Kobe’s Curtain Call
On this day in 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz, the final game of his illustrious NBA career. Bryant became the oldest player in NBA history to record a 60-point game, a distinction he still holds (age in years-days):
37-234 — Kobe Bryant (April 13, 2016)
32-295 — Stephen Curry (Jan. 3, 2021)
32-226 — Damian Lillard (Feb. 26, 2023)
It was by far the most points scored by a player in the final regular season game of their NBA career:
60 — Kobe Bryant (April 13, 2016)
36 — Alec Peters (April 10, 2018)
35 — Eddie House (April 13, 2011)
Bryant shot 22-50 from the field — including 6-21 from 3-point range — and made 10 of his 12 free throws. No other player since the ABA-NBA merger has attempted 50 or more field goals in a game.
It was the sixth and final 60-point game of Bryant’s career, the second-most such games in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain (32). It was Bryant’s 25th career 50-point game, making him the third player in NBA history to reach that mark, joining Chamberlain (118) and Michael Jordan (31).
West Concludes Record Streak
On this day in 1965, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Jerry West scored 42 points in a series-clinching 117-115 win over the Baltimore Bullets in Game 6 of the Western Division Finals. It was the last last of six straight 40-point games for West, the longest such streak in NBA postseason history:
6 — Jerry West (April 3–13, 1965)
4 — Bernard King (April 19–27, 1984)
4 — Michael Jordan (June 11-18, 1993)
West averaged 46.2 PPG for the series, the highest scoring average in NBA postseason history in a single series:
46.3 — Jerry West (1965 WDF)
45.2 — Michael Jordan (1988 EC1)
45.0 — Jordan (1992 EC1)
West is the only player in NBA postseason history to score at least 40 points in each game of a series.
Big Game for Kareem
On this day in 1970, Milwaukee Bucks rookie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied 38 points, 23 rebounds, and 11 assists in a loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Division Finals. Abdul-Jabbar is is one of only three players in NBA history to record at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists in a playoff game:
Wilt Chamberlain (March 22, 1967)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (April 13, 1970)
Nikola Jokic (June 11, 2021)
This was the third of four consecutive playoff games in which Abdul-Jabbar recorded at least 30 points and 15 rebounds. The only other rookie in NBA history to record even two such games in a row is Wilt Chamberlain (March 14 & 16, 1960).
It was also the seventh of nine straight 30-point games for Abdul-Jabbar, the longest such streak in NBA postseason history by a rookie. Abdul-Jabbar shot at least 50% from the field in each of those games, the longest such streak in NBA postseason history (rookie or otherwise).
Joker’s Playoff Debut
On this day in 2019, the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic made his NBA playoff debut, producing 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Jokic is one of only four players in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first career playoff game:
Johnny McCarthy (March 16, 1960)
Magic Johnson (April 8, 1980)
LeBron James (April 22, 2006)
Nikola Jokic (April 13, 2019)
Jokic recorded four triple-doubles in the 2019 NBA Playoffs. Only one player in NBA history has recorded more triple-doubles in their first playoff run:
5 — Magic Johnson (1980)
4 — Nikola Jokic (2019)
2 — LeBron James (2006)
2 — Luka Doncic (2020)
CP3 Begins Record Streak
On this day in 2007, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets’ Chris Paul recorded a steal in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, his first of 108 consecutive games in which he registered at least one steal. It’s the longest such streak since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74. The streak was snapped on Dec. 25, 2008 in a loss to the Orlando Magic.
Paul has led the NBA in steals per game six times in his career, twice as many seasons as any other player. He has led the league in total steals five times, also the most such seasons by a player.
Paul ranks third on the NBA’s all-time list with 2,544 steals:
3,265 — John Stockton
2,684 — Jason Kidd
2,544 — Chris Paul