On This Day (Dec. 19)

Notable events from NBA history that occurred on December 19.

Dec 19, 2022

Nater Sets Franchise Record

On this day in 1976, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Swen Nater scored 30 points and grabbed a franchise-record 33 rebounds in a 126-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Nater is one of only six players since the ABA-NBA merger to record a 30-point, 30-rebound game (a total of seven instances):

Swen Nater (Dec. 19, 1976) — 30 PTS, 33 REB
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Feb. 3, 1978) — 37 PTS, 30 REB
Moses Malone (Feb. 9, 1979) — 33 PTS, 37 REB
Robert Parish (March 30, 1979) — 30 PTS, 32 REB
Malone (Feb. 11, 1982) — 38 PTS, 32 REB
Kevin Love (Nov. 12, 2010) — 31 PTS, 31 REB
Dwight Howard (March 21, 2018) — 32 PTS, 30 REB

This was one of three career 30-rebound games for Nater. He’s one of only four players since the ABA-NBA merger to record multiple such games:

5 — Dennis Rodman
3 — Swen Nater
2 — Moses Malone
2 — Kevin Willis

Nater’s five 25-point, 25-rebound games in that span are second only to Moses Malone:

15 — Moses Malone
5 — Swen Nater
4 — Hakeem Olajuwon
4 — Dwight Howard

Kevin McHale’s Birthday

On this day in 1957, Hall of Famer Kevin McHale was born in Hibbing, Minnesota. A seven-time All-Star, three-time NBA champion, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, and member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, McHale averaged 17.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG in 971 career games.

McHale had career shooting percentages of 55.4% from the field and 79.8% from the free throw line. He’s the only player in NBA history to score at least 15,000 points while making 55% of his field goals and 75% of his free throws.

On March 3, 1985, McHale scored a career-high 56 points with 16 rebounds and three blocks. Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, he and Anthony Davis (Dec. 4, 2022) are the only players to record at least 55 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks in a game.

Wilt Oldest with 30/30

On this day in 1971, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Wilt Chamberlain had 32 points and 34 rebounds in a 154-132 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The then-35-year-old Chamberlain is the oldest player in NBA history to record a 30-point, 30-rebound game (age in years-days):

35-120 — Wilt Chamberlain (Dec. 19, 1971)
35-097 — Chamberlain (Nov. 26, 1971)
32-175 — Chamberlain (Feb. 12, 1969)
32-103 — Dwight Howard (March 21, 2018)
32-041 — Gus Johnson (Jan. 23, 1971)

Chamberlain shot 12-15 from the field (80.0%). It’s one of seven times he recorded at least 30 points and 30 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 80%. No other player in NBA history has recorded even one such game.

Harden Starts Record Streak

On this day in 2018, the Houston Rockets’ James Harden scored 35 points and made six 3-pointers in a 136-118 win over the Washington Wizards. It was the first of 12 consecutive games in which Harden made at last five 3-pointers, the longest such streak in NBA history by three games:

12 — James Harden (Dec. 19, 2018–Jan. 11, 2019)
9 — Stephen Curry (March 16, 2019–April 2, 2019)
8 — Curry (April 25, 2021–May 8, 2021)
7 — Curry (Oct. 16, 2018–Oct. 28, 2018)
7 — Damian Lillard (Jan. 18, 2020–Feb. 1, 2020)

This was also the fourth of 32 consecutive games in which Harden scored at least 30 points, the second-longest such streak in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with 65 straight 30-point games.