This Date in the NBA: November
Key dates in NBA history:
Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
Nov. 1, 1946
In the inaugural NBA game, the New York Knicks triumphed over the Toronto Huskies by 68-66, with the game taking place in Toronto. Fans who were taller than George Nostrand, Toronto’s 6-8 center, were allowed free entry.
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, which the Bombers won with a score of 72-51.
Nov. 1, 1950
Bill Sharman first played for the Washington Capitols in a home game against the Indianapolis Olympians, which the Capitols won 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
In a 113-106 victory against the Washington Bullets, Brad Daugherty made his NBA debut playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Nov. 1, 1991
Dikembe Mutombo made his NBA debut in a game where the Denver Nuggets lost 108-105 to the Golden State Warriors.
Nov. 1, 1996
On the exact 50th anniversary of the first NBA game in Toronto, involving teams from New York and Toronto, the New York Knicks triumphed 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 final score of 111-103.
Steve Nash debuted in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns in a game they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 96-82.
Ben Wallace debuted in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, resulting in a 96-92 defeat against the Orlando Magic.
Nov. 1, 2000
When the Miami Heat started the season with a 105-79 win over the Orlando Magic, Pat Riley became the second coach in NBA history to accumulate 1,000 regular season wins. This achievement put Riley alongside Lenny Wilkens as the only two coaches to reach this milestone.
Nov. 1, 2001
Chris Andersen, a 6-foot-10 power forward from Blinn Community College in Texas, was the first selection by 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 in a game they lost 90-80 to the Detroit Pistons.
Nov. 1, 2005
Chris Paul debuted in the NBA for the New Orleans Hornets in a 93-67 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Nov. 1, 2006
Kyle Lowry made his NBA debut with the Memphis Grizzlies in a game they lost 118-117 to the New York Knicks.
Nov. 1, 2016
Vince Carter has become the 24th player in NBA history to achieve a career total of 24,000 points.
Nov. 2, 1946
Red Auerbach began his professional coaching career with the Washington Capitols, marking his debut with a 50-33 away victory over the Detroit Falcons.
Nov. 2, 1949
Slater Martin and Vern Mikkelsen made their first appearance for the Minneapolis Lakers against the Philadelphia Warriors, securing a victory for the Lakers with a score of 81-69.
Nov. 2, 1990
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record for the highest combined score in a non-overtime game by beating the Denver Nuggets 162-158 at McNichols Arena. The total of 320 points is the highest ever recorded in such a game.
Nov. 2, 1990
The Phoenix Suns triumphed over the Utah Jazz with a score of 119-96 in the first regular season game conducted outside North America by any major professional sports league. The game was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan. The two teams clashed again the following night in Tokyo, where the Jazz emerged victorious with a score of 102-101.
Nov. 2, 1996
Pat Riley, the Heat’s coach, secured his 800th win in Miami’s 97-95 victory over Indiana, becoming the eighth coach to achieve this in history. Achieving this feat just two weeks before his 15th coaching anniversary, Riley did it faster than any other NBA coach.
Nov. 2, 1999
The 1999-2000 season of NBA.com started with a seven-hour live simulcast of the new NBA.com TV, the league’s 24-hour television network, at 7 p.m. (ET). For the first time, NBA.com also provided free Japanese-language audio broadcasts of the 1999 NBA Japan Games, which showcased two regular season games between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings at Tokyo Dome on November 6 and 7. NBA.com TV, produced at the NBA Entertainment’s facility in Secaucus, N.J., blends real-time statistics, scores, and news from NBA.com with live studio-based programming, real-time “look-ins” of NBA games, game highlights, classic NBA games, NBA videos, and exclusive content from the 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, the center for the Los Angeles Lakers, becomes the youngest player to ever participate in a regular season NBA game at the age of 18 years and six days. This broke Jermaine O’Neal’s decade-long record by 46 days.
Nov. 2, 2013
NBA All-Star Walt Bellamy, a four-time recipient of the honor and Hall of Famer, passes away at 74.
Nov. 3, 1948
The Washington Capitols defeated the Philadelphia Warriors 77-70, marking the beginning of a record-breaking 15-game winning streak to start the season – the best start in NBA history. This record remained unbroken for 45 years until it was matched by the Houston Rockets in the 1993-94 season.
Nov. 3, 1949
Dolph Schayes debuted in the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals, leading them to a 78-58 victory against the Denver Nuggets.
Nov. 3, 1951
Neil Johnston first played for the Philadelphia Warriors in a home game against the Ft. Wayne Pistons, where the Warriors triumphed with a score of 70-69.
Nov. 3, 1956
Cliff Hagan first played for the St. Louis Hawks at home against Syracuse. The game was won by the Nationals with a score of 75-73.
Nov. 3, 1962
Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors netted 72 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, marking the fourth highest point total in NBA history.
Nov. 3, 1982
Randy Smith surpassed Johnny “Red” Kerr’s record as the NBA’s All-time Iron Man by playing in his 845th consecutive game. Smith’s streak ended after 906 consecutive games on March 13, 1983. However, his record was later broken by A.C. Green from the Dallas Mavericks, who played in his 907th consecutive game on Nov. 20, 1997.
Nov. 3, 1989
Bill Walton’s jersey number 32 was retired by the Portland Trail Blazers, nineteen years after their inaugural home game.
Nov. 3, 1989
Sarunas Marciulionis and Alexander Volkov were the inaugural players from the Soviet Union to take part in a regular NBA season game. Marciulionis contributed 19 points to Golden State’s game, although they were defeated by Phoenix with a score of 136-106. Meanwhile, Volkov didn’t score any points in Atlanta’s loss to Indiana, with a final score of 126-103.
Nov. 3, 1989
The Minnesota Timberwolves began their inaugural NBA season with a 106-94 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics on their home court.
