A consequential day for the then-New Orleans Hornets, December 14th marked the finale of the Chris Paul saga, which was sharply escalated in the preceding days. Also known for a classic, high-scoring battle between hardwood legends, this day marks the end of some truly dreadful losing streaks for a pair of winless NBA and NFL teams as well. A WR nicknamed “Bambi” also broke an extensive record as another beloved California legend signed his very first MLB contract as a teenager, giving the 14th of December an intriguing range of historical significance.

Jaime Segui & Ricky Eisenbart covered the MLB & NFL sections in this article.

CP3 Traded to LAC

#TimeOut: The @LAClippers & the @hornets agree to a trade in principle. @CP3 and @blakegriffin to play together in 2011-2012 @NBA Season
— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) December 15, 2011

YEAR: 1999 & 2011

SIGNIFICANCE: LAC set the record for fewest points in a half AND LAC acquired Chris Paul from the Hornets

Just days following David Stern’s veto in 2011 of the trade proposal that would have sent Chris Paul to team up with Kobe Bryant, the New Orleans Hornets reached a deal with the L.A. Clippers. Team owners feared shipping Paul to the Lakers created an unbalance in the NBA, so their inner-city rival Clippers were the beneficiary. The Hornets sent Paul to L.A. and received a package of draft picks, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, and Al-Farouq Aminu. Paul moving to the Clippers rejuvenated the organization and prominently placed them on the map of NBA powerhouses as they finished 40-26 in their first year together and developed into “Lob City.”

The trade for Chris Paul took the Clippers to a level of prosperity they have never seen before as their franchise was full of dull moments. Exactly 12 years prior, the Clippers hit a low point in the franchise’s 29-year history. The Clippers had the misfortune of being pinned up against their fearsome L.A.-neighbor Lakers, who culminated to take home three straight NBA titles starting that season. Prior to the three-peat of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers battened down the hatches with the halftime ticker reading Lakers 49-Clippers 19 on this day in December.

This scoring lull stands as the NBA record for the least points scored in a half – shooting a grim 32.5% from the field — complementary to scoring the least points in a second-quarter ever with a microscopic three total points in the 12-minute period. The final two quarters were significant improvements but could not rally a comeback with the Clippers forced to accept a brutal 95-68 loss — updating their record to 5-17 and the Lakers’ 18-5.

Dec 14, 1999

15 yrs ago today, Kobe, Shaq and the #Lakers hold #Clippers to 19 1st half points, lowest ever in #NBA pic.twitter.com/t1H5miEEHg
— Relive Sport History (@ReliveHistory) December 15, 2014

Dodgers Sign Koufax

Today in 1953, the Brooklyn Dodgers sign 18 year-old Sandy Koufax to a $6,000 contract with a $14,000 signing bonus. #TodayInSports @Dodgers pic.twitter.com/ZGs4nMqxDE
— TodayInSports (@TodayInSportsCo) December 14, 2018

YEAR: 1953

SIGNIFICANCE: Brooklyn Dodgers signed future HOF SP Sandy Koufax at the age of 18

On Dec. 14, 1953, the Brooklyn Dodgers signed a young pitching prospect by the name of Sandy Koufax for $20,000. Koufax had already tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Giants, but both clubs decided to pass on the tall left-hander from Brooklyn, NY, leaving the Dodgers as Koufax’s only option to play pro-ball. The 18-year-old was close to giving up on his baseball dreams, as he had a basketball scholarship to play at the University of Cincinnati.

However, Dodgers scout Bill Zinser managed to convince Koufax to stay in New York and pitch for the men in blue. Zinser made the right decision and cashed in on the right prospect, as that southpaw went on to become one of the greatest pitchers baseball has ever seen. “The Left Arm of God” won three Cy Young and an MVP award in a span of four seasons where he had a minuscule 1.86 ERA. In 1972, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame with a 131 career ERA+ and a 48.9 WAR in just 12 seasons that featured arguably one of the greatest primes a pitcher has ever enjoyed in MLB history.

Consec. REC Record

Don Hutson congratulating Lance Alworth for breaking his consecutive game receptions record (96 straight games) in 1969. pic.twitter.com/YvttcM1ln6
— Ken Gelman (@kengfunk) March 4, 2019

YEAR: 1969

SIGNIFICANCE: Lance Alworth made a REC in his 96th consecutive game, breaking the NFL record

Eventually becoming the very first HOFer to spend most of his career in the AFL, Lance Alworth was a College Football HOFer before being drafted in 1962 by both the 49ers (NFL) at eighth overall and the Raiders (AFL) at ninth. After Oakland traded his rights to the Chargers (and then-WRs coach Al Davis who became the HC, GM, & Owner of the Raiders) for three offensive players, he opted to sign with San Diego over the in-state NFL club. After just ten catches in his first four games as a rookie, “Bambi” would go on to set franchise records in RECs (61), YDS (1,205), and TDs (11) to pace the Chargers in their only Championship season.

