The 23rd MLK Day will see the Grizzlies host an MLK Day matchup in Memphis, where Dr. King was assassinated on the night of April 4, 1968.
Image Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The NBA will honour the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King with its 39th edition of the NBA on MLK Day. The 23rd MLK Day will see the Grizzlies host an MLK Day 2025 matchup in Memphis, where Dr. King was assassinated on the night of April 4, 1968.
The NBA hosts games every MLK Day, a tradition which began in 1986. However, there was an exception in the 1998-99 season, which didn’t begin until February 5. Since the beginning, there have been a total of 367 NBA games played on MLK day, with eight games scheduled for 2025.
The NBA on MLK Day 2025 events will begin with the Dallas Mavericks locking horns with the Charlotte Hornets on NBA TV. It will be followed by a TNT-hosted doubleheader with a special pregame coverage.
Here are some standout performances and records from the past editions of MLK Day games:
Damian Lillard holds the record for the most points ever scored during the 2020 MLK Day when he dropped 61 points in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 129-124 win over the Golden State Warriors in 2020.
| Player | Match Up | Date | Points | FGM | 3PM | FTM |
| Damian Lillard | POR vs. GSW | 1/20/20 | 61 | 17 | 11 | 16 |
| Kemba Walker | CHA vs UTA | 1/18/16 | 52 | 16 | 6 | 14 |
| Jayson Tatum | BOS @CHA | 1/16/23 | 51 | 15 | 7 | 14 |
| Gilbert Arenas | WAS vs UTA | 1/15/07 | 51 | 14 | 7 | 16 |
| LeBron James | LAL vs HOU | 1/16/23 | 48 | 16 | 5 | 11 |
| Devin Booker | PHX @SAS | 1/17/22 | 48 | 18 | 5 | 7 |
| Blake Griffin | LAC vs IND | 1/17/11/ | 47 | 19 | 0 | 9 |
| Michael Jordan | CHI @ WAS | 1/15/96 | 46 | 16 | 3 | 11 |
| James Harden | HOU vs IND | 1/19/15 | 45 | 12 | 7 | 14 |
| Dominique Wilkins | ALT @ NYK | 1/18/88 | 45 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
The Golden State Warriors have the record for the most points scored by a team on MLK Day. They achieved the feat during the match-up against the Seattle SuperSonics in 1989, where they put up a total of 146 points. Below given are the top six totals scored by a team on an MLK Day.
| Team | Match Up | Date | Points | Opp Points |
| Golden State Warriors | GSW vs. SEA | 1/16/89 | 146 | 117 |
| Indiana Pacers | IND vs. GSW | 1/15/90 | 144 | 105 |
| LA Lakers | LAL vs HOU | 1/16/23 | 140 | 132 |
| LA Clippers | LAC vs HOU | 1/18/16 | 140 | 132 |
| LA Clippers | LAC vs IND | 1/17/22 | 139 | 133 |
| Boston Celtics | BOS vs LAL | 1/20/20 | 139 | 107 |
The NBA has played on all MLK Days since 1986, except 1998-99 season, and amongst all teams, the New York Knicks have played the highest number of games. The Knicks top the list with a total of 38 games so far, and they will extend their streak as they lock horns with the Atlanta Hawks in another exciting clash for the MLK Day 2025.
As of 2024, the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks share the record for the most games won in NBA’s MLK Day history. They have won 23 games each since the first MLK Day celebration.
Also Read:
| Match Ups | Date | Scoreline |
| Golden State Warriors-Seattle SuperSonics | 1/16/1989 | 146-117 |
| Indiana Pacers-Golden State Warriors | 1/15/1990 | 144-105 |
| Miami Heat-Minnesota Timberwolves | 1/20/1992 | 121-105 |
| Chicago Bulls-Philadelphia 76ers | 1/17/1994 | 121-91 |
| Utah Jazz-Cleveland Cavaliers | 1/20/1997 | 94-74 |
| Charlotte Hornets-New York Knicks | 1/21/2002 | 111-68 |
| Sacramento Kings-LA Clippers | 1/19/2004 | 125-100 |
| San Antonio Spurs-Washington Wizards | 1/17/2005 | 101-73 |
| Washington Wizards-Philadelphia 76ers | 1/16/2006 | 104-76 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves-Philadelphia 76ers | 1/18/2010 | 124-93 |
| Boston Celtics-Dallas Mavericks | 1/18/2010 | 124-93 |
| Brooklyn Nets-Sacramento Kings | 1/21/2019 | 123-94 |
| Philadelphia 76ers-Houston Rockets | 1/21/2019 | 121-93 |
| Boston Celtics-LA Lakers | 1/20/2020 | 139-107 |
| San Antonio Spurs-Portland Trail Blazers | 1/18/2021 | 123-95 |
| Memphis Grizzlies-Phoenix Suns | 1/16/2023 | 136-106 |
