MLK Day Classics: Five iconic NBA performances that made history: Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Splash Brothers, and more

Martin Luther King Jr. Day has become one of the most special days on the NBA calendar. Every year, the league schedules games across the country to honor Lt. Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy on equality, courage, and unity. Over time, MLK Day games have grown into a tradition, often delivering high-energy performances from some of basketball’s biggest stars.

From legendary former basketball icons to active players, many have used this stage to deliver historic games. Whether it was scoring, shooting, etc, MLK Day has produced moments fans still talk about today. Here’s a look at five of the greatest individual and team performances ever seen on this meaningful NBA holiday.

Here are the top five MLK Day performances the NBA has ever seen:

1. Damian Lillard:

Damian Lillard delivered the greatest individual performance in MLK Day history in 2020. The Portland Trail Blazers star scored 61 points against the Golden State Warriors. Lillard became unstoppable that day, hitting 11 three-pointers and carrying Portland to an overtime win. It still remains the highest-scoring game ever played on MLK Day.

2. Gilbert Arenas:

Gilbert Arenas delivered one of the most dramatic MLK Day performances ever. He scored 51 points for the Washington Wizards, including a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Arenas’ confident shooting made this performance unforgettable for viewers and set a new MLK Day scoring record at the time.

3. Michael Jordan:

Michael Jordan reminded everyone why he was the face of the NBA with his MLK Day performance in 1996. Playing for the Chicago Bulls, Jordan scored 46 points against the Washington Wizards, completely taking over the game. At the time, it was the highest-scoring performance ever recorded on MLK Day.

4. Shaquille O’Neal:

It was just his rookie season when Shaquille O’Neal delivered an excellent performance on MLK Day with the Orlando Magic. Shaq secured 38 points in a 124-118 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite losing the game, Shaq’s exceptional performance made this one of the most dominant performances in MLK Day history.

5. Splash Brothers:

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson showed to the world why they are known as the Splash Brothers during the Warriors’ MLK Day game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017. The Golden State Warriors were successful in defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers by a massive win, from start to finish. Even though neither of them scored a lot on their own, with Thompson scoring 26 points, and Curry 20 points, however, together, the duo controlled the game and helped turn it into one of the most talked about MLK Days.


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