Shawn Kemp’s Birthday
On this day in 1969, Shawn Kemp was born in Elkhart, Indiana. A six-time All-Star, Kemp averaged 14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 1.2 BPG in 1,051 career games.
Kemp averaged at least 15 PPG and 10 RPG for six consecutive seasons (1991-92 to 1996-97), the longest such streak in SuperSonics/Thunder history. He also recorded six consecutive seasons with at least 100 blocks, tied with Serge Ibaka for the longest such streak in franchise history.
Kemp is the franchise’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds (2,145); ranks second in total rebounds (5,978) and blocks (959); and ranks third in double-doubles (297).
Inefficient 60-Point Game
On this day in 1964, the San Francisco Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain scored 63 points in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Chamberlain did not shoot well, making 27 of his 58 field goal attempts (46.6%) and nine of his 20 free throw attempts (45.0%).
Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to record a 60-point game while shooting less than 50% from both the field and the free throw line. His true shooting percentage was 47.2%, the lowest ever recorded in a 60-point game:
47.2% — Wilt Chamberlain (Nov. 26, 1964)
48.0% — Elgin Baylor (Dec. 8, 1961)
49.3% — Chamberlain (Dec. 11, 1962)
50.7% — Joe Fulks (Feb. 10, 1949)
51.3% — Chamberlain (Dec. 1, 1961)
Rare Triple-Double
On this day in 1966, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Wilt Chamberlain tallied 26 points, 24 rebounds, and 15 assists in a 131-123 win over the Detroit Pistons. It was the first of five career games in which Chamberlain recorded at least 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 15 assists, the most such games in NBA history:
5 — Wilt Chamberlain
3 — Oscar Robertson
1 — Guy Rodgers
1 — Russell Westbrook
Chamberlain recorded the last four of those games in a 47-day span in 1968 (February 2 to March 19).
Rare Air for Jordan
On this day in 1986, the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan scored 37 points in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, his first of 10 consecutive 35-point games.
Jordan is one of only four players in NBA history to record at least 10 straight 35-point games (a total of seven instances):
33 — Wilt Chamberlain, 1961-62
23 — Chamberlain, 1962-63
20 — Chamberlain, 1961-62
13 — Kobe Bryant, 2002-03
11 — James Harden, 2018-19
10 — Michael Jordan, 1986-87
10 — Harden, 2018-19
Jordan averaged 37.1 PPG that season, the fifth-highest single-season scoring average in NBA history and the highest by a player not named Wilt Chamberlain.
Good/Bad for Harden
On this day in 2018, the Houston Rockets’ James Harden scored 54 points and dished out 14 assists in a loss to the Washington Wizards. It’s one of eight times Harden has recorded at least 50 points and 10 assists in a game, five more such games than any other player in NBA history:
8 — James Harden
3 — Nate Archibald
3 — Damian Lillard
3 — Russell Westbrook
It wasn’t all good for Harden, as he also committed 11 turnovers. Since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78, Harden is the only player to record at least 50 points, 10 assists, and 10 turnovers in a game.
This is one of 11 career games in which Harden committed at least 10 turnovers. Only Russell Westbrook (12) has recorded more such games.