Top Five NBA Performances on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The NBA has played on Martin Luther King Day 36 out of 37 years since the holiday was first observed in 1986. 1998-1999 was the only season an NBA game was not played on this important national holiday. In 1996, Michael Jordan had the highest-scoring performance on MLK Day with 46 points during a 116-109 win over the Wizards, however yesterday, there were a few players who got close to this record. Let’s look at the top five performances from Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
5. Bam Adebayo Grabs 20 Rebounds in Overtime Victory
He may have had a bad shooting night, going five for 17 from the field, but Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo was a beast on the boards in the Heat’s 96-95 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. During 44 minutes on the floor, Bam scored 11 points while grabbing 20 rebounds, dishing four assists, while recording a steal and a block. This gives Miami their fourth win out of their last five games played. Last night, Bam almost tied his career-high for most rebounds in a game. On November 25th, 2018, Adebayo picked up 21 rebounds in a 125-115 loss to the Toronto Raptors. He is seventh within the league in rebounding averaging nearly 11 a game.
4. Donovan Mitchell’s 34 Points Against Chicago
Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell has always been a proficient scorer. He’s sixth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28 points a game, and he’s been a huge factor in why the Cavs have won their past five games. Yesterday in a blowout 109-91 win over the Chicago Bulls, Mitchell dropped 34 points, along with having three rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. This win on Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives Cleveland a 23-15 record which places them fourth within the Eastern Conference. Donovan has played Chicago 14 times throughout his career, averaging about 29 points, six rebounds, and six assists against the Bulls franchise.
3. Trae Young Tallies 36 with 13 Dimes
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young had his way with the young San Antonio Spurs squad during their Martin Luther King Jr. matchup. Young scored 36 points, 18 of those points coming from beyond the arc, while pulling down seven rebounds, and passing out 13 assists in a 109-99 victory. Trae ranks second in the NBA in assists behind Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Young is averaging about 11 assists a night while trying to lead this Atlanta Hawks team in the right direction. Atlanta is currently 16-23, tied for 10th with the Brooklyn Nets in the East. They’ve lost four out of their last seven games, and if they don’t turn things around soon, this Hawks team could miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season. For Young, on the other hand, he’ll be looking to make his third all-star appearance this season.
2. Joel Embiid MVP-like Performance vs Rockets
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is giving us fans another incredible MVP-caliber season to witness. He leads the league in scoring averaging about 35 a game, while being fifth in rebounds, and sitting within the top ten in blocks. In a 125-114 win over the Houston Rockets, Embiid gave us another quality MVP-like performance going for 41 points, ten rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in just 31 minutes of action. The Sixers are 25-13, third in the Eastern Conference, sitting two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for second, and five games behind the Boston Celtics for first place in the East. Joel certainly wants to win a second MVP Award, even after his quality outing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but he’ll always want that championship before anything. Perhaps this is Joel’s year to win the East.
1. Kyrie and Tim Hardaway Jr. Combine for 83 Points
The Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić missed his third straight game, as he’s been dealing with a lingering right ankle injury, but that didn’t stop two Mavs guards from having a shooting spree against the New Orleans Pelicans. Dallas’ point guard Kyrie Irving and shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for 83 points during a 125-120 win on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Kyrie led the game with 42 points while recording seven rebounds, seven assists, and a block. Hardaway Jr. chalked up 41 points with two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 41 minutes of play. Dallas is now 24-17, they are in a three-way tie for fifth place within the Western Conference. They’ve won five of their last seven games and will look to make a significant push as we approach the NBA Trade Deadline and the NBA All-Star Game.
