Basketball Reference Blog

Most Assists in a NBA Game

Posted by Andrew Weiser on March 13, 2024

In NBA circles, the most heralded single-game performances tend to be scoring outbursts. From Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game to Kobe’s 81 to the surge of 70 point performances in the 2023-24 season, high scoring gets all the recognition. But what about the set up men? The distributors who create plays for their teammates? Here we will be recognizing the best single-game assist performances in NBA history. We’ll be looking at the assist record NBA single game leaders among players who recorded at least 25 assists in a single game.

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Miami Heat Top 10 Players of All Time

Posted by Andrew Weiser on February 23, 2024

The Miami Heat may not be one of the oldest franchises in the NBA, but since their inaugural season in 1988-89 the organization has been one of the more successful franchises in the league. The Heat boast three Larry O’Brien trophies and 16 division titles–both more than any of their rivals in the Southeast Division. All of this winning means a ton of talented players have played for the Heat over the past three and a half decades. Here’s our list of the top 10 Heat players of all time.

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Best College Basketball Teams of All Time

Posted by Darren Baker on February 22, 2024

March Madness, in the opinion of many, is the most riveting sports time of the year. The NCAA tournament  is a yearly battle ground to achieve legendary status. This is where the names of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, Bill Walton, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Christian Laettner, Anthony Davis, and so many others captured amateur glory. Choosing the best college basketball team of all time is like selecting your favorite Bond character: there are many worthy candidates, and there is no definitive right answer. For this heavily debated topic, it is way too tricky to pick contenders without some guidelines to help as a filter. So to make this exercise a tad less grueling, here is the general criteria used for these teams: had to win the NCAA tournament, no more than five losses that season, at least one future NBA player on the roster, analysis of their tournament run, average margin of victory all season, and only one team allowed per school. Sorry to Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, and UCLA, who all had multiple championship squads getting consideration. In chronological order, here are some of the best college basketball teams of all time.

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Boston Celtics Top 8 Small Forwards of All Time

Posted by Darren Baker on February 17, 2024

As a life-long and intensely loyal Sixers fan, it is painful to compose a list of great Boston Celtics. With that said, even the most ardent Celtics haters have to acknowledge their success and recognize them as one of the elite franchises in American sports. They are a brand just like the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys. When you think of the NBA, you think of the Boston Celtics. It took some legendary players to acquire those 17 NBA titles, but this exercise will just focus on a certain position: small forward. In today’s modern NBA, it is harder to define because it seems like positionless basketball at times. Centers continually shoot threes, and everybody brings the ball up the court nowadays. Would you really define LeBron James or Luka Doncic as a pure small forward? Traditionally, a small forward wasn’t your biggest man on the floor, and they didn’t handle the ball much. They did some scoring, rebounding, and a little bit of the dirty work. Now a great small forward seems to do everything on the court. If some big names are absent from this list, it’s probably because they would qualify as a power forward more than a small forward; apologies to Tommy Heinsohn, Antoine Walker, and Kevin Garnett. Without any further adieu, here’s a list of the top small forwards in Boston Celtics history.

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Top 5 NBA Teams that never won a championship

Posted by Darren Baker on February 11, 2024

The NBA’s inaugural season was 1946-1947. To give a little historical context to that, Harry Truman was the President, Elvis was years away from offending anyone, and the price of gas was roughly 21 cents a gallon. Every year since, the NBA has crowned a champion, even in the pandemic-created bubble season of 2020. Famous dynasties like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and most recently the Golden State Warriors are widely known by even casual basketball fans. For argument’s sake, you can include the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons, Clutch City Houston Rockets, Pop’s San Antonio Spurs, and the Three-headed Monster Miami Heat teams in the dynasty conversation as well.

But what about those teams with stellar, in one case historic, regular seasons that never won an NBA championship? Understandably, they don’t get the same recognition and historical appreciation as champions, but that shouldn’t diminish the fact that those teams had spectacular seasons. In no particular order, here are five of the best NBA teams that never won a championship.

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Top 5 Rivals of the Los Angeles Lakers

Posted by Brian Wright on February 1, 2024

With the success the Lakers have had, more or less, throughout their distinguished history, many teams want what you have. That often creates conflict. And sure enough, this franchise – in its seemingly annual quest for an NBA title – has run into its share of enemies. Some have lasted longer than others. 

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NBA Players with Best Winning Percentages

Posted by Vivek Singh on January 31, 2024

In the dynamic world of professional basketball, success is often measured by a team’s ability to secure victories. Delving into the realm of statistical triumphs, this article explores the NBA players who have consistently contributed to their teams’ winning percentages. From clutch performances to leadership on the court, we shine a spotlight on the elite athletes whose prowess has translated into remarkable success, making them stand out in the league’s history of competitive excellence.

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76ers Top 10 Players of All Time

Posted by Andrew Weiser on January 30, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the NBA’s most historic franchises. Founded in 1946 as the Syracuse Nationals, the franchise has won three NBA titles over its existence and has produced 29 Hall of Fame players and coaches. Today, the team is led by young stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, building on the legacy of great players who have worn a Sixers uniform. Let’s examine that legacy by counting down the top 10 76ers players of all time.

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Highest Paid NBA Players Ever

Posted by Andrew Weiser on January 28, 2024

In July 2023, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown signed a five-year $304 million supermax extension with the team, the biggest contract in NBA history. NBA contracts are getting bigger and bigger and Brown may soon find himself on the list of the top 10 highest paid NBA players of all time. 

The rise of supermax contracts and an exciting generation of young superstars will guarantee that young NBA players today will have unprecedented financial success in the near future. But as of the start of the 2023 season, who is the highest-paid NBA player of all time? Let’s count down the top 10.

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The Greatest Point Guards of all time

Posted by Vivek Singh on January 27, 2024

The point guard (PG), often called as the ‘floor general’ for a team, is arguably the most important position for a team on the offensive end. They organize the team’s offense and help everyone get high quality shots. However they aren’t just expected to play on one end of the floor. In the modern NBA where most PGs are elite scorers as well, you need your point guard to be able to defend their matchup as well. So without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the greatest PGs of all time.

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