scoring 30 or more points in 65 consecutive games. The following season, he also set the second-longest streak in NBA history, scoring 30 or more points in 31 consecutive games.
Nov. 4, 1965
Johnny Kerr participated in his 844th consecutive game over 12 seasons, setting a then NBA record, in which his team, the Baltimore Bullets, were defeated 108-107 in New York.
Nov. 4, 1987
The Blazers retire Maurice Lucas’s uniform number (#20) in his honor.
Nov. 4, 1988
The Charlotte Hornets, in their first NBA game, were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers with a score of 133-93. The game, which took place at the Charlotte Coliseum, was sold out with 23,388 fans in attendance.
Nov. 4, 1989
The Orlando Magic began their first season in the NBA with a 111-106 defeat to the New Jersey Nets at the Orlando Arena.
Nov. 4, 1989
David Robinson’s first game for the San Antonio Spurs was against the Los Angeles Lakers, a match they won 106-98. However, Robinson’s NBA debut was postponed for two years due to his military obligations.
Nov. 4, 1993
Rod Thorn, NBA Vice President of Operations, declared that the experienced referee, Darell Garretson, would retire from his on-court duties at the end of the 1993-94 season, marking his 27th year in the NBA. From the 1994-95 season onwards, Garretson took on the role of NBA’s Director of Officiating.
Nov. 4, 1993
John Bitove, Jr. led a Toronto group that was granted the 28th franchise by the NBA Board of Governors. This team, the Raptors, commenced play in the 1995-96 season.
Nov. 4, 1994
The Bulls, after 28 seasons in Chicago Stadium, inaugurated their new arena, the United Center, with an 89-83 victory over Charlotte in front of a crowd of 22,313. The win was facilitated by Scottie Pippen’s game-high 22 points.
Nov. 4, 1994
Clyde Drexler and Buck Williams led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 121-100 win over the LA Clippers, with Drexler securing a game-high 26 points and Williams contributing with 14 rebounds. The match, held at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, was played before a full house of 14,239 spectators. This was the third time in five years that the NBA has commenced the regular season in Japan.
Nov. 4, 1994
Grant Hill had his NBA debut with the Detroit Pistons, which resulted in a 115-98 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nov. 4, 1996
Charles Barkley became the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 3,500 assists in his career, after recording four assists during Houston’s 75-72 victory over Utah.
Nov. 4, 1997
Rod Strickland of Washington’s team, the Wizards, achieved his 5,000th career assist in their 120-96 victory over Denver.
Nov. 4, 1997
The Bucks’ 110-76 victory over Orlando brought an end to the NBA-record streak of 316 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer for the latter team.
Nov. 4, 1999
The Atlanta Hawks inaugurated the new Philips Arena by hosting a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Montel Jordan, a recording artist, performed the national anthem.
Nov. 4, 2005
Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz surpassed Bill Fitch to become fifth on the NBA’s all-time win list (945), by defeating the Golden State Warriors 91-85 at the Oracle Arena.
Nov. 4, 2016
Stephen Curry’s streak of making at least one 3-pointer in consecutive games ended at 157.
Nov. 4, 2016
Chris Paul became the Clippers’ all-time assist leader, surpassing Randy Smith, when he found J.J. Redick for a floater. This assist marked his 3,499th and he concluded his LA career with a total of 4,023 assists.
Nov. 5, 1946
Chuck Connors, a Boston Celtics player, made NBA history by breaking the first backboard during a game warm-up. Later, Connors continued to break stereotypes in the TV show “The Rifleman,” where he played a formidable desperado.
Nov. 5, 1955
Jack Twyman had his first game for the Rochester Royals at home against New York, which the Knicks won in overtime with a score of 100-98.
Nov. 5, 1971
After a 14-year career, spanning 846 games and scoring 23,149 points, Elgin Baylor, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, retired due to injury issues. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame five years post-retirement.
Nov. 5, 1982
The Cleveland Cavaliers set an NBA record for consecutive games lost (over two seasons) with 24, following a 99-91 loss to the New Jersey Nets.
Nov. 5, 1988
The LA Clippers, visiting from Los Angeles, marred the introduction of NBA basketball in Florida by defeating the Miami Heat 111-91 at the Miami Arena.
Nov. 5, 1988
Mitch Richmond debuted in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, contributing to their 117-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Nov. 5, 1993
In their first regular season game at the new Alamodome, San Antonio set an NBA record for opening night attendance, drawing in 36,523 fans. The Spurs, led by David Robinson’s game-high 32 points, pleased the crowd with a 91-85 victory over Golden State.
Nov. 5, 1993
The Houston Rockets initiated their 15-game winning streak at the start of the season by defeating the New Jersey Nets 110-88. This tied them with the 1948 Washington Capitols for the best debut in NBA history.
Nov. 5, 1994
Jason Kidd made his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks in their 112-103 victory over the New Jersey Nets.
Nov. 5, 2008
Tony Parker, the guard for the Spurs, achieves a career-best 55 points in a close 129-125 defeat against the Timberwolves. His overall shooting was 22-for-36, and he almost recorded a triple-double with seven rebounds and 10 assists.
Nov. 5, 2016
In a victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James scores 25 points and surpasses Hakeem Olajuwon to secure the 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Nov. 6, 1971
The Los Angeles Lakers secured the first victory in what would become a record-breaking 16 consecutive NBA road games, defeating Golden State with a score of 105-89.
