Casual Diehard

Last night was the eighth time in their long rivalry that the Knicks had two players score 30-plus points in a game against the Celtics.

So, here’s the list…

February 7, 1960 (at Boston): Knicks 142, Celtics 135 — Kenny Sears 39, Richie Guerin 37

February 11, 1961 (at Boston): Knicks 129, Celtics 107 — Richie Guerin 40, Willie Naulls 34

January 23, 1971 (at New York): Knicks 128, Celtics 107 — Walt Frazier 32, Willis Reed 30

March 27, 1976 (at New York): Knicks 105, Celtics 103 — Earl Monroe 35, Spencer Haywood 31

May 4, 1988 (Eastrern Conference first round Game 3 at New York): Knicks 109, Celtics 100 — Johnny Newman 34, Patrick Ewing 31

January 4, 2009 (at New York): Knicks 100, Celtics 88 — Wilson Chandler 31, Al Harrington 30

October 20, 2021 (at New York, the BING BONG Game): Knicks 138, Celtics 134 (OT) — Julius Randle 35, Evan Fournier 32

March 5, 2023 (at Boston): Knicks 131, Celtics 129 (2OT) — Immanuel Quickley 38, Julius Randle 31

Shoutout to RJ Barrett’s 29-point game last night, too. An incredible regular-season basketball game all around… and the first time the Knicks had a pair of 30-point scorers in Boston, it turns out, since 1961, four years before We Can Work It Out was recorded.

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They Know, They Just Don’t Care

By Linda Surovich

As a sports fan, I once again have to reconcile with the fact that my favorite sports team does not care about me. The Rangers traded for Patrick Kane despite the assault allegations against him in the past, which only went away because the accuser’s decision not to proceed with the case after her identity became known. There have been many articles bemoaning the end of an era in Chicago, while at the same time looking the other way about the accusations against him. Kane, like so many others, managed to look the other way when a teammate was sexually assaulted by a video coach.

The entire team stayed silent and let a teammate suffer in silence, while Kane, himself facing allegations, was celebrated as the face of the franchise, and even of the NHL.

Obviously this isn’t a problem unique to one sport, even in Chicago and New York. White Sox fans are in the same situation now that Mike Clevinger is on their team and the subject of heinous allegations himself. The Mets parted ways with Khalil Lee after he was accused of domestic violence but then inexplicably brought him back. Expecting more from teams at this point is folly. They have repeatedly shown they don’t care, as long as the player is talented enough to help them win. The real change needs to come from within.

There is some progress in that area since Trevor Bauer remains unsigned. The Dodgers said he would not be welcomed back into the clubhouse, so when the players speak up, and with pressure coming from their peers, it might lead to some actual change. However this is still only one example. Justin Verlander was one of the loudest and most prominent voices to speak out against domestic violence until the Astros acquired Roberto Osuna. He went noticeably quiet after that because again winning is everything.

This problem will continue to persist because both teams and players are not motivated enough to see anything change. That leaves fans and the media to make our voices heard and to hold them accountable for their actions. This means thinking twice about writing glowing articles about players that have credible accusations against them, no matter how talented they are.

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When Damian Lillard had his 71-point game, it wasn’t just a new Portland Trail Blazers record, it was also a record for the most points scored against the Houston Rockets. We know the record for scoring against the Knicks is Wilt Chamberlain with 100 points back on March 2, 1962 (see yesterday’s episode)… so, how about the rest of the NBA?

Lillard broke a record previously held by Allen Iverson, who scored 58 against Houston in 2002. The Answer still has one of the team-specific records that comes up when you go down the Stathead rabbit hole: the most points scored in a game against the New Orleans Hornets — specifically the New Orleans Hornets, with 55 on April 20, 2003. A double nickel… a dime, if you will, on 4/20.

Thing is, Devin Booker had a 58-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans this season, and George Gervin once scored 63 against the New Orleans Jazz.

So, let’s just go through some players and admire their great performances that are records against some forms of team — most active, some not.

Alvan Adams: 47 vs. Buffalo Braves, 1977

LaMarcus Aldridge: 56 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 2019

Carmelo Anthony: 62 vs. Charlotte Bobcats, 2014

Elgin Baylor: 63 vs. Philadelphia Warriors, 1961

Devin Booker: 70 vs. Boston Celtics, 2017; 58 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 2022

Kobe Bryant: 81 vs. Toronto Raptors, 2006; 65 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 2007; 62 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 2005; 60 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 2007; 60 vs. Utah Jazz, 2016

Wilt Chamberlain: 100 vs. New York Knicks, 1962; 78 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 1961; 73 vs. Chicago Packers, 1962; 70 vs. Syracuse Nationals, 1963; 67 vs. St. Louis Hawks, 1962; 66 vs. Phoenix Suns, 1969; 65 vs. Cincinnati Royals, 1962; 63 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1964; 62 vs. San Francisco Warriors, 1966; 56 vs. Baltimore Bullets, 1964

Tom Chambers: 60 vs. Seattle SuperSonics, 1990

DeMarcus Cousins: 56 vs. Charlotte Hornets (current), 2016

Tony Delk: 53 vs. Sacramento Kings, 2001

Joe Fulks: 63 vs. Indianapolis Jets, 1949

George Gervin: 63 vs. New Orleans Jazz, 1978

Gail Goodrich: 53 vs. Kansas City/Omaha Kings, 1975

James Harden: 61 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 2019; 58 vs. Miami Heat, 2018

Allen Iverson: 55 vs. New Orleans Hornets, 2003

Michael Jordan: 69 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 1990; 64 vs. Orlando Magic, 1993; 61 vs. Atlanta Hawks, 1987; 57 vs. Washington Bullets, 1992

Bernard King: 60 vs. New Jersey Nets, 1984

Damian Lillard: 71 vs. Houston Rockets, 2023; 61 vs. Golden State Warriors, 2020; 60 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 2019

Karl Malone: 61 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 1990

Moses Malone: 53 vs. San Diego Clippers, 1982

Antonio McDyess: 46 vs. Vancouver Grizzlies, 1999

Tracy McGrady: 62 vs. Washington Wizards, 2004

George Mikan: 61 vs. Rochester Royals, 1952

Reggie Miller: 57 vs. Charlotte Hornets (original), 1992

Donovan Mitchell: 71 vs. Chicago Bulls, 2023; 57 vs. Denver Nuggets, 2020

Tony Parker: 55 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 2008

David Robinson: 71 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 1994

David Thompson: 73 vs. Detroit Pistons, 1978

Klay Thompson: 60 vs. Indiana Pacers, 2016

Jack Twyman: 59 vs. Minneapolis Lakers, 1960

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Today is the 61st anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game…

…and we’re less than a week away from Damian Lillard scoring 71 against the Rockets. You don’t need a cool video on that, it just happened and it’s all over the internet.

I noticed on the list of all-time 70-point games that Lillard’s was the first in the month of February. Indeed, according to Stathead, the all-time record for the month had been 68 by Pete Maravich in 1977. Naturally, I wanted to find out the rest of the monthly records, so I did, and here they are…

January: Kobe Bryant, 81 (Lakers vs. Raptors, 2006)

February: Lillard, 71 (Trail Blazers vs. Rockets, Sunday)

March: Chamberlain, 100 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Knicks at Hershey, Pa., 1962)

April: David Thompson, 73 (Nuggets at Pistons, 1978)

May: Charles Barkley, 56 (Suns at Warriors, 1994 Western Conference first round)

June: Michael Jordan, 55 (Bulls vs. Suns, 1993 NBA Finals) and Lillard, 55 (Trail Blazers at Nuggets, 2021 Western Conference first round)

July: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 50 (Bucks vs. Suns, 2021 NBA Finals)

August: Lillard, 61 (Trail Blazers vs. Mavericks at Bay Lake, Fla., 2020)

September: Jamal Murray, 40 (Nuggets vs. Clippers, 2020 Western Conference semifinals)

October: Chamberlain, 59 (San Francisco Warriors vs. Knicks, 1962) and James Harden, 59 (Rockets at Wizards, 2019)

November: Chamberlain, 73 (San Francisco Warriors at Knicks, 1962)

December: Chamberlain, 78 (Philadelphia Warriors vs. Lakers, 1961)

Lillard now owns or shares three of these records, two thanks to the coronavirus pandemic schedules. Chamberlain still holds three of the monthly scoring records that he set in the calendar year of 1962.

There’s a lot more from this rabbit hole to come. Stay tuned! —JS

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Editor’s note: Tomorrow is the 61st anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, and starting tomorrow, our podcast episodes will come packed with more facts dug out of sports rabbit holes… stay tuned!

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It… snowed! It snowed in New York! Finally.

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Check out the new LFGM Pride Flag in the Willets Pen shop, and remember to use code WCPIO for 10% off any purchase!

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Editor’s note: The content machine is slowly coming online… you’ve seen it sputter out fits and starts a bit, but this week was quiet, eh? Well, it’s not all linear, and it’s learning how to do this thing while also juggling a dozen other new Life Things. I love what’s happening here though, and love Andrew and Roger continuing that NYC tradition of Scott Muni with Beatles at noon. Have a great weekend, thank you for supporting us, and get free shipping in our shop with the code THEFREESHIPPINGCODE.

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They didn’t do a very good job hiding him. He wound up in Miami.

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