Nov. 3, 1990
Moses Malone of Atlanta set a new NBA record for career free throws, making 7-of-9 attempts during a 121-120 victory over Indiana at the Omni. These seven successful free throws allowed Malone to overtake Oscar Robertson’s previous record of 7,694 on the all-time list. However, Malone was later overtaken by Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz on March 24, 2001, when he made his 8,532nd free throw in a game against the Washington Wizards.
Nov. 3, 1990
Gary Payton debuts in the NBA with the Seattle SuperSonics, contributing to their 118-106 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Nov. 3, 1995
Chicago secured their first win in an NBA record 72 games in one season and their first in an NBA record 37 home games at the start of a season, with a 105-91 victory over Charlotte.
Nov. 3, 1995
The two new Canadian additions to the NBA, the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies, had triumphant debuts in their inaugural regular-season games. The Raptors defeated New Jersey 94-79 at SkyDome, cheered on by a crowd of over 33,000 fans. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies also claimed victory in their opening game, beating Portland 92-80 at the Blazers’ newly established home, the Rose Garden.
Nov. 3, 1995
Just before the commencement of the 1995-96 season, a significant trade took place. The 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 from Miami.
Nov. 3, 1995
Kevin Garnett debuted in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who unfortunately lost 95-86 to the Sacramento Kings.
Nov. 3, 1996
Kobe Bryant debuted in the NBA playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, in a match they won 91-85 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nov. 3, 1999
The Boston Celtics are dedicating a special evening to Red Auerbach during their opening night game against the Washington Wizards. Auerbach, who contributed to each of the team’s 16 NBA championships, will be honored at halftime with the help of Celtics legends Bill Russell and Tom Heinsohn. Together, they will hoist a banner celebrating his 50th season. The game, like all other home games, will include video highlights, dedications, and vignettes that recount memorable moments and special events from Auerbach’s illustrious career.
Nov. 3, 1999
The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Vancouver Grizzlies in their inaugural game at the new Staples Center. A ceremony revealing the Lakers’ retired jerseys and championship banners in the new facility was co-hosted by Magic Johnson and Chick Hearn.
Nov. 3, 2001
The NBDL disclosed the choices for the 2001-02 Supplemental Draft. The Roanoke Dazzle picked Lorenzo Coleman, a 7-foot center from Tennessee Tech, as the 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. He made 8 out of 8 3-point field goals without a miss, a record for a single game. Smith finished the game with a total of 36 points, contributing to the Spurs’ 106-90 victory.
Nov. 3, 2004
Dwight Howard made his NBA debut in the Orlando Magic’s victory over the Denver Nuggets, with a score of 93-92.
Nov. 3, 2008
The Detroit Pistons have traded Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Allen Iverson.
Nov. 3, 2023
The inaugural In-Season Tournament’s first set of Group Play games kicks off with a match between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, as part of a seven-game itinerary. All 30 participating teams in the tournament will introduce new playing courts at their arenas, each showcasing a unique color scheme and the NBA Cup at center court.
Nov. 4, 1950
Paul Arizin had his first appearance for the Philadelphia Warriors in a home game against the Boston Celtics. The Warriors triumphed with a score of 77-68.
Nov. 4, 1960
Wilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia set an NBA record for the most missed free throw attempts in a game, with none made out of 10 tries against Detroit. This unfortunate record held for over 40 years until Shaquille O’Neal, a dominant center for 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, while playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, started a record of scoring 30 or more points in 65 successive games. He also holds the record for the second-longest streak in NBA history, which was set the following season with 31 consecutive games.
Nov. 4, 1965
Johnny Kerr played in his 844th consecutive game, setting an NBA record over 12 seasons, during which his team, the Baltimore Bullets, suffered a 108-107 loss in New York.
Nov. 4, 1987
The Blazers pay tribute to Maurice Lucas by retiring his jersey number (#20).
Nov. 4, 1988
The Charlotte Hornets suffered a defeat from the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a score of 133-93, during their first NBA game at the sold-out Charlotte Coliseum, witnessed by 23,388 spectators.
Nov. 4, 1989
The Orlando Magic began their first NBA season with a 111-106 defeat to the New Jersey Nets at Orlando Arena.
Nov. 4, 1989
David Robinson’s first game for the San Antonio Spurs was against the Los Angeles Lakers, with San Antonio emerging victorious with a score of 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, announced that long-standing referee Darell Garretson was set to retire from his on-court officiating duties at the end of the 1993-94 season, marking his 27th year in the NBA. From the 1994-95 season onward, Garretson took up the role of the NBA’s Director of Officiating.
Nov. 4, 1993
The NBA Board of Governors approved the 28th franchise of the league for a Toronto group led by John Bitove, Jr. The Raptors initiated their play in the 1995-96 season.
Nov. 4, 1994
The Bulls triumphantly inaugurated their new arena, the United Center, with an 89-83 win over Charlotte, after spending the preceding 28 seasons at Chicago Stadium. This opening night spectacle was witnessed by 22,313 fans. Scottie Pippen’s match-leading 22 points significantly contributed to the Bulls’ victory.
Nov. 4, 1994
In a game held at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan before a full house of 14,239 spectators, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the LA Clippers 121-100. This was due to Clyde Drexler’s game-high 26 points and Buck Williams’ 14 rebounds. This marks the third occasion in five years that the NBA has started the regular season in Japan.
Nov. 4, 1994
Grant Hill debuted in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons in a game they lost 115-98 to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nov. 4, 1996
Charles Barkley made NBA history by becoming the fourth player to accumulate 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 3,500 assists in his career, during Houston’s 75-72 victory over Utah, in which he contributed four assists.
Nov. 4, 1997
Rod Strickland of Washington’s team made his 5,000th career assist in the Wizards’ victory over Denver with a score of 120-96.
