Red Auerbach, in his final game as Celtics coach, lights up his victory cigar with a 10-point lead and 45 seconds remaining.
Below is a day-by-day look at landmark moments, games, performances and more from this week in NBA lore.
April 28
April 28, 1966
Red Auerbach retired as Boston’s coach after guiding the Celtics to a 95-93 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Auerbach coached Boston to nine NBA championships — including eight straight titles from 1959-66 — more than any other coach.
April 28, 1979
Oscar Robertson became the first Milwaukee Buck to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Robertson, who helped the Bucks to the franchise’s only NBA title in 1971, finished his career with 26,710 points and 9,887 assists.
April 28, 1990
The Boston Celtics set an NBA single-game playoff scoring record in beating the New York Knicks 157-128 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first round series. The Celtics shot .670 from the field (63-of-94 FG attempts), setting another playoff mark.
April 28, 2013
The Miami Heat defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 88-77 in the Eastern Conference first round for a 4-0 series win.
The San Antonio Spurs defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 103-82 in the Western Conference first round for a 4-0 series win.
April 28, 2014
The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 109-98 in the Eastern Conference first round for a 4-0 series win.
April 29
April 29, 1969
The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 89-88 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. A combined total of 21 assists were recorded in the game, an all-time NBA low.
April 29, 1970
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jerry West hit a 60-foot desperation shot at the buzzer to tie Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. In overtime, however, the Lakers scored just six points and lost 111-108.
In Game 3 of the 1970 Finals, Jerry West connected on a 60-foot rainbow to force overtime.
April 29, 1990
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 104-100 for coach Pat Riley’s 100th career playoff victory, breaking Red Auerbach’s record of 99. Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon had 10 blocked shots, tying the NBA playoff record set by Mark Eaton of Utah on April 26, 1985 against the Rockets.
April 29, 2011
Behind a 31-point, 11-rebound game from Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the San Antonio Spurs, 99-91, in Game 6 of their first-round series. With the victory, Memphis ousts the No. 1-seeded Spurs, marking the first time a No. 1 seed lost in the first round since the 1999 playoffs.
April 29, 2018
LeBron James steals the ball from the Pacers’ Bojan Bogdanovic on the left baseline, giving him 396 career steals in the playoffs. That number moved him past Bulls legend and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen for the No. 1 spot all-time in that category.
April 29, 2021
Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., 20, erupted for 50 points and 11 assists. He became the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 50-point, 10-assist mark as the previous youngest player to do so was LeBron James (who achieved the feat at 23 years old).
April 30
April 30, 1956
The Boston Celtics traded “Easy” Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to St. Louis for the Hawks’ No. 1 draft pick, which they used to select Bill Russell.
April 30, 1971
The Milwaukee Bucks, led by young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and veteran Oscar Robertson, beat the Baltimore Bullets 118-106 to complete a four-game sweep of the NBA Finals, capturing the franchise’s only NBA championship.
April 30, 1975
Larry O’Brien was named the third commissioner of the NBA, succeeding J. Walter Kennedy.
April 30, 1988
Sleepy Floyd scored 42 points and Hakeem Olajuwon added 41 as Houston downed Dallas 119-108 in Game 2 of their Western Conference first round series, marking only the second time in NBA Playoff history that teammates surpassed 40 points in a game.
On May 10, 1987, Sleepy Floyd took over the game, scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter to set an NBA playoff record.
April 30, 2002
Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton became only the second player in league history to be named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times. Payton joined the Washington Wizards’ Michael Jordan as the only nine-time members of the All-Defensive First Team. Jordan was named to the squad nine times as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
April 30, 2009
Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics scores 51 points in a 128-127 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
May 1
May 1, 1963
J. Walter Kennedy was named the NBA’s second President, succeeding Maurice Podoloff. The job title was later changed to Commissioner.
May 1, 1970
The Los Angeles Lakers outscored New York 22-16 in the highest scoring overtime in NBA Playoff history, defeating the Knicks 121-115 in Game 4 of the Finals.
May 1, 1980
Dallas is granted an expansion franchise, and the Mavericks bring the total number of NBA teams to 23.
May 1, 1988
Michael Jordan of Chicago became the first player to score 50 or more points in consecutive playoff games when he drilled Cleveland for 55 points in Chicago’s 106-101 victory in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first round series. In Game 1 on April 28, Jordan scored 50 points in Chicago’s 104-93 victory.
May 1, 1999
NBA referee Tommy Nunez, a 27-year veteran referee in the NBA, is presented with The Gold Whistle Award during halftime of the Phoenix Suns home game against the Vancouver Grizzlies. The award is presented annually to an official recognized for community involvement, achievement in officiating and a reputation of strong integrity and ethics.