Nov. 6, 1985
Chris Mullin made his NBA debut with the Golden State Warriors, winning 105-101 against the Seattle SuperSonics.
Nov. 6, 1987
Reggie Miller’s NBA debut was with the Indiana Pacers, who suffered a 108-95 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov. 6, 1992
Dominique Wilkins of Atlanta became the 17th player in NBA history to score 20,000 points, achieving this milestone by scoring 30 points against the Knicks. However, Atlanta lost the game to New York at the Omni, with a score of 106-94.
Nov. 6, 1992
Shaquille O’Neal debuted in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, securing a 110-100 victory over the Miami Heat.
Nov. 6, 1992
Robert Parish, assisting the Boston Celtics in their 113-92 victory over Minnesota, tallied 14 points and secured 12 rebounds. He became only the second player in NBA history to participate in the league for 17 seasons, following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who played for 20 seasons. Parish surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s record in 1996-97 and now holds the record with 21 seasons.
Nov. 6, 1992
In 1992-93, two years after it became the first major professional sports league to play regular season games outside North America, the NBA reopened its season with a pair of games in Japan. Shawn Kemp led Seattle to a 111-94 victory over Houston at Yokohama Arena, scoring 29 points and 20 rebounds before a full house of 15,640 spectators. The SuperSonics secured a sweep in the Far East by winning the following evening’s game 89-85.
Nov. 6, 1992
Milwaukee marked its 25th Anniversary with a victory of 86-81 over Detroit.
Nov. 6, 1999
The new home of the Indiana Pacers, the Conseco Fieldhouse, made its debut when the Pacers played host to the Boston Celtics. Basketball legend and Hall of Famer John Wooden was appointed the honorary scorer, while NBC broadcaster Bob Costas took care of player introductions. Crystal Gayle graced the occasion by performing the national anthem. During halftime, the Pacers honored Indiana’s 50 greatest basketball legends. The Pacers ensured their fans left with smiles on their faces, securing a 115-108 victory.
Nov. 6, 1999
The NBA hosted regular season games in Japan for the fifth time this decade, with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings playing two games at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7 as part of the NBA Japan Games. The Kings triumphed in the first game with a score of 100-95, while the Timberwolves bounced back and claimed the second game with a score of 114-101.
Nov. 6, 2007
The Kings’ streak of 354 sellouts at Arco Arena, which began in 1999, ended when they hosted the Seattle SuperSonics and sold “only” 14,908 tickets.
Nov. 7, 1959
Rookie Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors and former MVP Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics encounter each other for the first time. In their careers, Chamberlain and Russell would compete against each other a total of 143 times, including both regular season and playoffs.
Nov. 7, 1986
The Philadelphia 76ers honored forward Bobby Jones by retiring uniform No. 24.
Nov. 7, 1987
Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant debuted in the NBA during the Chicago Bulls’ 104-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov. 7, 1991
Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA after revealing his positive test results for HIV. Johnson, instrumental in the Lakers’ five NBA championship wins during his 12-season tenure with the team, retired holding the record for most career assists in the league, totaling 9,921. This record was later broken by John Stockton of Utah. Johnson briefly returned to active play for 32 games in the 1995-96 season.
Nov. 7, 1992
Isiah Thomas became only the third guard in NBA history to surpass 8,000 career assists, alongside Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, with his five assists in Detroit’s 89-87 victory over Indiana on the road. John Stockton of Utah also joined this distinctive group on February 23, 1993, after making seven assists in a game they lost to Houston.
Nov. 7, 1992
The Suns commemorated their 30th Anniversary season by relocating to the America West Arena.
Nov. 7, 1996
Joe Dumars from the Detroit Pistons was recognized by the NBA as the first-ever recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. This significant award is given yearly to an NBA player who exemplifies the quintessential ideals of sportsmanship in their on-court performance.
Nov. 7, 1997
The longest streak of sellouts in the league, which was held by Sacramento, ended at 497.
Nov. 7, 2008
Jerry Sloan made NBA history by becoming the first coach to achieve 1,000 wins with the same team, the Utah Jazz, after a 104-97 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nov. 7, 2016
Stephen Curry set a then-NBA record by sinking 13 3-pointers in a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. He ended the game with 46 points, shooting 13 out of 17 3-pointers, contributing to Golden State’s win.
Nov. 7, 2016
John Wall, guard for the Wizards, surpasses Hall of Famer Wes Unseld to become Washington’s all-time assist leader.
Nov. 7, 2022
Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers and Dyson Daniels of the New Orleans Pelicans, both NBA Academy graduates, made history when they competed against each other in Indianapolis on Monday. This was the first instance of two NBA Academy graduates playing in the same game, with the Pacers claiming victory, 129-122.
Nov. 8, 1978
On March 23, 1979, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets replayed the final 17:50 of a game that had begun at an earlier date, due to an upheld protest. At the start of the game, the 76ers were represented by Harvey Catchings and Ralph Simpson, while Eric Money and Al Skinner played for the Nets. However, by the time play resumed, these players had been traded to the opposing teams. This stands as the only instance in professional sports history where players have represented both teams in a single game.
Nov. 8, 1992
The Sacramento Kings ended their 43-game losing streak on the Los Angeles Lakers’ home turf with a 124-114 win, thanks to Mitch Richmond’s 29 points. The last time the Kings tasted success at the Great Western Forum was on October 20, 1974, when they were still based in Kansas City-Omaha.