Nov. 4, 1997
The Bucks ended Orlando’s NBA-record streak of 316 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer in a 110-76 victory for Milwaukee.
Nov. 4, 1999
The Atlanta Hawks inaugurated the new Philips Arena by playing against the Milwaukee Bucks. The national anthem was performed by recording artist Montel Jordan.
Nov. 4, 2005
Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz surpassed Bill Fitch for the fifth spot on the NBA’s all-time win list (945) at the Oracle Arena, defeating the Golden State Warriors with a score of 91-85.
Nov. 4, 2016
The record streak of games in which Stephen Curry made at least one 3-pointer has ended at 157.
Nov. 4, 2016
Chris Paul becomes the Clippers’ all-time assist leader, surpassing Randy Smith, by finding J.J. Redick for a floater. That assist marks his 3,499th and he concludes his LA career with a total of 4,023 assists.
Nov. 5, 1946
Chuck Connors, a member of the Boston Celtics, made NBA history by breaking the first backboard during a pre-game warm-up. Connors later transitioned to television where he continued his destructive streak, this time breaking down desperadoes in the TV series “The Rifleman.”
Nov. 5, 1955
Jack Twyman debuted for the Rochester Royals at home against New York, where the Knicks clinched a 100-98 victory in overtime.
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. Five years post-retirement, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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 debut of NBA basketball in Florida was spoiled by the visiting LA Clippers who won over the Miami Heat at the Miami Arena with a score of 111-91.
Nov. 5, 1988
Mitch Richmond debuts 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, attracting 36,523 fans. The Spurs didn’t disappoint, delivering a 91-85 victory over Golden State, with David Robinson leading the score with an impressive 32 points.
Nov. 5, 1993
The Houston Rockets started their season with a 15-game winning streak by defeating the New Jersey Nets 110-88. This tied them with the 1948 Washington Capitols for the best start in NBA history.
Nov. 5, 1994
Jason Kidd made his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks in a 112-103 victory over the New Jersey Nets.
Nov. 5, 2008
In a 129-125 defeat to the Timberwolves, Spurs’ guard Tony Parker set a personal record by scoring 55 points. He nearly achieved a triple-double, as he shot 22-for-36 overall and ended the game with seven rebounds and 10 assists.
Nov. 5, 2016
LeBron James surpasses Hakeem Olajuwon to take the 10th spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, after scoring 25 points in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov. 6, 1971
The Los Angeles Lakers claimed victory in what would eventually become an NBA-record 16 consecutive road games, defeating Golden State 105-89 in the initial match.
Nov. 6, 1985
Chris Mullin debuted in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors in a game they won 105-101 against the Seattle SuperSonics.
Nov. 6, 1987
Reggie Miller began his NBA career with the Indiana Pacers, but they suffered a 108-95 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers in his debut game.
Nov. 6, 1992
Dominique Wilkins of Atlanta became the 17th player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, scoring 30 in a 106-94 loss to New York at the Omni.
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 helped the Boston Celtics secure a 113-92 victory over Minnesota by scoring 14 points and collecting 12 rebounds. This made him only the second player in NBA history to participate in the league for 17 seasons, after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who played for 20 seasons. However, Parish surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s record in the 1996-97 season, becoming the record holder with 21 seasons.
Nov. 6, 1992
The NBA, the first major professional sports league to conduct regular season games outside North America, made a comeback to Japan to kickstart the 1992-93 season with two games. These games saw Shawn Kemp lead Seattle to a 111-94 victory over Houston with his 29 points and 20 rebounds at the Yokohama Arena, which was packed to capacity with 15,640 spectators. The SuperSonics rounded off their Far East tour with an 89-85 win the following evening.
Nov. 6, 1992
Milwaukee marked its 25th Anniversary with a victory of 86-81 over Detroit.
Nov. 6, 1999
The Indiana Pacers welcomed their fans into their new home, the Conseco Fieldhouse, by hosting a game against the Boston Celtics. The event was graced by Indiana basketball legend and Hall of Famer, John Wooden, who served as the honorary scorer, while NBC broadcaster Bob Costas introduced the players. Crystal Gayle performed the national anthem, and during halftime, a tribute was made to Indiana’s 50 greatest basketball legends. The Pacers ended the night on a high note, sending their fans home with 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 Sacramento Kings triumphed in the first game with a 100-95 score, while the Minnesota Timberwolves bounced back to claim the second game with a 114-101 victory.
Nov. 6, 2007
The Kings’ streak of 354 sellouts at Arco Arena, which began in 1999, ended when only 14,908 tickets were sold for the game against the Seattle SuperSonics.
Nov. 7, 1959
Rookie of Philadelphia Warriors, Wilt Chamberlain and former MVP and star of Boston Celtics, Bill Russell, are set to confront each other for the first time. In their careers, Chamberlain and Russell would compete against each other 143 times in total, including both regular season and playoffs.
Nov. 7, 1986
In honor of forward Bobby Jones, the Philadelphia 76ers retired uniform No. 24.
Nov. 7, 1987
In the Chicago Bulls’ 104-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant made their NBA debuts.
Nov. 7, 1991
After revealing his positive HIV status, Earvin “Magic” Johnson retired from the NBA. Johnson, who contributed significantly to the Lakers’ five NBA championships during his 12-season stint, retired with the highest career assists in the league’s history, totaling 9,921. However, his record was later broken by John Stockton from Utah. Johnson came back 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 the 8,000 career assist mark, after achieving five assists in Detroit’s 89-87 road win at Indiana. He joined Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson in this exclusive club. On February 23, 1993, John Stockton of Utah also joined this elite group when he made seven assists during a loss to Houston.
Nov. 7, 1992
The Suns moved into the America West Arena in celebration of their 30th Anniversary season.
Nov. 7, 1996
Joe Dumars of the Detroit Pistons was the first-ever recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award, as named by the NBA. This significant award is given yearly to an NBA player who best embodies the traditional ideals of sportsmanship while on the court.
