NBA Events

1967 Feb 1 The American Basketball Association (ABA) is Founded
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was founded on February 1, 1967, by sports promoter Dennis Murphy and a group of investors, as a competitor of the NBA. It spanned nine seasons a...
1978 Boston Celtics draft Larry Bird with the 6th pick of the NBA Draft
June 9, 1978 Drafted sixth overall as a junior-eligible by the Celtics, behind Mychal Thompson (Portland), Phil Ford (Kansas City), Rick Robey (Indiana), Micheal Ray Richardson (New Yor...
1979 May 20
to 1979 Jun 1
 1979 NBA Finals
The 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch ...
1979 Jun 25 Los Angeles Lakers Select Magic Johnson with the No. 1 Draft Pick
After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, Johnson declared himself eligible for the 1979 NBA Draft. Johnson was drafted ...
1980 May 4
to 1980 May 16
 1980 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat 76ers
The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979–80 NBA season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP. But in a Game 5 victory, the Laker center suffered ...
1980 May 29 Larry Bird is Named Rookie of the Year
May 29, 1980 Named NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists, and leading the Celtics to a then-record 32-game improvement (29-53 to 61-21). Also ...
1981 May 5
to 1981 May 14
 1981 NBA Finals - Celtics Defeat Rockets
The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season, pitting the Boston Celtics against the Houston Rockets. For the 1980-81 season Houston Rock...
1982 Jan 31 Larry Bird is Named MVP of the All-Star Game
Jan. 31, 1982 Named MVP of the All-Star Game for the only time in 12 appearances. Scored 19 points, with 12 rebounds and five assists in the Eastern Conference's 120-118 win.
1982 May 27
to 1982 Jun 8
 1982 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat 76ers
The 1982 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1981-82 NBA season, the top level of competition in men's professional basketball in North America. The series saw...
1984 Michael Jordan Enters the NBA Draft and Is Selected by the Chicago Bulls
After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA Draft. The C...
1984
to 1985
Michael Jordan Gains Favor In His First Season
During his first season in the NBA, Jordan averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting. He quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated w...
1984 May 27
to 1984 Jun 12
 1984 NBA Finals- Celtics Defeat Lakers
The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Ga...
1984 Jun 25 Larry Bird is Named League MVP
In 1984, the Celtics defeated the Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning game seven 111–102. Bird averaged 27.4 points on .484 shooting and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning t...
1984 Dec 30 LeBron James Born in Akron, OH
LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only 16 at the time. His biological father, Anthony McClelland, was an ex-con uninterested in bei...
1985
to 1986
Despite Missing 64 Games Due to a Broken Foot, Michael Jordan Has a Record Breaking Second Season
Jordan's second season was cut short by a broken foot which caused him to miss 64 games. Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record, the Bulls made the playoffs. Jordan recovered in time ...
1985 Apr 22 Michael Jordan Wins Rookie of the Year
A summary of Jordan's basketball career inevitably fails to do it justice. The 6-6 Brooklyn native attended high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he was cut from the basketball...
1985 May 27
to 1985 Jun 9
 1985 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat Celtics
The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season. The Boston Celtics were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the 1968-...
1985 Jun 3 Larry Bird Wins Second Straight League MVP
In 1985, however, the Lakers avenged the loss, defeating the Celtics in game 6 of the Finals in the Boston Garden. In a losing effort against Los Angeles, Bird averaged 23.8 points on .44...
1986 Apr 20 Michael Jordan Scores 63 Points Against the Boston Celtics in Round One of the NBA Playoffs
Jordan was able to play in only 18 regular-season games in his second year in the NBA, after breaking a small bone in his foot in Chicago's third game of the year. Although he was encoura...
1986 May 26
to 1986 Jun 8
 1986 NBA Finals- Celtics Defeat Rockets
The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets....
1986 Jun 2 Larry Bird Wins Third Straight MVP
Joins Bull Russell (1961-63) and Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68) as the only players in NBA history to win three consecutive MVP awards. Averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.0...
1987
to 1988
Michael Jordan Averages 32.5 Points Per Game, Winning the MVP Award and Defensive Player of the Year
Jordan led the league in scoring again in the 1987–88 season, averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting and won his first league MVP award. He was also named the Defensive Player of the Year, ...
1987 May 18 Magic Johnson Named League MVP
Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 1985–86 NBA season, with 18.8 points, 12.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but were...
1987 Jun 2
to 1987 Jun 14
 1987 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat Celtics
The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celti...
1988 Jun 7
to 1988 Jun 21
 1988 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat Pistons
The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987–88 NBA season. One of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley's most famous moments came when he promised the crowd a repeat ch...
1989 May 22 Magic Johnson Named League MVP
In the 1988–89 NBA season, Johnson's 22.5 points, 12.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game earned him his second MVP award, and the Lakers reached the 1989 NBA Finals, in which they again ...
1991 Jun 10 The Chicago Bulls Defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals
The Bulls would defeat the Lakers in 4 games to 1. This would ultimately turn out to be Magic Johnson's last NBA Finals appearance, who was without James Worthy and Byron Scott, the Laker...
