Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
On this day in 1985, Chicago Bulls rookie Michael Jordan compiled 49 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in a 139-126 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons. This was Jordan’s first game following the purported All-Star freeze-out led by the Pistons’ Isiah Thomas.
Jordan is one of only three rookies in NBA history to record at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a game:
Walt Bellamy
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Michael Jordan
Jordan made 19 of his 31 shots from the field (61.3%) and 11 of his 13 free throws (84.6%). This was one of four games that season in which Jordan scored at least 45 points on 60% shooting from the field, the most such games in NBA history by a rookie.
Career High for Iverson
On this day in 2005, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson scored a career-high 60 points in a 112-99 victory over the Orlando Magic. Iverson also contributed six assists and five steals. Since the NBA began tracking steals in 1973-74, he and Rick Barry (March 26, 1974) are the only players to record at least 60 points, five assists, and five steals in a game.
Iverson shot 17-36 from the field and made 24 of his 27 attempts from the free throw line. He tied Wille Burton’s franchise single-game record for most free throws made in a game, a mark they still share.
Bey Can’t Miss
On this day in 2021, the Detroit Pistons’ Saddiq Bey set an NBA rookie record by making seven 3-pointers without a miss in a 108-102 win over the Celtics. Bey scored 30 points on 10-12 shooting from the field (which includes his 7-7 performance from 3-point range) and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Bey’s effective field goal percentage was 112.5%, the second-highest such figure in NBA history by a rookie in a 30-point game:
118.2% — Richie Frahm (Dec. 20, 2003)
112.5% — Saddiq Bey (Feb. 12, 2021)
100.0% — Walter Herrmann (April 14, 2007)
100.0% — Terence Davis (Feb. 2, 2020)
It’s the third-highest such figure in franchise history by a player in a 30-point game:
122.7% — Tobias Harris (Dec. 26, 2017)
118.2% — Alec Burks (Dec. 28, 2022)
112.5% — Saddiq Bey (Feb. 12, 2021)
Bey is one of only four players in NBA history to record a 30-point, 10-rebound game with an effective field goal percentage greater than 100%:
Larry Bird (March 13, 1986)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Feb. 7, 2018)
Nikola Jokic (Oct. 20, 2018)
Saddiq Bey (Feb. 12, 2021)
Bey is the only rookie to accomplish the feat.