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, as his Utah Jazz team triumphed 104-97 over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nov. 7, 2016
In a victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, Stephen Curry set a then-NBA record by sinking 13 3-pointers. He accumulated 46 points overall and had a shooting accuracy of 13-for-17 on 3-pointers in Golden State’s win.
Nov. 7, 2016
John Wall, a 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 faced each other in a game in Indianapolis on Monday. This marked the first time a pair of NBA Academy graduates have played together in a game. The Pacers emerged victorious with a 129-122 score.
Nov. 8, 1978
A game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets, which saw the final 17:50 minutes being replayed on March 23, 1979 due to an upheld protest, is a historic event. At the start of the game, Harvey Catchings and Ralph Simpson represented the 76ers while Eric Money and Al Skinner played for the Nets. However, by the time the game resumed, these players had been traded to the opposing teams. This unique event remains the only instance in professional sports history where a player has played for both teams in the same game.
Nov. 8, 1992
After a 43-game losing streak on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sacramento Kings finally triumphed with a 124-114 win, largely due to Mitch Richmond’s 29 points. The last time the Kings had won at the Great Western Forum was back on October 20, 1974, when they were still based in Kansas City-Omaha.
Nov. 8, 1994
In the 1994-95 NBA season, Cleveland was the second team to inaugurate a new arena. The Gund Arena welcomed 20,562 spectators who watched the reigning NBA champions, the Houston Rockets, narrowly defeat the Cavaliers 100-98.
Nov. 8, 1994
Joe Dumars of Detroit equaled the NBA record for the most three-point field goals in a single game, previously held by Brian Shaw, by successfully making 10 out of 18 attempts from beyond the arc. He ended the game with a leading score of 40 points, contributing to the Pistons’ 126-112 victory over the visiting Minnesota. However, this record was later surpassed by Dennis Scott from the Orlando Magic when he scored 11 3-pointers in a game against Atlanta on April 18, 1996.
Nov. 8, 1999
When hosting the Seattle SuperSonics, the Philadelphia 76ers honored the memory of the recently passed Wilt Chamberlain. The 76ers paused for a moment of silence in remembrance of Wilt, showcased a video highlight from his impressive 100-point game in 1962, and brought in Teddy Pendergrass to perform the national anthem.
Nov. 8, 2022
For the first time ever in NBA history, teams are not playing any games on Election Day, following the NBA’s initiative to encourage teams to share election information with their fans.
Nov. 9, 1946
George Mikan had his professional basketball debut with the Chicago American Gears, in a National Basketball League game that resulted in a 66-61 loss to the Oshkosh All-Stars.
Nov. 9, 1975
After a 23-year stint as a referee in the NBA, Mendy Rudolph retired 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 in his career spanning 30 years.
Nov. 9, 1983
David Stern officially assumed the role of NBA Commissioner on February 1, 1984, succeeding Larry O’Brien, who stepped down after serving for 8 1/2 years.
Nov. 9, 1989
The Milwaukee Bucks triumphed over the Seattle SuperSonics in a staggering five overtime periods, ending with a score of 155-154. This epic match equaled the second-longest game in NBA history, a record initially set by the Syracuse-Anderson game on November 24, 1949. The Bucks-Sonics encounter marked the longest match since the introduction of the 24-second shot clock in 1954. Seattle’s Dale Ellis also made history by playing 69 out of the 73 minutes, setting a new NBA record.
Nov. 9, 1993
Micheal Williams of Minnesota ended his NBA record-setting streak of consecutive free throws at 97 during a game in San Antonio, missing a second-quarter attempt. His 97 mark surpassed the previous record of 78 consecutive free throws set by Calvin Murphy during the 1980-81 season. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of Denver took second place on the all-time consecutive FT streak list with 81, ending his streak on Nov. 16, 1993 against San Antonio.
Nov. 9, 1995
The Chicago Bulls triumphed over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a score of 106-88, securing the first of an NBA-record 33 away game victories in a single season.
Nov. 9, 1997
Buck Williams from New York participated in his 1,270th game, equaling John Havlicek’s record for the fifth position on the all-time list.
Nov. 9, 2007
For the first time, two Chinese powerhouses faced off in the NBA. Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets triumphed over Yi Jianlian and the Milwaukee Bucks with a score of 104-88. The live television broadcast was estimated to have been viewed by 150-250 million Chinese fans.
Nov. 10, 1964
Dave DeBusschere, Detroit Pistons’ player-coach, achieved his first coaching win with a score of 119-117 against Baltimore in Philadelphia. At 24 years old, DeBusschere set a record as the youngest coach in NBA history.
Nov. 10, 1971
Earl Monroe was traded by the Baltimore Bullets to New York, where he contributed to the Knicks’ 1973 NBA championship victory.
Nov. 10, 1989
The Associated Press (AP) declared NBA Commissioner David J. Stem as the Sports Executive of the Decade for the 1980s. The AP also announced its NBA award recipients for the same decade: Los Angeles Lakers as 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 initial NBA win with a 125-118 overtime victory against Philadelphia at the Target Center.
Nov. 10, 1990
The Phoenix Suns, playing at home, trounced the Denver Nuggets with a score of 173-143, matching a record set by the 1959 Boston Celtics for the highest points scored in a non-overtime game. The Suns broke the previous half-time score record of 90, set by the Nuggets just three days prior in their 161-153 loss to San Antonio, by scoring 107 points in the first half. Additionally, Suns Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons achieved his 700th career win, putting him in the exclusive group of only seven coaches in league history to have reached this milestone.
Nov. 10, 2012
After a disappointing start to the season with a 1-4 record, Mike Brown has been dismissed as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. This marks the earliest a coach has been let go in a season since the NBA-ABA merger.