Nov. 8, 1994
During the 1994-95 season, Cleveland became the second NBA team to inaugurate a new arena. The Gund Arena was filled with 20,562 spectators who came to watch the reigning NBA Champions, the Houston Rockets, narrowly defeat the Cavaliers with a score of 100-98.
Nov. 8, 1994
Joe Dumars of Detroit equaled the NBA record, previously held by Brian Shaw, by successfully completing 10 out of 18 three-point field goal attempts in a single game. He finished the game with the highest score of 40 points, leading the Pistons to a 126-112 victory over visiting Minnesota. This record was later surpassed by Dennis Scott from the Orlando Magic, who made 11 three-pointers in a game against Atlanta on April 18, 1996.
Nov. 8, 1999
The Philadelphia 76ers honored the late Wilt Chamberlain during a game against the Seattle SuperSonics. In remembrance of Wilt, the 76ers held a moment of silence, showcased a video clip from his historic 100-point game in 1962, and invited Teddy Pendergrass to sing the national anthem.
Nov. 8, 2022
In an unprecedented move in NBA history, no games are scheduled on Election Day, as the NBA encourages teams to share election information with their fans.
Nov. 9, 1946
George Mikan played his first professional basketball game for the Chicago American Gears, which ended in a 66-61 defeat against the Oshkosh All-Stars in a National Basketball League match.
Nov. 9, 1975
Mendy Rudolph concluded his 23-year NBA referee career, having officiated more games (2,113) than any other man in the league’s history at that point. However, his record was later surpassed by Earl Strom, who officiated over 2,400 games throughout his 30-year career.
Nov. 9, 1983
David Stern was appointed as NBA Commissioner following the resignation of Larry O’Brien, who had held the position for 8 1/2 years. Stern officially assumed his duties on February 1, 1984.
Nov. 9, 1989
The Milwaukee Bucks triumphed over the Seattle SuperSonics with a score of 155-154 in a game that extended to five overtime periods. This matched the record of the second-longest game in NBA history, which was set by Syracuse-Anderson on November 24, 1949. The Bucks-Sonics match turned out to be the longest since the introduction of the 24-second shot clock in 1954. An NBA record was set by Dale Ellis of Seattle who played 69 out of the total 73 minutes.
Nov. 9, 1993
Micheal Williams of Minnesota ended his record-breaking NBA streak of consecutive free throws at 97 during a game in San Antonio, after missing an attempt in the second quarter. Williams’ 97 free throws surpassed the previous record of 78 consecutive free throws set by Calvin Murphy during the 1980-81 season. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of Denver claimed second place on the all-time list for consecutive free throws with 81, his streak ending against San Antonio on Nov. 16, 1993.
Nov. 9, 1995
The Chicago Bulls triumphed over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a score of 106-88, securing the first of a record-breaking 33 away wins in a single NBA season.
Nov. 9, 1997
Buck Williams from New York played his 1,270th game, which tied him with John Havlicek for the fifth position on the all-time list.
Nov. 9, 2007
For the first time in the NBA, two Chinese powerhouses, Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and Yi Jianlian of the Milwaukee Bucks, faced off. Yao Ming and his team emerged victorious with a score of 104-88. The live television broadcast of the game was watched by an estimated 150-250 million fans in China.
Nov. 10, 1964
The first coaching victory of Dave DeBusschere, player-coach for the Detroit Pistons, was recorded as 119-117 against Baltimore, conducted in Philadelphia. DeBusschere, at the age of 24, holds the record as the youngest coach in NBA history.
Nov. 10, 1971
Earl Monroe was traded from the Baltimore Bullets to New York, where he assisted the Knicks in winning the 1973 NBA championship.
Nov. 10, 1989
The Associated Press (AP) designated NBA Commissioner David J. Stem as the Sports Executive of the Decade for the 1980s. The AP’s NBA honorees were the Los Angeles Lakers for Team of the Decade, Pat Riley as Coach of the Decade, and Magic Johnson as Player of the Decade.
Nov. 10, 1989
The Minnesota Timberwolves secured their first NBA win with a 125-118 overtime victory against Philadelphia at the Target Center.
Nov. 10, 1990
The Phoenix Suns, playing at home, triumphed over the Denver Nuggets with a score of 173-143, equaling the 1959 Boston Celtics’ record for the highest points scored in a non-overtime game. The Suns achieved an impressive 107 points in the first half, surpassing the Nuggets’ previous record of 90 points set in their 161-153 defeat to San Antonio just three days prior. Additionally, this victory marked the 700th career win for Suns Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, making him only the seventh coach in the league’s history to accomplish this feat.
Nov. 10, 2012
After a disappointing start to the season with a 1-4 record, Mike Brown has been dismissed from his role as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. This is the earliest a coach has been let go since the NBA-ABA merger.
Nov. 11, 1980
Billy Knight set a team-record for the Indiana Pacers by scoring 52 points in a game against San Antonio, leading the Pacers to a 119-113 win. However, this record was broken by Reggie Miller when he scored 57 points in a 134-122 victory over Charlotte on November 28, 1992.
Nov. 11, 1992
Shaquille O’Neal started his NBA career playing for the Orlando Magic against Miami, in which Orlando emerged victorious with a score of 110-100. O’Neal contributed 12 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks to the game.
