On This Day (Nov. 15)
Notable events from NBA history that occurred on November 15.
First 70-Point Game
On this day in 1960, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Elgin Baylor scored a then-NBA-record 71 points in a 123-108 win over the New York Knicks. He became the first player in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game.
Baylor shot 28-48 from the field and 15-19 from the free throw line, and he also grabbed a game-high 25 rebounds. He accounted for 57.7% of the Lakers’ points. Rudy LaRusso (15) and Jerry West (10) were the only other Lakers to score in double figures.
“Tiny” Streak Begins
On this day in 1972, the Kansas City-Omaha Kings Nate “Tiny” Archibald scored 47 points and dished out 10 assists in a 106-97 win over the Seattle SuperSonics. He shot 19-39 from the field and made all nine of his free throws.
It was the first of 22 consecutive games in which Archibald made at least 10 field goals, the second-longest such streak in NBA history by a non-center:
28 — Michael Jordan, 1986-87
22 — Nate Archibald, 1972-73
19 — Elgin Baylor, 1961-62
19 — Rick Barry, 1966-67
It was also the start of an eight-game streak in which Archibald made and assisted-on at least 10 field goals. He’s tied with Michael Jordan (1988-89) for the longest such streak in NBA history.
Archibald went on to lead the NBA in both points and assists that season. He’s the only player in NBA history to accomplish that feat.
Howard Youngest with 20/20
On this day in 2005, 19-year-old Dwight Howard tallied 21 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to an 85-77 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Howard became the first — and still only — teenager in NBA history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game.
This was the first of 51 career games in which Howard recorded at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, the second-most such games since the ABA-NBA merger:
109 — Moses Malone
51 — Dwight Howard
44 — Andre Drummond
42 — Hakeem Olajuwon
41 — Charles Barkley
Embiid Reaches Rare Marks
On this day in 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid had 46 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, and seven blocks in a 115-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Embiid made 14 of his 20 shots from the field and 16 out of 19 from the free throw line.
Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, Embiid is one of only two players to record at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in game. The first player to do so was Phoenix Suns center Alvan Adams on Feb. 22, 1977 (47 PTS, 18 REB, 12 AST, 5 BLK).
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Birthday
On this day in 1995, Karl-Anthony Towns was born in Edison, New Jersey. A three-time All-Star selection and the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year, Towns has career averages of 23.1 PPG and 11.3 RPG in 496 games.
Towns once made at least one 3-pointer in 83 consecutive games, the longest such streak in Minnesota Timberwolves history (by 46 games) and the longest such streak in NBA history by a center (also by 46 games).
I always wonder how much Rashard helped with Dwight's rebound totals. For most of NBA history teams had two bigs in the paint, one often a dedicated offensive rebounder, and these guys took boards from each other and had to fight multiple opposing bigs at both ends. Hell, Barkley and Hakeem are both on this 20/20 list, and they stole boards from each other for a couple years.