May 1, 2001
Harold “Happy” Hairston, a key member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 1972 NBA championship team that posted a 69-13 record and an 11-year NBA veteran, died in Los Angeles at age 58.
May 2
May 2, 1968
Bill Russell won his first NBA title as player-coach of the Celtics when Boston defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers 124-109 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
May 2, 2005
The NBA fines Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy $100,000 — the largest amount ever for a coach — a day after accusing officials of targeting center Yao Ming during the Playoffs.
May 2, 2014
Portland star Damian Lillard his a 3-pointer with :00.9 left in Game 6 to give the Trail Blazers a 99-98 series-clinching win against the Houston Rockets.
On May 2, 2014 Lillard knocked down the 3 pointer to advance!
May 2, 2015
Chris Paul’s fallaway floater with 1 second left gives the LA Clippers a series-clinching 111-109 win against the defending-champion San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the first round.
May 2, 2017
Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics scores 53 points in a 129-119 playoff win over the Washington Wizards. The showing comes on what would have been his Chyna Thomas’ 23rd birthday. She was killed in a single-car accident just two weeks earlier on April 15, 2017.
May 3
May 3, 1968
It is announced that the St. Louis Hawks would move to Atlanta for the 1968-69 season, under the guidance of new owners Tom Cousins and former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders.
May 3, 1974
“Pistol” Pete Maravich was obtained by the expansion New Orleans Jazz from Atlanta in exchange for first-round draft picks in 1974 and 1975, second-round picks in 1975 and 1976, and the Jazz’ second and third selections in the expansion draft.
From a newly discovered coaches film, check out some rare highlights of Pete Maravich in his first years with the New Orleans Jazz!
May 3, 1981
The Boston Celtics wiped out a double-digit deficit in the second half for the third straight time and defeated Philadelphia 91-90 in Game 7 of a memorable Eastern Conference Finals series.
May 3, 1987
Milwaukee beat Philadelphia 102-89 in the deciding Game 5 of their Eastern Conference First Round series, the last game of Julius Erving’s illustrious 16-year professional basketball career in the NBA and ABA. Dr. J led the Sixers with 24 points.
May 3, 1994
Golden State’s Chris Webber, who became the first rookie in NBA history to total over 1,000 points (1,333), 500 rebounds (694), 250 assists (272), 150 blocks (164) and 75 steals (93), was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
May 3, 2005
Bryant Jackson, the “Chair Throwing Fan” from the Detroit Pistons – Indiana Pacers altercation, is sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to consult with an anger-management therapist.
May 3, 2007
Behind the play of Baron Davis and others, the Golden State Warriors make history in a 111-86 win in Game 6 of their first round series against the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors won the series, 4-2, becoming the first No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the best-of-seven playoff format.
May 3, 2011
Rising Chicago Bulls superstar Derrick Rose wins the regular season MVP award at the age of 22 years old. He becomes the youngest player in history to receive the award after collecting 113 out of 120 possible first-place votes.
On May 3, 2011, Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose was named Kia MVP at the age of 22.
May 3, 2021
Wizards guard Russell Westbrook registers 21 rebounds and 21 points in a 154-141 win against the Indiana Pacers. In doing so, he joins Wilt Chamberlain and himself (in 2019) as the only players in NBA history to collect more than 20 rebounds and 20 assists in the same game.
May 3, 2021
Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony nails a jumper against the Atlanta Hawks to give him 27,314 career points and become the No. 10 all-time scorer in NBA history. Anthony passed Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes, who previously held the mark with 27,313 points.
Carmelo Anthony speaks in the locker room after passing Elgin Hayes to land at No. 10 on the NBA all-time scorers list.
May 4
May 4, 1968
The Pittsburgh Pipers won the first ABA title with a 122-113 win over New Orleans.
May 4, 1970
The New York Knicks, with Dave DeBusschere forced to play center against Wilt Chamberlain after a leg injury sidelined Willis Reed, nevertheless defeated Los Angeles 107-100 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks ultimately captured their first NBA title with a Game 7 victory.
May 4, 1994
Charles Barkley of Phoenix hit 23-of-31 field goal attempts and finished with 56 points, leading the visiting Suns to a 140-133 win over Golden State and a three-game sweep of their Western Conference First Round series. Barkley’s 56 points tied for the third-highest total ever in an NBA Playoff game, and his 38 points in the first half set a record. Sleepy Floyd holds the second-half scoring record in the NBA Playoffs with 39 points, which he scored in Golden State’s 129-121 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the 1987 Western Conference Semifinals.
May 4, 2015
Warriors guard Stephen Curry is named NBA MVP after making a then league-record 286 3-pointers while leading Golden State to a record 67 wins. He became the first Warriors player to win MVP honors since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959-60 when the franchise played in Philadelphia.
