1 November 1946: the game that began NBA history

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY · 2026-11-01 Sunday, 1 November 2026 1 November 1946: the game that began NBA history On this day in 1946, the New York Knickerbockers beat the Toronto Huskies 68–66 at Maple Leaf Gardens. It was the opening game of the Basketball Association of America, the league that became the National Basketball Association three years later. Why it is interesting: the modern NBA story began not with a giant spectacle, but with a tight two-point game in Toronto. The occasion even came with a memorable promotion—supporters taller than Toronto’s 6 ft 8 in centre George Nostrand were admitted free. Sources: https://www.nba.com/news/nba-celebrates-first-game-anniversary-on-nov-1-in-new-york https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-hus-0024600001/box-score