MJ Starts Record Streak
On this day in 1986, the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan scored 19 points in a 111-98 win over the New York Knicks, starting a streak of 1,041 consecutive games in which he scored 10 or more points (postseason included). It’s the longest such streak in NBA history by 366 games:
1,041 — Michael Jordan (March 25, 1986–Dec. 26, 2001)
675 — Karl Malone (Dec. 18, 1991–March 26, 1999)
665 — LeBron James (May 30, 2014–present)
653 — Kevin Durant (March 14, 2009–Feb. 27, 2017)
577 — Moses Malone (Nov. 4, 1978–March 4, 1985)
Jordan played 1,109 career regular season plus postseason games with the Bulls. He only scored fewer than 10 points once over that span, an eight-point performance versus the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 22, 1986. Jordan logged just 16 minutes in that game, as his playing time was being limited due to his return from a broken foot.
Milestone for Kareem
On this day in 1973, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 36 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and dished out seven assists in a 114-112 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Abdul-Jabbar reached the 10,000-point milestone in this his 319th career game. Only three players in NBA history have reached that mark in fewer games:
236 — Wilt Chamberlain
303 — Michael Jordan
315 — Elgin Baylor
Abdul-Jabbar finished the season with averages of 30.2 PPG and 16.1 RPG. It was the last of three straight seasons in which he averaged at least 30 PPG and 15 RPG. The only other player in NBA history to produce at least three such seasons in a row is Wilt Chamberlain (7).
It Takes a Thief
On this day in 2002, the Seattle SuperSonics’ Gary Payton recorded two steals in a 106-92 win over the Utah Jazz, becoming the ninth player to reach 2,000 career steals since the NBA began tracking the statistic in 1973-74. There are now 13 players in this group.
Payton finished his career with 2,445 steals, good for fifth place on the NBA’s all-time list. He’s one of seven players to record at least 20,000 points and 2,000 steals:
Clyde Drexler
LeBron James
Michael Jordan
Karl Malone
Hakeem Olajuwon
Chris Paul
Gary Payton
This was the last of nine consecutive seasons in which Payton was an All-Defensive First Team selection, the longest such streak in NBA history. He’s tied for the most such selections (non-consecutive) with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Michael Jordan.
Barry Very Good
On this day in 1978, the Golden State Warriors’ Rick Barry compiled 55 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and three steals in a 133-123 victory over the New York Knicks. Barry shot 19-31 from the field and made 17 of his 18 free throws.
This was the last of four career games in which Barry recorded at least 55 points, five rebounds, and five assists. The only players in NBA history to produce more such games are Wilt Chamberlain (10) and Damian Lillard (5). Barry and Chamberlain are the only players in Warriors history to record even one such game.
This was also the last of Barry’s 14 career 50-point games. He’s tied with LeBron James for the seventh-most such games in NBA history.