From Kobe and Zion to Embiid and KAT, major NBA highlights have happened on Jan. 22

By / / Sports / 5 minutes of reading


By the final hours of the NBA schedule on this date last year, two major headlines dominated the league. One garnished another storyline; the other blanketed a setback.

On Jan. 22, 2024, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns put together dominant individual efforts within an hour. Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 win over the San Antonio Spurs by dropping 70 points. As the then-reigning NBA MVP, Embiid set the franchise record for most points in a game by a Sixers player. He also became only the third 7-footer in NBA history — the others being Wilt Chamberlain and David Robinson — to reach the 70-point mark for a game.

Embiid made 24 of 41 shots from the field and also connected on 21 of 23 attempts from the free-throw line. He also had 18 rebounds and five assists, outplaying then-rookie Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 33 points and seven boards.

A little later in the evening, Towns had a monster game of his own. Then playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns scored 44 first-half points and finished with a franchise-record 62 points against the Charlotte Hornets. He made 21 of 35 shots from the field and also drained 10 3-pointers — including his first eight from deep.

That effort, however, was overshadowed by a fourth-quarter Charlotte rally, resulting in a 128-125 Hornets road victory. It was a frustrating loss for a Minnesota team that was outscored 36-18 in the final period by a team that entered the contest with only nine wins in 40 games played.

There are nine games on the schedule for Wednesday, and while there is no guarantee that incredible storylines once again will be made on Jan. 22, those who follow the NBA — and, perhaps, those who believe in magic — will be paying attention throughout the entire evening. Jan. 22 has proven to be a day to keep an eye on the league for big stats.

Take a look at these NBA moments … and note the day.

Jan. 22, 2006: Kobe goes for 81

Sam Mitchell was the head coach of the Toronto Raptors when Kobe Bryant had his signature scoring night as a pro and gave Staples Center the second-greatest scoring effort in NBA history. Mitchell had a front-row seat — one he’d rather forget.

Bryant scored 81 points in a 122-104 Los Angeles Lakers win. He sank 28 of 46 shots and 18 of 20 free throws. He also rallied the Lakers from a 14-point halftime deficit.

“Never when you were watching it are you thinking, it never crossed my mind he was going to get 81,” Mitchell told The Athletic. “I knew he was having a great game, but it never crossed my mind he was going to get 81.”

Nineteen years later, Bryant’s scoring performance still ranks No. 2 all-time in NBA history, only behind Chamberlain’s 100-point game to lead the Philadelphia Warriors past the New York Knicks in 1962.

Jan. 22, 2020: Zion makes his debut

Zion Williamson tore the meniscus in his right knee during a preseason game in October and didn’t make his NBA regular-season debut for the New Orleans Pelicans until January. But when he arrived, he made an impact.

In a 121-117 loss to the Spurs, Williams finished with 22 points and seven rebounds. It was a short stretch in the fourth quarter, however, that really stood out, as Williamson scored 17 straight points and electrified the Smoothie King Center crowd.

Jan. 22, 2018: Cousins’ monster triple-double

From discussing one Pelican to another, DeMarcus Cousins only spent two seasons in New Orleans. But during his stint, he was a walking double-double. He averaged 24.4 points and 12.5 rebounds during the 2016-17 season, then topped that by averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 boards the following season.

Cousins’ highlight game wearing a Pelicans jersey came against the Chicago Bulls in a 132-128 double-overtime victory. He finished with 44 points, 24 rebounds and 10 assists and put himself in rare air by recording a 40-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game.

Jan. 22, 1992: Barkley tops the Knicks

Charles Barkley is considered one of the greatest power forwards to play the game. He finished his 16-season NBA career with 12,546 rebounds, which ranks 19th in NBA history.

One of Barkley’s memorable games took place in Philadelphia, as he had 37 points and 14 rebounds — both game highs — to lead the Sixers to a 119-109 win over the New York Knicks at The Spectrum. He outrebounded taller and bigger players such as the Knicks’ Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason.

Barkley played eight of his 16 seasons with the Sixers. He averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in seven of those eight seasons.

Jan. 22, 1968: Milwaukee, Phoenix get franchises

It may not have been the most glamorous news of the day from an on-court perspective, but the move by the NBA Board of Governors helped shape the career of one of the greatest to ever step on the court.

Wednesday marks the 52nd anniversary of the cities of Milwaukee and Phoenix each being awarded an NBA franchise. The Bucks and Suns ultimately had a coin flip in 1968 to determine which team would get the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NBA Draft. Phoenix called “heads.” The coin showed “tails.”

Milwaukee won the flip — and the Bucks drafted a young phenom out of UCLA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He and the Bucks would win an NBA championship in 1971.

(Photo of the 2006 box score featuring Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game: Kirby Lee / USA Today)





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Avatar of Christi Melton
Christi Melton is a writer from The Newspring. She writes about lifestyle, books, sports, education and technology. Her hobbies include reading and playing tennis.

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