Nov. 11, 1993
Prior to a game at the Meadowlands Arena with Indiana, New Jersey retired the No. 3 jersey that the late Drazen Petrovic wore. Petrovic tragically lost his life in a car accident in Germany on June 7, 1993. NBA Commissioner David J. Stern, Petrovic’s former Croatian teammates Dino Radja and Stojko Vrankovic, his father Jole, mother Biserka, and brother Aleksander were all present for the ceremony.
Nov. 11, 1993
The NBA Board of Governors voted in favor of a revised NBA Draft Lottery system. This new system boosts the odds for the teams with the poorest records in the league to win one of the top three picks in the NBA Draft.
Nov. 11, 1995
Hakeem Olajuwon of Houston scored 21 points in the Rockets’ 119-97 win over Minnesota, making him the ninth NBA player to achieve a career total of 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.
Nov. 11, 1996
Patrick Ewing of New York became the 23rd player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, after scoring 24 points in the Knicks’ 92-88 victory over Orlando.
Nov. 11, 2006
In a 113-111 defeat to the Utah Jazz, Michael Redd from the Milwaukee Bucks scored 57 points.
Nov. 11, 2014
Dirk Nowitzki surpasses Hakeem Olajuwon to become the 9th highest scorer in NBA history and the top international scorer. In the Dallas Mavericks’ victory over the Sacramento Kings, Nowitzki contributed 23 points.
Nov. 12, 1980
Dan Issel, center for the Denver Nuggets, scored a layup in the fourth quarter during a 118-111 defeat at New Jersey. This increased his career point total to 20,000, making him the 12th man in professional basketball history to achieve this milestone.
Nov. 12, 1994
For the first time, NBA All-Star balloting expanded beyond the United States. Fans in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia were able to access ballots at Foot Locker stores.
Nov. 12, 2010
Kevin Love scored 31 points and grabbed 31 rebounds against the New York Knicks, making him the first player since Charles Barkley in 1996 to secure 30 rebounds in a single game. He also broke a Timberwolves record and became the 19th player in NBA history to achieve a 30-30 game.
Nov. 13, 1964
Bob Pettit, a forward for the St. Louis Hawks, was the first NBA player to reach a score of 20,000 points.
Nov. 13, 1977
John Havlicek, a legend of the Boston Celtics, scored 14 points in a 127-119 overtime win against Milwaukee. This achievement raised his career total to 25,202 points, surpassing Jerry West and moving him into third place on the NBA all-time scoring list at that time.
Nov. 13, 1979
Darryl Dawkins, playing center for Philadelphia, shattered a backboard with a slam-dunk in the Sixers’ 110-103 loss at Kansas City.
Nov. 13, 1990
Magic Johnson from the Los Angeles Lakers was the second guard in NBA history to achieve 9,000 career assists, following Oscar Robertson. He reached this milestone during a 112-111 loss to Phoenix at the Great Western Forum. However, John Stockton of Utah later exceeded both players in terms of career assists.
Nov. 13, 1998
William “Red” Holzman, the coach who led the New York Knicks to their sole two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973, passed away at the age of 78.
Nov. 13, 1999
The Cleveland Cavaliers paid tribute to Mark Price, a former All-Star point guard, by retiring his No. 25 jersey during a special halftime ceremony at the Cavs’ home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Price, who played for the Cavs from 1986 to 1995, holds the franchise records for most assists (4,206) and steals (734).
Nov. 13, 2010
Kevin Love, star forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves, scored 31 points and grabbed 30 rebounds in a 112-103 victory over the New York Knicks. This marks the first instance of a player recording at least 30 points and 30 rebounds in the same game since Moses Malone achieved this feat in 1982.
Nov. 13, 2016
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record by reaching 96 days without two consecutive losses when they defeated the Phoenix Suns 133-120.
Nov. 14, 1984
In a 137-133 overtime defeat to the Detroit Pistons, Moses Malone from the Philadelphia 76ers ended the game with 51 points and 17 rebounds.
Nov. 14, 1997
The quadruple overtime game between Phoenix, which ended in 140-139, was the eighth event of its kind in NBA history. The last time such an event occurred was when Golden State beat New Jersey with a score of 150-147 on February 1, 1987.
Nov. 14, 2006
Peja Stojaković made NBA history as the first player to start a game by scoring 20 uninterrupted points for his team. He also established a New Orleans Hornets record by scoring 22 points in the first quarter. Stojaković continued to have an impressive game, scoring a personal best of 42 points and contributing significantly to the Hornets’ 94-85 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Nov. 14, 2009
Brandon Jennings, a rookie, established a new record for the Milwaukee Bucks by scoring 55 points against the Golden State Warriors, surpassing the previous record set by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970. This was the highest score by a rookie since Earl “The Pearl” Monroe scored 56 points in 1968.
Nov. 15, 1960
Elgin Baylor, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, set an NBA record when he scored 71 points in a 123-108 win over the New York Knicks. However, his record was short-lived, as less than two years later, Wilt Chamberlain scored an unprecedented 100 points against the Knicks on March 2, 1962.
Nov. 15, 1994
The Lakers-Clippers game was broadcast in Mandarin Chinese on Los Angeles’ KAZN-AM radio station, marking the first time an NBA game was aired in Chinese in the United States. Prior to this, NBA games had been broadcast in Spanish and Navajo Indian on U.S. radio.