Nov. 11, 1980
Billy Knight set a team record by scoring 52 points for the Indiana Pacers in a game at San Antonio, leading them to a 119-113 victory. However, this record was later broken by Reggie Miller who scored 57 points in a 134-122 victory over Charlotte on November 28, 1992.
Nov. 11, 1992
Shaquille O’Neal had his NBA debut with the Orlando Magic in a game against Miami. The Magic triumphed with a score of 110-100. O’Neal contributed 12 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks to the victory.
Nov. 11, 1993
Before a game at the Meadowlands Arena with Indiana, New Jersey retired the No. 3 jersey of the late Drazen Petrovic. Petrovic tragically passed away in a car accident in Germany on June 7, 1993. Those present at the ceremony included NBA Commissioner David J. Stern, Petrovic’s ex-teammates from Croatia, Dino Radja and Stojko Vrankovic, as well as his father Jole, mother Biserka, and brother Aleksander.
Nov. 11, 1993
The NBA Board of Governors approved 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 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds in his career.
Nov. 11, 1996
Patrick Ewing of New York became the 23rd NBA player to achieve 20,000 points, scoring 24 in a 92-88 victory of the Knicks 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 take the 9th spot on the all-time scoring list, making him the highest-scoring international player in NBA history. His 23-point contribution to the Dallas Mavericks’ victory over the Sacramento Kings contributed to this achievement.
Nov. 12, 1980
During a 118-111 loss at New Jersey, Denver Nuggets center Dan Issel scored a fourth quarter layup, raising his career point total to 20,000. This achievement marked him as the 12th man in professional basketball history to reach this milestone.
Nov. 12, 1994
For the first time, NBA All-Star balloting was expanded beyond the United States, with ballots being accessible to fans at Foot Locker stores in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia.
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 game. He also established a new record for the Timberwolves 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 legendary player for the Boston Celtics, scored 14 points in a 127-119 overtime win against Milwaukee. This brought his career total to 25,202 points, surpassing Jerry West to take what was at that time the third spot on the NBA all-time scoring list.
Nov. 13, 1979
During the Sixers’ 110-103 loss at Kansas City, Darryl Dawkins, while playing center for Philadelphia, shattered a backboard with a slam-dunk.
Nov. 13, 1990
Magic Johnson from the Los Angeles Lakers was only the second guard in NBA history to achieve 9,000 career assists (following Oscar Robertson), a feat he accomplished during a 112-111 defeat to Phoenix at the Great Western Forum. This record was later surpassed by John Stockton from Utah 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 former All-Star point guard Mark Price by retiring his No. 25 jersey during a halftime ceremony at the Cavs’ home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Price, who played for Cleveland from 1986 to 1995, holds the franchise record for most assists (4,206) and steals (734).
Nov. 13, 2010
Kevin Love, star forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves, racked up 31 points and 30 rebounds in a 112-103 victory over the New York Knicks. This marks the first time a player has achieved at least 30 points and 30 rebounds in the same game since Moses Malone in 1982.
Nov. 13, 2016
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record by reaching 96 days without two consecutive losses, after defeating 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 140-139 quadruple overtime game of Phoenix was the eighth of its kind in NBA history, and it was the first occurrence since Golden State beat New Jersey with a score of 150-147 on February 1, 1987.
Nov. 14, 2006
Peja Stojaković made NBA history by being the first player to score the first 20 points consecutively for his team in a game. He set a record for the New Orleans Hornets by scoring 22 points in the initial quarter. He achieved a career-best of 42 points, contributing 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 in a game against the Golden State Warriors, surpassing the previous record set by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970. His 55-point game was the highest scoring by a rookie since Earl “The Pearl” Monroe scored 56 points in 1968.
Nov. 15, 1960
Elgin Baylor, from the Los Angeles Lakers, set an NBA record with 71 points in a game that ended in a 123-108 victory over the Knicks in New York. However, less than two years later, this record was broken by Wilt Chamberlain who scored 100 points against New York on March 2, 1962.
Nov. 15, 1994
For the first time in the United States, an NBA game was broadcast in Mandarin Chinese by the Los Angeles radio station, KAZN-AM, during the Lakers-Clippers match. Prior to this, NBA games had been aired in Spanish and Navajo Indian languages on U.S. radio.
Nov. 15, 1995
Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets, after blocking seven shots from Toronto in Houston’s 96-93 road victory, becomes the third NBA player to exceed 3,000 career blocks.
Nov. 15, 1997
Miami’s head coach Pat Riley surpassed Jack Ramsay (864) for the sole possession of fifth-place on the all-time win list, thanks to 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
Bill Russell, a member of the Boston Celtics, set an NBA record by securing 32 rebounds in a single half during a 111-89 home win against Philadelphia, finishing the game with a total of 49 rebounds. Later in his career, on February 5, 1960, Russell achieved a personal record by grabbing 51 rebounds in a game against Syracuse. However, Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the most rebounds ever secured in a game, with 55.
Nov. 16, 1961
Connie Hawkins had his professional debut with the Pittsburgh Rens of the ABL at home, where they suffered a 97-89 loss to the Chicago Majors.
Nov. 16, 1962
Wilt Chamberlain, from the San Francisco Warriors, tied 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 consecutive free throw streak end at 81 during a game against San Antonio. His streak was the second longest in NBA history, coming second only to the 97 record set by Micheal Williams of Minnesota just a week prior.
Nov. 16, 1994
Patrick Ewing became the ninth NBA player to achieve 2,000 career blocks, following five rejections in New York’s 110-89 victory on the road against the LA Lakers.
Nov. 16, 2001
The inaugural season of the NBDL began when the Greenville Groove hosted the North Charleston Lowgators 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 made history as the first player to be fouled out in the first quarter of a game. The incident took place during a match in New York where Syracuse defeated Cincinnati with a score of 121-116.
