Basketball-reference.com archives a gold mine of information about NBA history, including Feb. 5, a day that marked the start of several stars’ careers. The 1998-99 season began in February due to the lockout.
Here’s a rundown on some of the 1998-99 NBA rookies:
Vince Carter played his first game for the Toronto Raptors.
Dirk Nowitzki played in his first regular-season games for the Dallas Mavericks.
Paul Pierce accomplished the same thing for the Boston Celtics.
And Peja Stojakovic debuted for the Sacramento Kings.
Feb. 5: NBA history revisited
Throughout the years, a number of impressive feats and important moments took place on Feb. 5.
1960: The Celtics’ Bill Russell hauled in 51 rebounds against the Nationals. Boston beat Syracuse 124-100.
1961: The Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain had a 55-point performance against the Knicks. Philadelphia topped New York 136-128.
1972: The Hawks’ “Pistol Pete” Maravich dropped 50 points on the Cavaliers. Atlanta edged Cleveland 120-117.
1982: The Celtics’ Nate “Tiny” Archibald handed out 23 assists against the Nuggets. Boston edged Denver 145-144.
1983: The Jazz’s Mark Eaton swatted 12 Nuggets shots. Despite Eaton’s shot-block brilliance, Denver beat Utah 143-136.
1987: The Bullets’ Manute Bol had 12 blocks against the Cavaliers. Washington prevailed 94-85 against Cleveland.