Nov. 15, 1995
Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets becomes the third NBA player to exceed 3,000 career blocks, following a 96-93 victory in Toronto where he rejected seven shots.
Nov. 15, 1997
Miami’s head coach, Pat Riley, surpassed Jack Ramsay’s 864 wins to claim fifth place on the all-time win list, following a 96-93 victory over Denver.
Nov. 15, 2005
Dwight Howard set a record as the youngest player ever to score 20 points and grab 20 rebounds in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, at the age of 19.
Nov. 16, 1957
In a 111-89 home victory of the Boston Celtics over Philadelphia, Bill Russell managed to secure 32 rebounds in one half, setting an NBA record. He ended the game with a total of 49 rebounds. Later in his career, Russell made another exceptional performance by grabbing 51 rebounds in a match against Syracuse on February 5, 1960. However, Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the most rebounds in a game with 55, surpassing Russell’s record.
Nov. 16, 1961
Connie Hawkins had his professional debut with the Pittsburgh Rens of the ABL, where they experienced a 97-89 defeat to the Chicago Majors at home.
Nov. 16, 1962
Wilt Chamberlain, a player for the San Francisco Warriors, tied the record for the third-highest single-game point total in NBA history by scoring 73 points against the New York Knicks.
Nov. 16, 1993
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf from the Denver Nuggets saw his continuous free throw series stop at 81 during a match against San Antonio. His streak was the second longest in NBA history, just behind Micheal Williams from Minnesota’s 97 record, set just a week prior.
Nov. 16, 1994
Patrick Ewing became the ninth NBA player to achieve 2,000 career blocks, after rejecting five shots in New York’s 110-89 road victory against the LA Lakers.
Nov. 16, 2001
The inaugural season of the NBDL started with a match between the Greenville Groove and the North Charleston Lowgators, hosted at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, S.C.
Nov. 17, 1945
Rayville, Louisiana was the birthplace of Elvin Hayes.
Nov. 17, 1959
Connie Dierking from the Syracuse Nationals set a record by becoming the first player to foul out in the first quarter of a game, where Syracuse defeated Cincinnati 121-116 in New York.
Nov. 17, 1981
In a game against Kansas City, New York Knicks center Bill Cartwright hit 19 free throws without a miss, equaling the NBA record set by Bob Pettit of St. Louis. This record was subsequently equaled by Adrian Dantley of Detroit, then surpassed by Dominique Wilkins of Atlanta, who scored 23 consecutive free throws without a miss against Chicago on December 8, 1992.
Nov. 17, 1984
Despite Purvis Short’s 59-point performance, the highest by any NBA player since April 9, 1978, his team, the Golden State Warriors, fell to New Jersey 131-114. This marked the third instance in a week where Short had managed to score over 40 points in a game.
Nov. 17, 1999
David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, has announced that after seven years with the organization, Jeffrey Mishkin will be leaving his position as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer to join the New York office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP as a partner. The transition will take effect from January 1, 2000. During his NBA tenure, Mishkin supervised all legal matters, including litigation, labor relations, commercial transactions, legislation, and the protection of the league’s intellectual property rights. In addition to his executive role, he actively participated in the NBA’s most significant legal affairs and personally argued for the NBA in notable cases such as NBA v. Williams, Chicago Professional Sports and WGN v. NBA, and NBA v. Motorola.
Nov. 17, 2000
Reggie Miller from the Indiana Pacers made NBA history by becoming the 25th player to score 20,000 career points. He achieved this milestone by scoring 30 points in a 92-90 defeat to Golden State.
Nov. 17, 2000
Jason Kidd from Phoenix Suns equaled the NBA record for maximum turnovers in a game by losing the ball 14 times in a 90-85 loss to New York. This record was previously set by John Drew from the Atlanta Hawks who had 14 turnovers in a game against New Jersey on March 1, 1978.
Nov. 17, 2018
In a 122-119 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker scored 60 points.
Nov. 17, 2020
The NBA has revealed the structure and format for the 2020-21 season. Each team will play a 72-game schedule, which was released in two parts called First Half and Second Half. There was also an All-Star break between March 5-10, 2021. Furthermore, the NBA Board of Governors gave the green light for a Play-In Tournament for one year. This tournament will involve the 7th to 10th ranked teams from each conference.
Nov. 18, 1989
In a historic moment for the NBA, two players from the Soviet Union, Alexander Volkov of the Atlanta Hawks and Sarunas Marciulionis of the Golden State Warriors, faced off on the court for the first time. These two were part of the Soviet team that clinched the gold medal at the 1988 South Korea Olympics. In this particular game, Volkov and his Hawks team emerged victorious over the Warriors with a final score of 112-96.
Nov. 18, 2020
For the first time in its history, the 2020 NBA draft is conducted virtually. The Minnesota Timberwolves select Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia as their No. 1 overall pick.
Nov. 18, 2011
Walt Hazzard, a one-time All-Star who played for the UCLA Bruins and several NBA teams including the Lakers, has died at the age of 69.
Nov. 18, 2016
Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, led his team to a 116-107 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. This win marks his 1,099th, surpassing Larry Brown to claim the No. 7 spot on the all-time coaching wins list.
