NBA: 3 players who recorded 40 points and 20 rebounds without a turnover

Anthony Davis is the best center in the NBA today
Anthony Davis is the best center in the NBA today

Scoring 40 points and pulling down 20 rebounds without a turnover in a single game is not an ordinary achievement. It has only happened thrice in the NBA and all three times, it was a center who got to the landmark, quite expectedly.

All the three players on this list are All-Star players who created an extraordinary impact on the game and dominated the oppositions, night in and night out. Through the course of this article, let us take a look at three players who recorded 40 points and 20 rebounds without a turnover.


#1 Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal's double-double helped the Magic beat Hornets
Shaquille O'Neal's double-double helped the Magic beat Hornets

Stat line: 46 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks on 62.5 % shooting

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest centers to have ever played the game of basketball and used his height and strength to dominate the league for 19 years. He was a 3-time finals MVP and along with Kobe Bryant, the duo formed the greatest one-two punch of all-time. He spent first four years of his NBA career with the Orlando Magic and led them to three-straight playoffs appearances.

However, he could not win a title with the franchise.

In the 1994-95 regular season, the Magic lost their first game on the road to Washington Bullets but won the second game against the Philadelphia 76ers by 15 points. Shaq scored 30 points in that game and led the Magic to the win. Four nights later, the Magic were up against the Charlotte Hornets on the road for a game.

Shaq put together 46 points and 20 rebounds, including 14 offensive rebounds. He went 20-for-32 from the field on 62.5 percent shooting. The Magic went on to win the game, 130-128.

#2 Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis way too much for Charlotte
Anthony Davis way too much for Charlotte

Stat line: 46 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists and a block on 58.1 % shooting

The New Orleans Pelicans were 26-40 on the season and needed as many wins as they could get to make it to the post-season. After losing to the Toronto Raptors at home by seven points, the Pelicans were at Spectrum Center to take on the Charlotte Hornets.

Anthony Davis had a monster performance and dropped 46 points, to go along with 21 rebounds for a double-double. He was red-hot from the field and finished the night shooting 18-for-31 from the floor, with a field-goal percentage of 58.1, including 4-of-5 from the three-point line.

The Raptors defenders had no answer to Davis as he dominated the defenders in the paint and scored easy baskets. He was 6-for-8 from the free-throw line and it is also to be noted that is was his birthday. The game ended in overtime and the Pelicans won it, 125-122.

#3 Moses Malone

Moses Malone
Moses Malone

Moses Malone was a 3-time MVP and a 12-time All-Star best known for his days with the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers. After a long career in the NBA, he averaged 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

He became an NBA champion in 1983 when he lead the Sixers to the title averaging 24.5 points, 15.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game during the regular season. His numbers in the playoffs were also monstrous and the opponents had no answer for him.

He was known for his rebounding skills and led the league in rebounding six times, including a then-record five straight seasons (1981-1985). After having a career filled with accolades, his jersey number 24 was retired by the Houston Rockets.

In the 1981-82 season, Malone had a 40-point, 20-rebound game without a turnover when he posted 43 points, 23 rebounds in a 111-95 win against the Golden State Warriors.

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Edited by Sai Krishna