This day in NBA sports history. July 14. Devin Booker’s postseason record, Shaq leaves the Lakers, and Steve Nash goes to Phoenix. What happened on this day in NBA history?
Devin Booker’s Postseason Record
Devin Booker set the NBA record for most points scored in a player’s first postseason appearance after finishing with 42 points in Game 4 of the Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, raising his playoff scoring total to that point to 542 points.
The Suns’ All-Star guard finished the first half with 20 points, shooting 8-of-15 from the field (53.3%). Booker surpassed Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who had held the record since 1967, when he accumulated 521 points.
Shaq Out Of Los Angeles
Marking the official end of the Shaq-Kobe era in Los Angeles, Shaquille O’Neal was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Cook, and a future first-round draft pick. The Lakers originally signed O’Neal as a free agent in the summer of 1996, and from then on, he and Kobe Bryant formed what many consider the most dominant duo in NBA history.
Steve Nash To Phoenix
The Phoenix Suns signed Point Guard Steve Nash in free agency. Nash, who played for the Dallas Mavericks from 1998 to 2004. He would revolutionize the Phoenix team, earning him NBA MVP honors in the following two seasons and becoming one of the best players at his position for the rest of the decade with Phoenix.
Final Thoughts: This Day In NBA Sports History-July 14
The year 2004 represented a year of significant change for at least two franchises that welcomed these superstars: the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. O’Neal turned Miami into a strong title contender, achieving the best record in the Eastern Conference with 59 wins and 23 losses. Unfortunately for the Heat, they lost in Game 7 of the Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons.
Nash, meanwhile, returned to the team that initially drafted him. His limited playing time led him to seek new horizons with the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he spent six seasons. Nash returned to a Phoenix Suns team that had posted a 29-53 record the previous season. Along with the basketball style of then-Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, the Suns achieved a 62-20 record, the best in the NBA. That year, O’Neal would lose the season’s MVP award to Steve Nash.
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