Nov. 17, 1981
In a game against Kansas City, New York Knicks center Bill Cartwright made 19 successful free throws without missing any, equalling the NBA record set by Bob Pettit of St. Louis. Adrian Dantley from Detroit later matched this record. However, the record was surpassed by Dominique Wilkins from Atlanta, who made 23 consecutive free throws without a miss against Chicago on December 8, 1992.
Nov. 17, 1984
Despite Purvis Short scoring 59 points, the highest by any NBA player since April 9, 1978, his team, the Golden State Warriors, fell to New Jersey with a score of 131-114. This marked the third time in a week that Short managed to score over 40 points in a game.
Nov. 17, 1999
David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, has announced that Jeffrey Mishkin is leaving his post as the NBA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, a role he held for seven years, to become a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York. His new role will start on January 1, 2000. Mishkin managed all of the NBA’s legal affairs during his tenure, including litigation, labor relations, commercial transactions, legislation, and protecting the league’s intellectual property rights. He also actively participated in the NBA’s most significant legal 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 joined the ranks of the top 25 players in NBA history by scoring his 20,000th career point. He achieved this milestone by scoring 30 points in a game that ended in a 92-90 loss to Golden State.
Nov. 17, 2000
Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns equaled the NBA record for game turnovers when he committed 14 turnovers in a 90-85 defeat to New York. This record was previously set by John Drew of the Atlanta Hawks who also made 14 turnovers in a game against New Jersey on March 1, 1978.
Nov. 17, 2018
Kemba Walker, guard for the Charlotte Hornets, scored 60 points in a 122-119 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nov. 17, 2020
The NBA has made public the structure and format for the 2020-21 season. Each team will play a 72-game schedule that was released in two parts, a First Half and Second Half, with an All-Star break from March 5-10, 2021. The NBA Board of Governors has also approved a one-time Play-In Tournament, which will involve teams No. 7-10 from each conference.
Nov. 18, 1989
In a historic first for the NBA, two players hailing from the Soviet Union – Alexander Volkov of Atlanta and Sarunas Marciulionis of Golden State, faced off on the court. These players had previously been part of the same team, winning the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. On this particular occasion, it was Volkov who emerged victorious, with the Hawks defeating the Warriors 112-96.
Nov. 18, 2020
For the first time in league history, the 2020 NBA draft takes place virtually. The Minnesota Timberwolves select Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia as the 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 passed away at the age of 69.
Nov. 18, 2016
Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, led his team to a 116-107 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. This marked his 1,099th win, allowing him to surpass Larry Brown and secure the 7th spot on the all-time coaching wins list.
Nov. 19, 1977
The New Orleans Jazz once held the NBA record for the least number of free throws scored in a game which was one. This happened despite the Jazz getting 17 foul opportunities against Houston but only capitalizing on one out of five attempts. However, they still came out victorious, beating the Rockets 103-101. The record was later broken by the Toronto Raptors on January 9, 1996, when they failed to score any free throws in their match against the Charlotte Hornets, effectively eliminating the Jazz’s record of one free throw.
Nov. 19, 1983
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Los Angeles Lakers joined Wilt Chamberlain in being the second player in NBA history to score 30,000 points. This happened as the Lakers secured a 117-110 victory in Portland.
Nov. 19, 1996
In a 92-88 victory against the Orlando Magic, Patrick Ewing ends up with 24 points, making him the 23rd player to achieve 20,000 career points.
Nov. 19, 2004
In a much-anticipated game between two of the NBA’s top teams, the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, a notorious night in basketball history unfolded. The incident, later referred to as the Malice at the Palace, was triggered when Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace) stormed into the crowd after a spectator threw a drink at him. The resulting melee led to the suspension of nine players without pay. This episode prompted stricter security measures at NBA games and restrictions on alcohol sales.
Nov. 20, 1979
Following a 130-125 overtime victory over Houston at Madison Square Garden, Red Holzman secured his 500th win as the coach of the New York Knicks. At this point, only one other coach, Red Auerbach, had achieved this milestone with a single team.
Nov. 20, 1992
Karl Malone scored a game-high 34 points, leading Utah to a 97-95 victory over Indiana at Market Square Arena. This performance pushed his career points total past the 15,000 mark.
Nov. 20, 1993
During the Magic’s 87-85 win over New Jersey at the Meadowlands Arena, Orlando’s Shaquille O’Neal achieved 24 points, 28 rebounds and 15 blocks. His block count tied with Manute Bol for the second-highest total in NBA history.
Nov. 20, 1997
A.C. Green from the Dallas Mavericks established a new NBA record by participating in his 907th consecutive game against Golden State, surpassing Randy Smith’s record of 906 consecutive games from 1972 to 1983. Green continued to extend this record, participating in a total of 1,192 games until the conclusion of the 2000-01 season.
Nov. 20, 1999
Hakeem Olajuwon of Houston achieved 2,000 career steals during 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 compilation of steals and blocks data began in the 1973-74 season.
Nov. 20, 2020
Talks with free agents started at 6 p.m. ET, with signings allowed from 12:01 p.m. ET on Nov. 22. This represented a faster timeline than is usually seen in the NBA’s free agency period, which generally spans about a week between the initiation of discussions and the start of contract signings.
Nov. 20, 2020
Due to public health concerns from the coronavirus pandemic, the Toronto Raptors have declared that they will commence the 2020-21 season in Tampa, Fla.
Nov. 21, 1965
Chick Hearn embarked on his remarkable streak of consecutively broadcasting Los Angeles Lakers’ games. His last absence from a Lakers’ broadcast was on November 20, 1965, due to a flight cancellation after working a college football game in Arkansas the previous day. By the culmination of the 2000-01 season, Hearn had covered 3,301 uninterrupted Lakers games, encompassing both preseason and playoff matches.