1991 Nov 7 Magic Johnson Announces He is HIV+ and Retires From Basketball
After a physical before the 1991–92 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement ...
1992 Aug 18 Larry Bird Announces Retirement
Following his Olympic experience, on August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement as an NBA player. He finished his career with averages of more than 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assist...
1993 Oct 6 Michael Jordan Announces His Retirement
On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, citing a loss of desire to play the game. Jordan later stated that the murder of his father earlier in the year shaped his decision. J...
1996 Jan 29 Magic Johnson Returns to Playing for the Lakers
He returned to the NBA as coach of the Lakers near the end of the 1993–94 NBA season, replacing Randy Pfund. After losing five of six games, Johnson announced he would resign after the se...
1996 May 14 Magic Johnson Final Retirement
May 14, 1996: Final retirement. Finished regular season with averages of 14.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. Lakers are eliminated in four games by Rockets in first round ...
1996 Jun 5
to 1996 Jun 16
 1996 NBA Finals - Bulls Defeat Sonics
In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series, defeating Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, head coach George Karl and their Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals to win the NBA C...
1997 May 12 Larry Bird is Introduced as Indiana Pacers Head Coach
May 12, 1997 Frustrated with his largely ceremonial duties as special assistant to Celtics owner Paul Gaston, Bird begins to pursue other options. On this date, he is introduced as head ...
1997 Jun 1
to 1997 Jun 13
 1997 NBA Finals - Bulls Defeat Jazz
Game 1 Despite having a toe injury earlier, Scottie Pippen helped the Bulls to a 84-82 win over Utah on Sunday night. Pippen scored 27 points while Jordan scored 31. The Bulls trailed ...
1998 May 12 Larry Bird is Named NBA Coach of the Year
May 12, 1998 Named NBA Coach of the Year, having led the Pacers to a 58-24 record, the best in franchise history. He is the fourth first-year coach to win the honor, joining Harry Gallat...
1998 Jun 3
to 1998 Jun 14
 1998 NBA Finals - Bulls Defeat Jazz
Games 1 and 2 Unlike the 1997 Finals, the Jazz and Bulls entered this series as equals. The Jazz had won both regular season match-ups with the Bulls, and many analysts predicted a ha...
1999 Jun 16
to 1999 Jun 25
 1999 NBA Finals - Spurs Defeat Knicks
The 1999 NBA season was shortened due to a labor dispute that led to a lockout, canceling the first 3 months of the season, literally making this the 1999 NBA Finals. The NBA would have t...
2000 Jun 7
to 2000 Jun 19
 2000 NBA Finals - Lakers Beat Pacers
It's a Wrap by Phil Taylor They finally figured it out. It was there on both their faces, the jubilation and relief that came with knowing that they had cracked the safe and learne...
2001 Jun 6
to 2001 Jun 15
 2001 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat Sixers
Take Two for Tinseltown Nobody's perfect, not even the Los Angeles Lakers. They sure came close, though. The winningest postseason run in NBA history came to a conclusion Friday nig...
2002 May 9 Tim Duncan Wins 2002 NBA MVP Award
It's official: Duncan captures MVP award By T.A. Badger SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan edged New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd for NBA MVP honors Thursday in the ...
2002 Jun 5
to 2002 Jun 12
 2002 NBA Finals - Lakers Defeat Nets
Shaq, MJ only players to win three straight Finals MVPs EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Shaq got his three-peat, too. Shaquille O'Neal, cementing his reputation as one of the most do...
2002 Jun 14 Sports Illustrated Calls James 'The Chosen One', a Name that Stuck
Comparisons to NBA superstar Michael Jordan (1963–) became common, and some sportswriters began calling James "The Chosen One," indicating the hope that the rookie phenomenon would revive...
2003 May 5 Tim Duncan Wins Second Straight NBA MVP
Tim Duncan has been named NBA's Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season. Duncan led the San Antonio Spurs to a league best record of 60-22. He averaged over 23 points per g...
2003 Jun 4
to 2003 Jun 15
 2003 NBA Finals - Spurs Beat Nets
Spurs Cut Down Nets to Win NBA Title With it all on the line, Tim Duncan did it all. The San Antonio Spurs won their second title as Duncan put on one of the great performances in...
2004 May 3 Kevin Garnett Wins 2004 NBA MVP Award
May 3, 2004 — Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett has been named the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player, the National Basketball Association announc...
2004 Jun 2 LeBron James Wins NBA Rookie of the Year
During the 2003-2004 season, James made history, becoming the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. He was also the youngest player ever at only ...
2004 Jun 6
to 2004 Jun 15
 2004 NBA Finals - Pistons Beat Lakers
Motown is Titletown AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Lakers left the court in pieces. Karl Malone kept his head down, Shaquille O'Neal absently slapped a few high-fives and Kobe Bryant jogge...
2005 May 8 Steve Nash Named 2005 NBA MVP
Steve Nash is NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns was named the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2004-05 season, the ...
2005 Jun 9
to 2005 Jun 23
 2005 NBA Finals Spurs Defeat Pistons
Spurs deny Pistons' bid to repeat Spurs win Game 7 and NBA Championship SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Spurred by the will and wonder of Tim Duncan, San Antonio is an NBA champion again. Dun...