Nov. 19, 1977
The New Orleans Jazz established an NBA record for the least number of free throws made in a game — a mere one. Despite Houston committing 17 fouls, the Jazz only got to the foul line five times, and only one was successful. However, they still managed to beat the Rockets 103-101. Later on January 9, 1996, the Jazz’s record of one successful free throw was broken by the Toronto Raptors who did not make any free throws in their game against the Charlotte Hornets, resulting in a loss.
Nov. 19, 1983
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Los Angeles Lakers became the second NBA player to reach the milestone of scoring 30,000 points, joining Wilt Chamberlain. This achievement happened as the Lakers secured a 117-110 victory in Portland.
Nov. 19, 1996
Patrick Ewing concludes with 24 points in a 92-88 victory over the Orlando Magic, becoming the 23rd player to accumulate 20,000 career points.
Nov. 19, 2004
The Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, two of the NBA’s top teams, were set to face off in a game that unexpectedly became one of the most notorious events in NBA history. This incident, later known as the “Malice at the Palace,” started when Ron Artest (now known as Metta World Peace) rushed into the stands after a fan hit him with a drink. The result was a huge fight that led to the suspension of nine players without pay. This incident prompted the NBA to beef up security at games and limit alcohol sales.
Nov. 20, 1979
Red Holzman achieved his 500th victory as the coach of the New York Knicks, following a 130-125 overtime triumph against Houston at Madison Square Garden. At that time, Holzman became only the second coach to reach this milestone with a single team, following Red Auerbach.
Nov. 20, 1992
Karl Malone’s outstanding performance of scoring the highest 34 points in the game led Utah to a narrow victory of 97-95 over Indiana at Market Square Arena. This achievement also pushed his career total beyond the 15,000 point milestone.
Nov. 20, 1993
In the Magic’s 87-85 win over New Jersey at the Meadowlands Arena, Orlando’s Shaquille O’Neal tied Manute Bol’s second-highest total in NBA history by blocking 15 shots, scoring 24 points, and grabbing 28 rebounds.
Nov. 20, 1997
In a game against Golden State, A.C. Green from the Dallas Mavericks set an NBA record by participating in his 907th consecutive game. He surpassed the record previously held by Randy Smith who had played in 906 continuous games from 1972 to 1983. Green kept on extending the record, playing in a total of 1,192 games until the conclusion of the 2000-01 season.
Nov. 20, 1999
Hakeem Olajuwon from Houston achieved 2,000 career steals following a steal in the second quarter of the Rockets’ 110-107 defeat to Seattle on Saturday night. Olajuwon is the sole player in NBA history to have 2,000 steals and 2,000 blocks. The records for steals and blocks have been kept since the 1973-74 season.
Nov. 20, 2020
Negotiations with free agents kicked off at 6 p.m. ET, with signings allowed to start from 12:01 p.m. ET on November 22nd. This presented a faster timeline than what’s typically seen in the NBA’s free agency, where there’s usually about a week between the commencement of discussions and the start of signings.
Nov. 20, 2020
Due to public health concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, the Toronto Raptors have announced that they will commence the 2020-21 season in Tampa, Fla.
Nov. 21, 1965
Chick Hearn started his unbroken run of broadcasting Los Angeles Lakers’ games. The only time Hearn missed a Lakers’ broadcast was on November 20, 1965, due to a canceled flight after working a college football game in Arkansas the previous day. By the time the 2000-01 season ended, Hearn had announced 3,301 consecutive Lakers games, taking into account both preseason and playoff games.
Nov. 21, 1984
The Boston Celtics set a club record with a .679 shooting percentage by sinking 55 out of 81 field goal attempts, in a massive 135-91 victory over Golden State.
Nov. 21, 1990
Moses Malone of Atlanta became the seventh player in NBA history to achieve a score of 25,000 points. He accomplished this by scoring 22 points in the Hawks’ 105-93 defeat to Milwaukee at the Bradley Center.
Nov. 21, 1996
Bill Fitch became the first NBA coach to record 1,000 career losses following the LA Clippers’ 105-94 defeat at Dallas.
Nov. 21, 2001
The Denver Nuggets have promoted Chris Andersen from the Fayetteville Patriots, making him the first D-League player to be elevated to the NBA.
Nov. 21, 2013
Vern Mikkelsen, a six-time All-Star and Hall of Famer, passes away at 85.
Nov. 21, 2023
The Indiana Pacers became the first team to advance to the Knockout Rounds in the inaugural In-Season Tournament by defeating the Atlanta Hawks 157-152 in Group Play, clinching East Group A. Later the same night, the Los Angeles Lakers also advanced by clinching West Group A, defeating the Utah Jazz 131-99.
Nov. 22, 1950
In the lowest-scoring game in NBA history, the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18 in Minneapolis.
Nov. 22, 1961
Bob Pettit, a forward for the St. Louis Hawks, set what was then an NBA record by successfully making all 19 of his foul shots in a game against Boston. Despite his success, the Hawks still suffered a 141-121 defeat.
Nov. 22, 1992
Rick Adelman achieved his 200th win as a coach when the Blazers defeated Detroit 115-90. This milestone was reached in his 288th game, which was faster than any other coach had managed before him.
Nov. 22, 1994
In NBA history, Don Nelson, the Golden State Coach, became the first individual to take part in 2,700 career games, both regular season and playoffs, as a player or coach. This milestone was reached during the Warriors’ 102-98 away game loss at Golden State. However, later in the 1994-95 season, Lenny Wilkens, the Atlanta head coach, surpassed Nelson in terms of career NBA game appearances as a player or coach.