Nov. 21, 1984
The Boston Celtics set a club-record with a .679 shooting percentage, achieving 55-of-81 field goal attempts, in a 135-91 victory over Golden State.
Nov. 21, 1990
Moses Malone from Atlanta became the seventh player in NBA history to achieve 25,000 points by scoring 22 points in a game where the Hawks lost 105-93 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, marking him as the first D-League player to ascend 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 beat the Atlanta Hawks 157-152 in the initial In-Season Tournament’s Group Play, becoming the first team to secure a spot in East Group A and progress to the Knockout Rounds. In a later match that night, the Los Angeles Lakers also advanced after defeating the Utah Jazz 131-99, securing their place in West Group A.
Nov. 22, 1950
The lowest-scoring game in NBA history took place in Minneapolis, where the Fort Wayne Pistons triumphed over the Minneapolis Lakers with a score of 19-18.
Nov. 22, 1961
Bob Pettit, a forward for the St. Louis Hawks, set what was at the time an NBA record by successfully making all 19 of his foul shots during a 141-121 loss in Boston.
Nov. 22, 1992
Rick Adelman achieved his 200th coaching career victory when the Blazers defeated Detroit with a score of 115-90. This milestone was reached in his 288th game, a record speed that no coach had previously achieved.
Nov. 22, 1994
Don Nelson, the coach of Golden State, made NBA history by participating in his 2,700th career game, as a player or coach, during the Warriors’ 102-98 defeat on the road. This record includes both regular season and playoff games. However, later in the 1994-95 season, Atlanta’s head coach Lenny Wilkens surpassed Nelson’s record of career NBA game appearances.
Nov. 22, 2000
The Philadelphia 76ers ended their season-opening winning streak at 10 games after losing 88-73 to the Charlotte Hornets. They became the 12th team in NBA history to start a season with at least 10 straight wins.
Nov. 22, 2023
LeBron James, the NBA’s highest scorer ever, has reached a new record as the only player to score 39,000 career points. He achieved this milestone with a 3-pointer during the first quarter of the Lakers’ 131-99 victory over the Jazz. James scored 17 points in 24 minutes, helping the Lakers maintain a flawless record in Group Play in the In-Season Tournament.
Nov. 23, 1979
Elvin Hayes of Washington scored 18 points in a 128-108 defeat at San Antonio, surpassing Hal Greer to move into seventh place on the NBA all-time scoring list with a total of 21,587 points at that time.
Nov. 23, 1991
The Sacramento Kings broke their NBA record of 43 consecutive road losses with a victory over the Magic in Orlando Arena, winning 95-93. Lionel Simmons was the leading scorer with 27 points, driving the Kings to their first away win since November 20, 1990, in Washington.
Nov. 23, 1994
Jeff Hornacek from Utah set an NBA record at the time by successfully making all his eight attempts at 3-point field goals during the Jazz’s 113-103 victory over Seattle at home. Hornacek achieved a career-best score of 40 points, beating the previous record held by Terry Porter from Portland (1992) and Sam Perkins from the Sonics (1993), who both made 7-of-7 3-point shots. Perkins later matched Hornacek’s 8-for-8 performance for Seattle against Toronto on January 15, 1997.
Nov. 23, 1994
Wesley Person led the way with 19 points as 10 players scored in double figures in Phoenix’s 140-109 home victory over the LA Clippers. The Suns made NBA history, becoming only the third team to have 10 different players score in double figures in the same game. The Seattle Sonics first achieved this on March 30, 1980, in their 135-104 win over Portland, led by Gus Williams’ 23 points. The Sonics repeated this feat on April 14, 1994, in a 150-101 victory over the LA Clippers, this time with Detlef Schrempf’s 21 points leading the scoring.
Nov. 23, 1997
Del Harris, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, achieved his 500th career win following a 119-102 victory over the LA Clippers.
Nov. 23, 2016
Kevin Love, a forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers, set a record by scoring 34 points in the first quarter against his hometown team, the Portland Trail Blazers. This record for most points in a first quarter helped the Cavs secure a 137-125 victory.
Nov. 24, 1938
Oscar Robertson was born in Charlotte, Tennessee.
Nov. 24, 1949
Don Otten from the Tri-Cities Blackhawks set an NBA record by committing eight personal fouls during a 120-113 defeat to Sheboygan.
Nov. 24, 1949
The Syracuse Nationals won over the Anderson Packers with a score of 125-123 in a five-overtime game, marking the longest match in NBA history at the time. The record was surpassed just over a year later on January 6, 1951, when Rochester and Indianapolis took part in a six-overtime game.
Nov. 24, 1960
Wilt Chamberlain, playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, set an NBA record by securing 55 rebounds in a 132-129 defeat against Boston. In the 1960-61 season, Chamberlain continued to break records by gathering 2,149 rebounds over 79 games, which averaged out to 27.2 rebounds per game. Both of these records remain unbroken in the NBA.
Nov. 24, 1986
Maurice Podoloff, who was the inaugural chief executive of the NBA, passed away at 95. From 1946 until his retirement in 1963, Podoloff served as the NBA President, a title that was altered to Commissioner in 1967.
Nov. 24, 1996
Clyde Drexler became the 24th player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, achieving this milestone with a pair of free throws in the third quarter of Houston’s 90-85 road victory over the Lakers.
Nov. 24, 1999
When the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz at Staples Center, A.C. Green tied the record for the longest consecutive games played streak in professional basketball history. This record was previously held by former ABA and NBA star, Ron Boone. This was marked by Green playing his 1,041st game. Prior to this, Green had already established himself as the NBA’s all-time iron man by playing in his 907th consecutive game on Nov. 20, 1997, while playing for the Dallas Mavericks. This achievement surpassed Randy Smith’s record of 906 consecutive games played 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 accomplishment makes him one of the only coaches, alongside Lenny Wilkens and Bill Fitch, to have 200 wins with three different teams (Lakers, New York, Miami).