Beginning with one single catch in his career debut, Alworth would go on register at least one in every single game until his final season with San Diego in 1970. Stretching that streak to 96 consecutive games with 7 REC, 122 yards, and a TD in a season-ending blowout over the Bills on this date, Alworth surpassed Don Hutson’s all-time record of 95 consecutive games with a catch — with the legend present in San Diego to witness history first hand. Though his 64 RECs on the year ranked first in the AFL’s final season, his yardage (1,003) and TD (4) totals were below his previous standards to precede the end of his streak in Week 1 of 1970.

Wilt & Baylor Duel

Donovan Mitchell of the @utahjazz and Jamal Murray of the @nuggets are the first pair of players to score 50+ points each in a non-overtime game (regular season or postseason) since Wilt Chamberlain (63) and Elgin Baylor (51) did so on December 14, 1962.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 24, 2020

YEAR: 1962

SIGNIFICANCE: Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor each scored 50+ PTS, 1 of 3 times this has ever been done

In the early days of the National Basketball Association, the league wasn’t littered with the immense plethora of iconic superstars it is today. Only nine teams constructed the NBA with certain squads containing cornerstone players — a couple of them being Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors and Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers. These two tangoed in some must-see entertainment over the years, but 12/14 of 1962 marked one of their most alluring dances. The Lakers relocated from the Great Lakes of Minneapolis just two years prior, where Wilt later joined Baylor as a magnificent addition to the franchise’s lore of big men.

The 20-9 Lakers and 9-17 Warriors went to war, but the event quickly transformed into a two-man show. Chamberlain was responsible for 63 PTS and Baylor 51 as the Lakers’ barely edged out Philly 120-118, in part to a 23-pt boost from Jerry West. This wasn’t the only time the HOFers flexed their offensive mite as they blew up for a combined 141 points almost exactly a year prior. These occurrences happen to stand as two of the three times in regular-season history that players from opposing teams posted 50+ PTS. As fate would have it, the third time this took place was with Laker Kobe Bryant and Warrior Antawn Jamison in 2000.

NOTE: Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray became the first opposing players to each score 50+ PTS in a postseason game during the 2020 bubble playoffs

End of Losing Streaks

Fans of the New Orleans "Aints" in 1980, the first team to finish 1-15. The Saints' only win was a 21-20 squeaker over the 4-12 N.Y. Jets. pic.twitter.com/cCXYS0AzGP
— Can't Win 4 Losing (@cantwinpodcast) April 17, 2017

YEAR: 1980 & 1988

SIGNIFICANCE: New Orleans Saints finally won after starting 0-14 AND Miami Heat won their 1st game ever

Following a devastating 28-point collapse to the 49ers — led by a young Joe Montana — a week earlier, New Orleans’ misery grew to 0-14 with their most recent win approaching an entire calendar year (12/16/79). Only two more chances to avoid becoming the very first 0-16 team in NFL history remained — a road matchup with the 3-11 Jets, and the finale at home against the 9-6 Patriots, but after their record-setting blown lead the previous week, the “Ain’ts” seemed destined for history.

Amid a disastrous season of their own, the Jets started 0-5 after an 8-8 finish in 1979, much like the Saints. After taking an early lead at the snowy Shea Stadium, New Orleans then allowed 13 unanswered points by halftime. The Saints briefly held a 14-13 fourth-quarter lead, but QB Richard Todd retook it with a 31-yard TD scramble. Archie Manning then led a 74-yard drive capped off by yet another 1-yard TD by FB Tony Galbreath to take another one-point lead. The defense held strong for another 3:40, ending the ensuing drive with a sack on third and 18 to secure their only win of the dreadful 1980 season, avoiding their 0-16 fate.

In accordance with the phrase “all good things must come to an end”, the same rings true for bad things as the Miami Heat’s 0-17 record did on this date in 1988. In that season the NBA expanded, adding the Charlotte Hornets to the East and now, 3x champions Miami Heat to the West — now in the Eastern Conference. It wasn’t always clear skies for Miami, however, with gloomy days plaguing their first season as they accumulated 17 straight losses to christen their existence.

After establishing the record for the most straight losses to open a season on December 8th, the team finally came into its own six days later to scrape by with their first-ever victory that ended the historic streak. The confidence-building triumph came over the Clippers 89-88 with L.A.’s Danny Manning scoring the game-high with 23 points. To the Heat’s dismay, winning didn’t come much simpler as the year progressed with their final record being a league-worst 15-67. Fortunately, the Miami Heat are in much better shape today coming off a NBA Finals appearance and full of promising, young talent.

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