Nov. 22, 2000
The Philadelphia 76ers’ season-opening winning streak was halted at 10 games after an 88-73 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. This feat made the Sixers the 12th team in NBA history to start a season with a minimum of 10 successive wins.
Nov. 22, 2023
LeBron James, the NBA’s highest scorer of all time, has broken new ground by becoming the only player to score 39,000 career points. James achieved this milestone with a 3-pointer during the first quarter of the Lakers’ 131-99 victory over the Jazz. He scored a total of 17 points in 24 minutes, helping the Lakers maintain their undefeated streak in Group Play during the In-Season Tournament.
Nov. 23, 1979
Elvin Hayes of Washington scored 18 points in a 128-108 defeat against San Antonio, surpassing Hal Greer to take the seventh place on the NBA all-time scoring list, with a total of 21,587 points.
Nov. 23, 1991
The Sacramento Kings broke their NBA record 43-game road losing streak with a victory of 95-93 over the Magic at the Orlando Arena. Lionel Simmons led the Kings with the highest score of the game, 27 points, marking their first road win since Nov. 20, 1990 in Washington.
Nov. 23, 1994
Jeff Hornacek from Utah established a new NBA record by successfully scoring all eight of his 3-point field goal attempts in the Jazz’s 113-103 home victory over Seattle. Hornacek achieved a career best with 40 points, surpassing the previous record held by Terry Porter of Portland in 1992 and Sam Perkins of the Sonics in 1993, who both scored 7-of-7 from 3-point range. Perkins later equaled Hornacek’s 8-for-8 3-point performance in a game against Toronto for Seattle on January 15, 1997.
Nov. 23, 1994
In Phoenix’s 140-109 home victory over the LA Clippers, Wesley Person scored a leading 19 points among 10 players who scored in double figures. This marked the Suns as the third team in NBA history to have 10 players score double digits in a single game. The first instance occurred on March 30, 1980, when the Seattle Sonics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 135-104, led by Gus Williams’ 23 points. The Sonics also achieved this feat again on April 14, 1994, overpowering the LA Clippers 150-101 with Detlef Schrempf scoring a leading 21 points.
Nov. 23, 1997
After a 119-102 victory over the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers coach Del Harris achieved his 500th career win.
Nov. 23, 2016
Kevin Love, a forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers, set a record for most points scored in the first quarter with 34 points against his hometown team, the Portland Trail Blazers. This contributed to the Cavs’ victory, ending the game with a score of 137-125.
Nov. 24, 1938
Oscar Robertson was born in Charlotte, Tennessee.
Nov. 24, 1949
Don Otten from the Tri-Cities Blackhawks made NBA history by committing eight personal fouls in a 120-113 defeat to Sheboygan.
Nov. 24, 1949
The Syracuse Nationals beat the Anderson Packers 125-123 in a game that went into five overtimes, marking the longest game in NBA history at that point in time. However, this record was surpassed slightly over a year later when Rochester and Indianapolis engaged in a six-overtime match on January 6, 1951.
Nov. 24, 1960
Philadelphia Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record by securing 55 rebounds in a 132-129 defeat against Boston. He further accumulated 2,149 rebounds in 79 games during the 1960-61 season, averaging 27.2 rebounds per game (rpg) – both of these are NBA records that are yet to be broken.
Nov. 24, 1986
Maurice Podoloff, who was the initial chief executive of the NBA, passed away at 95 years old. Podoloff served as the NBA President – a title that was later changed to Commissioner in 1967 – from 1946 until he retired in 1963.
Nov. 24, 1996
Clyde Drexler became the 24th player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, during the third quarter of Houston’s 90-85 victory over the Lakers. He achieved this with a pair of free throws.
Nov. 24, 1999
A.C. Green of the Los Angeles Lakers equaled former ABA and NBA player Ron Boone’s record for the longest streak of consecutive games played in professional basketball history. Green achieved this feat by playing in his 1,041st game when the Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Previously, Green had become the NBA’s most durable player by playing his 907th consecutive game as a member of the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 20, 1997. This surpassed Randy Smith’s record, who had participated in 906 consecutive games for Buffalo, San Diego, Cleveland and New York.
Nov. 24, 1999
After a 93-91 victory over Atlanta, Pat Riley from the Miami Heat achieves his 200th win with the team. This makes him one of the three coaches, alongside Lenny Wilkens and Bill Fitch, to secure 200 wins with three different teams (Lakers, New York, Miami).
Nov. 24, 2001
Terry Porter of the San Antonio Spurs became the only player in NBA history to record 15,000 points, 7,000 assists, 1,000 steals, and 1,000 3-pointers, during a 99-94 loss to Minnesota where he contributed with three assists.
Nov. 25, 1960
Bailey Howell from Detroit established a then Pistons’ home record by scoring 19 free throws in a game against Los Angeles, contributing to his total of 43 points. He also set another Pistons’ home game record by securing 21 rebounds in just one half.
Nov. 26, 1986
Don Nelson achieved his 500th career coaching victory when the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Washington Bullets 122-103. At that time, he was the fastest coach in NBA history to reach the milestone, doing so in only 817 games. However, Pat Riley later surpassed him by reaching 500 wins in fewer games, specifically 684.
