Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

For the Celtics, Leap Day is winning day

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Saturday, 29 February 2020 05:02

It's not St. Patrick's Day, but there's something lucky about Leap Day for the Boston Celtics. Feb. 29 comes around only once every four years, but it's been 36 years since the Celtics had to suffer through a defeat on Leap Day. Their 102-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Feb. 29, 1984, snapped a five-game Leap Day win streak for Boston that dated back to the start of the NBA.

After not playing on Feb. 29 for two decades, Boston started a new streak in 2004 and has won four Feb. 29 games in a row, a streak the Celtics will look to maintain when they host the Houston Rockets on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET on ABC and the ESPN App).

Boston's active Leap Day win streak is the longest in the NBA and it's one shy of the record the Celtics already share with the Philadelphia 76ers, who won five straight from 1976 to 1992. The Rockets have lost two consecutive Feb. 29 games.

With Boston's Jayson Tatum on a tear -- he's averaging 35.4 points on 57.5% shooting in his past five games -- it's possible we might see another Leap Day record fall. On Feb. 29, 1964, Oscar Robertson dropped 43 points for the Cincinnati Royals in a 117-114 victory over the 76ers. Not surprisingly, Robertson had a triple-double in that game, though his 10 rebounds paled in comparison to teammate Jerry Lucas, who pulled down 40 boards.

Robertson is one of only five players to score 40-plus on Leap Day, along with Hakeem Olajuwon (42 in 1996), Karl Malone (41 in 1988), Mike Newlin (40 in 1980) and Paul Arizin (40 in 1952). For those interested in a little more numerical symmetry, the Elias Sports Bureau says there have been eight players to score exactly 29 points on Feb. 29, most recently Derrick Rose and Rodney Stuckey in 2012.

Robertson also ranks among the all-time leading scorers on Leap Day, with 87 points in three games. He trails only Kevin Garnett (90 points in four games), Kobe Bryant (97 in four) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (102 in four) in total points scored on Feb. 29. However, they all trail Jason Kidd in terms of games played on the extra day on the calendar. The Hall of Fame point guard is the only player in NBA history to play five Leap Day games, playing three times for the Dallas Mavericks (1996, 2008, 2012) and once each for the Phoenix Suns (2000) and New Jersey Nets (2004).

ESPN Daily Newsletter: Sign up now!

Behind Kidd is a group of 15 players who've played four times on Leap Day -- a group Carmelo Anthony will join when the Portland Trail Blazers visit the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Anthony would have had a chance to tie Kidd if not for the NBA's schedule-makers, who gave the Knicks an off day on Feb. 29, 2016.

Fellow 2003 draftee LeBron James could return to action Saturday when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Memphis Grizzlies. If so, it would be the third time in his career he's played on Feb. 29. In 2008, he scored 30 points in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he dropped 33 on the Indiana Pacers in 2016. The Lakers most recently played on Feb. 29 in 2012, when Bryant scored 31 to lead them to a 105-94 win over the Timberwolves. However, James missed Thursday's game against the Warriors with a sore left groin, so he's no guarantee to play Saturday. If he doesn't, NBA fans will have to wait until Feb. 29, 2024, to see if a 39-year-old James returns to the Leap Day stage.

Read 332 times

Soccer

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Diego Simeone's 700th game in charge of Atlético Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alave...

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Aston Villa and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has signed a m...

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has hit back at anyone questioning Bukayo Saka's commi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

EmailPrintThe NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes followi...

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

EmailPrintNew Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has undergone multiple treatments on his left ha...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated