Bernard King

Cross-checked NBA and Knicks legends profiles, official classic-game film and franchise playoff records, league Christmas histories, verified archive box scores, contemporary series retrospectives, and recurring fan discussion. The 1984 postseason is deliberately central because consensus remembers King's scoring through its stakes and physical adversity; the remaining games capture his Christmas record, consecutive 50-point feat, and extraordinary reconstruction into an All-Star scorer after catastrophic knee injury.

1. #1. Playing with the flu and two dislocated fingers, King scored 44 points with 12 rebounds as New York survived Isiah Thomas's late barrage in overtime, winning the decisive Game 5 and completing his record 42.6-point series. NBA classic: 1984 Knicks–Pistons Game 5 · Pistons: The King–Thomas classic
2. #2. King poured in 44 points on 16-of-25 shooting and added three steals to beat eventual champion Boston 106–104, forcing a seventh game and completing his fourth consecutive 40-point playoff performance. NBA: Knicks single-game playoff scoring leaders · Knicks: Celebrating the 1984 playoff run
3. #3. King scored 60 points on 19-of-30 shooting and 22-of-26 free throws against New Jersey, setting the NBA Christmas Day scoring record in the defining regular-season performance of his career. NBA Flashback: Bernard King's Christmas 60 · NBA: Most memorable Christmas moments
4. #4. One night after scoring 50 in San Antonio, King made 20 of 28 shots for another 50 in a victory at Dallas, becoming the first NBA player in 20 years to post consecutive 50-point games. NBA legends profile: Bernard King · NBA official Knicks–Mavericks box score
5. #5. Nearly six years after the knee injury once expected to end his career, the 34-year-old King scored 52 points with eight rebounds and six assists at Denver during the season that returned him to the All-Star starting lineup. NBA legends profile: Bernard King's comeback · NBA: King's 1991 All-Star return

Reviewed through 2026-07-18