Julius Erving’s Birthday
On this day in 1950, Hall of Famer Julius Erving was born in Roosevelt, New York. Including his stint in the ABA, Erving was a 16-time All-Star, four-time MVP, and three-time league champion, with career averages of 24.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG in 1,243 games.
Erving is one of only four players in ABA-NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Julius Erving
LeBron James
Karl Malone
Erving is the only player to win an MVP Award in both the ABA and NBA. He and Dan Issel are the only players to reach 10,000 career points in each league.
None of Erving’s teams missed the postseason in his 16 professional seasons. He averaged 24.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG in 189 playoff games, figures that matched his career averages in the regular season.
Wilt Concludes Record Streak
On this day in 1962, the Philadelphia Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain scored 61 points and grabbed 26 rebounds in a 139-121 win over the St. Louis Hawks. It was the last of 65 consecutive 30-point games for Chamberlain, by far the longest such streak in NBA history:
65 — Wilt Chamberlain (Nov. 4, 1961–Feb. 22, 1962)
32 — James Harden (Dec. 13, 2018–Feb. 21, 2019)
31 — Chamberlain (Feb. 25–Dec. 8, 1962)
25 — Chamberlain (Nov. 11–Dec. 27, 1960)
20 — Chamberlain (Jan. 30–March 1, 1964)
Chamberlain averaged 50.2 PPG and 25.1 RPG during the streak. He recorded 52 40-point games, including 37 games with 50 or more points.
Huge Game for Adams
On this day in 1977, the Phoenix Suns’ Alvan Adams compiled 47 points, 18 rebounds, and 12 assists in a loss to the Buffalo Braves. Adams is one of only eight players in NBA history to record at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game (a total of 12 instances):
Wilt Chamberlain (3 times)
Elgin Baylor (2 times)
Russell Westbrook (2 times)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Alvan Adams
Vince Carter
James Harden
Luka Doncic
At 22 years and 218 days old, Adams is the youngest player to achieve the feat by more than one year.
Adams shot 18-27 from the field (66.7%) and made 11 of his 12 free throws. He also blocked five shots. Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, Adams is the only player to record at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and five blocks in a game.
Career High for McAdoo
On this day in 1974, the Buffalo Braves’ Bob McAdoo scored a career-high and franchise-record* 52 points in a loss to the Boston Celtics. His franchise mark has been equalled twice (once by McAdoo himself), but never surpassed.
* The Buffalo Braves are now known as the LA Clippers.
McAdoo shot 20-28 from the field (71.4%) and made 12 of his 14 free throws. He also snagged 22 rebounds. McAdoo is one of only three players in NBA history to record a 50-point, 20-rebound game with a field goal percentage of at least 70% (a total of 12 instances):
Wilt Chamberlain (9 times)
Bob McAdoo (2 times)
Anthony Davis
Niang Can’t Miss
On this day in 2021, the Utah Jazz’s Georges Niang scored 21 points on 7-7 shooting from the field (all 3-pointers) in a 132-110 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Niang is one of only four players in NBA history to record a 20-point game with an effective field goal percentage of 150% (the highest possible figure):
Sam Perkins (Jan. 15, 1997)
Quentin Richardson (Dec. 20, 2009)
Georges Niang (Feb. 22, 2021)
Nicolas Batum (Nov. 15, 2022)
The only player in franchise history to make more 3-pointers in a game without a miss is Jeff Hornacek (8), and the only bench player in NBA history to make more threes in a game without missing is Perkins (8).
MJ Does It All
On this day in 1987, the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan produced 43 points, six assists, eight steals, and five blocks in a 102-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The only NBA player to record at least 40 points, five assists, five steals, and five blocks in a game since is Jordan himself (Dec. 12, 1987).
This was one of 37 games that season in which Jordan scored at least 40 points, the third-highest such single-season total in NBA history:
63 — Wilt Chamberlain (1961-62)
52 — Chamberlain (1962-63)
37 — Michael Jordan (1986-87)
35 — Chamberlain (1960-61)
32 — Chamberlain (1959-60)
32 — Chamberlain (1963-64)