The Highest Points Scored Against the New York Knicks in NBA History

The New York Knicks have been part of the NBA since the league’s inception, which means they’ve been on the receiving end of some unforgettable individual scoring efforts. Whether it was at the basketball mecca Madison Square Garden or on the road, here are the five biggest scoring performances ever recorded against the Knicks, including one that will likely never be matched. 

1. Wilt Chamberlain - 100 Points 

Wilt Chamberlain’s 100‑point game is the NBA’s most unbreakable record and the ultimate example of how dominant the Big Dipper was. On March 2, 1962, in front of the Philadelphia Warriors home crowd at the Hershey Sports Arena, Chamberlain shot 36‑for‑63 from the field and 28‑for‑32 from the line, while adding 25 rebounds as he scored at will from the opening tip to the final buzzer in the Warriors' 169-147 victory. Despite having three scorers break the 30-point mark, the Knicks struggled to compete with the Warriors' forward on the defensive end. 

*Chamberlain appears three more times in the top five, including a 73-point effort and a pair of 67-point games. 

2. Elgin Baylor - 71 Points

In the team’s first season in Los Angeles, Elgin Baylor’s 71‑point masterpiece on November 15, 1960, remains the highest scoring individual effort at Madison Square Garden. The Lakers forward lit up Madison Square Garden on 28‑for‑48 shooting, plus 15 free throws. Baylor didn’t just score, but also dominated the glass, pulling down 25 rebounds in 45 minutes, leading the visiting team to a 123-108 victory. Baylor became the first player in NBA history to score over 70 points in a game, breaking his previous mark of 64 points set the prior season. 

3. Pete Maravich - 68 points 

On February 25, 1977, Pete Maravich served as maestro, leading the New Orleans Jazz to a 124-107 victory over the Knicks. Maravich hit 26-of-43 from the field and 16-of-19 from the line, adding 6 rebounds and 6 assists in 43 minutes. The Knicks tried a variety of defensive options, throwing Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Dean Meminger, and Butch Beard at him, but nothing seemed to work, as Maravich recorded a career-high in scoring. In fact, the only people who were able to stop Maravich were the officials, as he fouled out with just over a minute remaining in the game. 

4. Jerry West - 63 points 

Jerry West’s 63‑point effort for the Lakers was one of the most efficient scoring nights of his career. Shooting 22‑for‑36 from the field and adding 19 free throws, West carved up the Knicks with a blend of footwork, balance, and mid‑range precision for a 129-121 Lakers win. What makes this performance even more absurd is the pace: West did it in just 39 minutes. At just 23 years of age and in his second season, West set a record on January 17, 1962, for the most points by a guard in a single game, until Maravich broke it 15 years later. 

5. James Harden - 61 points 

The only modern entry on this list, James Harden’s 61 points at Madison Square Garden on January 23, 2019, was prime Houston‑era Harden. With a variety of step‑backs, three pointers, and drives to the hoop, Harden finished the night shooting 17-for-38 from the field, 5-of-20 from three, and an incredible 22-for-25 from the line, carrying the Rockets to a 114-110 win. In 40 minutes, Harden also added 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Harden’s effort matched that of Kobe Bryant’s 61-point night a decade earlier as the only two players since 1977 to score more than 60 points at MSG.