Nov. 24, 2001
Terry Porter of the San Antonio Spurs made NBA history by becoming the only player to record 15,000 points, 7,000 assists, 1,000 steals, and 1,000 3-pointers, despite a 99-94 loss to Minnesota, in which he made 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, ending with a total of 43 points. He also set a Pistons’ home game record by seizing 21 rebounds in a single half.
Nov. 26, 1986
Don Nelson achieved his 500th career coaching victory when the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Washington Bullets 122-103. He set a record in NBA history by reaching this milestone in just 817 games, the fastest at the time. However, this record was subsequently broken by Pat Riley who accomplished 500 wins in 684 games.
Nov. 26, 1994
In a 101-87 win against Golden State at Gund Arena, the Cleveland Cavaliers broke an NBA record previously held by the Los Angeles Lakers for 14 years by only attempting two free throws throughout the game. The previous record was three. John “Hot Rod” Williams and Tony Campbell each made one free throw for the Cavs.
Nov. 26, 1999
A.C. Green from the Los Angeles Lakers broke the professional basketball record by playing in his 1,042nd consecutive game, in which the Lakers defeated New Jersey 103-80. The previous record was held by former ABA and NBA star, Ron Boone.
Nov. 26, 2000
John Stockton marked his 1,271st NBA game, all of which were played in a Utah Jazz uniform, surpassing the prior record-holder John Havlicek from the Boston Celtics for the most career games played for a single team. “My respect for John Havlicek is immense, words can’t express it,” Stockton commented.
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 that lasted 160 days.
Nov. 27, 1947
Howie Dallmar of Philadelphia set an NBA record by missing 15 field goal attempts in a game against New York, a record that stood for 44 years. The record was eventually broken by Tim Hardaway from Golden State who went 0-for-17 on December 27, 1991.
Nov. 27, 1963
During a 118-89 victory over New York, Wilt Chamberlain set what was then an NBA record by successfully hitting 18 consecutive field goals.
Nov. 27, 2015
In a 116-114 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden from the Houston Rockets chalks up 50 points.
Nov. 28, 1969
The New York Knicks secured a victory over the Cincinnati Royals with a score of 106-105, thanks to their six points in the last 16 seconds. This win marked their 18-game winning streak, a record in the NBA at that time. However, the Lakers later set a new NBA record during the 1971-72 season with 33 consecutive wins.
Nov. 28, 1986
The Celtics defeated San Antonio 111-96 at Boston Garden, establishing an NBA record with their 38th successive home win.
Nov. 28, 1988
Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson, concluded 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 defeat on the road at Orlando. This milestone, achieved over 29 seasons as both a player and a coach in regular season and playoff games, positioned Wilkens alongside Don Nelson as the only individuals to have appeared in 2,500 games. Wilkens, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, surpassed Nelson in the 1994-95 season to become the NBA’s all-time leader in game appearances, as a player or coach, with a total of 2,737.
Nov. 28, 1992
Reggie Miller scored a record-breaking 57 points for Indiana Pacers, leading to their 134-122 victory over the home team, Charlotte Hornets.
Nov. 28, 1992
Larry Brown, the head coach of the LA Clippers, achieved his 400th career NBA victory through a 121-119 road win against Denver.
Nov. 28, 1997
Michael Jordan from Chicago scored 26 points at Indiana, surpassing Elvin Hayes’ 27,313 points. This moved him into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, with a total of 27,332 points.
Nov. 28, 2003
In a 103-87 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, Karl Malone, forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, concluded the game with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. At the age of 40 years and 127 days, Malone set a new NBA record as the oldest player to achieve a triple-double.
Nov. 28, 2012
During the Boston Celtics’ 95-83 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets, Rajon Rondo was ejected halfway through the game. With only three assists in the game at the time he was removed, his record-setting streak of double-digit assists ended at 37 games. This streak is second only to Magic Johnson’s 46-game run.
Nov. 28, 2023
In the first In-Season Tournament’s wild last night of Group Play, the Knicks, Bucks, Celtics, and Kings all won and progressed to the Knockout Rounds. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5, with the matchups including Bucks vs. Knicks, Lakers vs. Suns, Pacers vs. Celtics, and Pelicans vs. 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, ending with an 88-83 victory for Chicago.
Nov. 29, 1999
Tyrone Corbin of the Sacramento Kings achieved a feat that not even Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Magic Johnson managed – he played in his 1,000th regular season NBA game.
Nov. 29, 2015
Kobe Bryant revealed in a poem on The Players’ Tribune website that he will retire following the 2015-16 season. His entire 20-season NBA career was spent with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nov. 30, 1977
Bob Hopkins was succeeded by Lenny Wilkens as the coach of the Seattle SuperSonics when they had a 5-17 record. The Sonics experienced a turnaround under Wilkens, finishing the rest of the season with a 42-18 record and advancing to the NBA Finals. However, they were defeated in seven games by the Washington Bullets.
Nov. 30, 1990
Larry Bird, a forward for the Boston Celtics, hit his 20,000th career point during the Celtics’ 123-95 victory against Washington at the Garden. This achievement positioned Bird as just the fifth player in league history, joining the ranks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West, to accumulate 20,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists throughout his career.
Nov. 30, 1996
After scoring 35 points in the Bulls 97-88 win against the Spurs, Michael Jordan became the 10th player in NBA history to reach a milestone of 25,000 points. He achieved this in 782 games, a record surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain who managed the same feat in 691 games.
Nov. 30, 2019
In a 158-111 rout against the Atlanta Hawks, James Harden, guard of the Houston Rockets, scored 60 points in just 31 minutes. He fell just one point short of tying his career and franchise record, achieving this feat by making eight 3-pointers and 20 free throws.