Nov. 26, 1994
The Cleveland Cavaliers set a new NBA record in their 101-87 victory over Golden State at Gund Arena, by attempting only two free throws throughout the game. This broke the previous record of three, held by the Los Angeles Lakers for 14 years. Both John “Hot Rod” Williams and Tony Campbell successfully made a free throw for the Cavs.
Nov. 26, 1999
A.C. Green, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers, achieved a professional basketball record by playing in his 1,042nd consecutive game in a 103-80 victory over New Jersey. This record surpassed that of former ABA and NBA star, Ron Boone.
Nov. 26, 2000
John Stockton surpassed previous record-holder John Havlicek of the Boston Celtics by appearing in his 1,271st NBA game, all while wearing a Utah Jazz uniform, to set a new record for most career games played for a single team. Stockton expressed immense respect for Havlicek, claiming he couldn’t even put it into words.
Nov. 26, 2011
The NBA and NBA Players Association have agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement, concluding the second-longest labor halt in the league’s history, which lasted 160 days.
Nov. 27, 1947
Howie Dallmar from Philadelphia set an NBA record by attempting 15 field goals without making any against New York. This record was held for 44 years until Tim Hardaway from Golden State outdid it by shooting 0-for-17 on December 27, 1991.
Nov. 27, 1963
During a 118-89 win over New York, Wilt Chamberlain set what was then an NBA record by hitting 18 consecutive field goals.
Nov. 27, 2015
In a 116-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden from the Houston Rockets tallied 50 points.
Nov. 28, 1969
The New York Knicks defeated the Cincinnati Royals with a score of 106-105 after scoring six points in the last 16 seconds. This victory extended their winning streak to an NBA record at the time of 18 consecutive games. However, this record was later surpassed by the Lakers with 33 straight wins during the 1971-72 season, which stands as the current NBA record.
Nov. 28, 1986
The Celtics defeated San Antonio with a score of 111-96 at Boston Garden, establishing an NBA record with their 38th successive home win.
Nov. 28, 1988
Magic Johnson, guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, ended the game with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 20 assists, leading to a 109-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov. 28, 1992
Lenny Wilkens, head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, marked his 2,500th NBA game during the Cavs’ 95-93 loss in Orlando. This milestone, which includes regular season and playoff games over 29 seasons as a player and coach, places Wilkens in the company of Don Nelson as the only individuals to reach 2,500 games. Wilkens, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, surpassed Nelson in the 1994-95 season as the NBA’s all-time leader in game appearances, whether as a player or coach, with a total of 2,737.
Nov. 28, 1992
Reggie Miller set a team record for the Pacers by scoring 57 points, leading to a 134-122 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Nov. 28, 1992
Larry Brown, the head coach of the LA Clippers, achieved his 400th career NBA victory when the Clippers secured a 121-119 road win at Denver.
Nov. 28, 1997
Michael Jordan from Chicago scored 26 points in Indiana, surpassing Elvin Hayes’s 27,313 points to secure the fourth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a total of 27,332 points.
Nov. 28, 2003
Karl Malone, forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, ended with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 103-87 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. At 40 years and 127 days old, Malone set a new record as the oldest player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double.
Nov. 28, 2012
Rajon Rondo was removed from the game midway through the Boston Celtics’ 95-83 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets. At the time, he had only three assists, resulting in the end of his historic double-digit assist streak at 37 games. This streak is second only to Magic Johnson’s 46-game record.
Nov. 28, 2023
During the thrilling last night of Group Play in the inaugural In-Season Tournament, the Knicks, Bucks, Celtics and Kings all achieved victories, progressing to the Knockout Rounds. The quarterfinals, scheduled for December 4 and 5, will showcase these match-ups: Bucks against Knicks, Lakers against Suns, Pacers against Celtics, and Pelicans against Kings.
Nov. 29, 1997
The Washington Wizards played their final game at the US Airways Arena in Landover, MD, against the Chicago Bulls, after 24 seasons. The game ended in an 88-83 win for Chicago.
Nov. 29, 1999
Tyrone Corbin of the Sacramento Kings achieved a milestone that eluded even basketball greats like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson – he played in his 1,000th regular season NBA game.
Nov. 29, 2015
Through a poem published on The Players’ Tribune website, Kobe Bryant announced his retirement after the 2015-16 season. Bryant dedicated his entire 20-season NBA career to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nov. 30, 1977
Bob Hopkins was succeeded by Lenny Wilkens as the coach of the Seattle SuperSonics, who then had a 5-17 record. The Sonics turned their season around under Wilkens, achieving a 42-18 record and reaching the NBA Finals. Despite their efforts, they were defeated by the Washington Bullets in a seven-game series.
Nov. 30, 1990
Larry Bird, a forward for the Boston Celtics, achieved his 20,000th career point during the Celtics’ 123-95 victory over Washington at the Garden. With this achievement, Bird joined the ranks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, becoming only the fifth player in the history of the league to accumulate 20,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 5,000 assists in his career.
Nov. 30, 1996
After scoring 35 points in the Bulls’ 97-88 victory over the Spurs, Michael Jordan became the 10th player in NBA history to achieve 25,000 points. He reached this milestone in 782 games, surpassing all other players except Wilt Chamberlain who achieved it in 691 games.
Nov. 30, 2019
James Harden, guard for the Houston Rockets, tallied 60 points in just 31 minutes during a 158-111 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. He was just one point away from equalling his personal and team record, achieving this feat through sinking eight 3-pointers and 20 free throws.
