On This Date in Sports December 25, 1984
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
On Christmas at Madison Square Garden, Bernard King of the New York Knicks has a game for the ages, scoring 60 points. However, King’s effort was not enough to get his struggling team a win, as the Knicks suffered a 120-114 loss to the New Jersey Nets. Bernard King would win the league’s scoring title, averaging 32.9 ppg before suffering a knee injury, as the Knicks finished last with a record of 24-58.
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Born in Brooklyn on December 4, 1956, Bernard King was drafted by the New Jersey Nets out of Tennessee following their first NBA season. King showed greatness right away, averaging 24.2 points per game as he was named to the All-Rookie Team. Despite two solid seasons in New Jersey, Bernard King was traded to the Utah Jazz in 1979. A year later he was moved on to the Golden State Warriors, where he spent two seasons before being traded to the New York Knicks for the troubled Michael Ray Richardson.
It was with the Knicks that Bernard King found happiness as he became a fan favorite and an All-Star. In the 1983/84 season, King was named First Team All-NBA as he averaged 26.3 points per game. The season was highlighted by a Texas trip, where he became the first player since 1964 to score 50 points in back-to-back games. In the playoffs, Bernard King carried New York to the second round of the playoffs where they lost a hard-fought seven-game series to the Boston Celtics. In the first round King, scored 44 points in an unforgettable Game 5 duel with Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons, despite playing with flu-like symptoms and two dislocated fingers.
The following season was one of disappointment for the Knicks coached by Hubie Brown, as they got off to a slow start and held a 12-18 record heading into a Christmas Day showdown with their rivals from across the Hudson River. The New Jersey Nets led by Stan Albek where not doing much better enter the game at Madison Square Garden. It was clear early that, Bernard King had the hot hand, as he dropped 40 points in the first half, as the Nets appeared helpless at times. Despite King’s big half the Nets who trailed by as much as 16 points were only down 64-54 at the half. In the third quarter, the Nets began chipping away at the Knicks, as King was unable to keep his torrid pace. With the Nets trailing just 81-77 entering the third quarter, the Knicks shortcomings became apparent. With five minutes left the Nets took the lead for the first time since the opening seconds, as Michael Ray Richardson completed a three-point play. Bernard King became the Knicks only weapon as he set a new franchise record for points scored with 60, breaking the old mark of 57 held by Richie Guerin since 1959. However, it was not enough as the Nets won the game 120-114. Leading the way for New Jersey, was Michael Ray Richardson who had 36 points.
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Big scoring nights for Bernard King and losses was the theme of the Knicks 1984/85 season as they finished with a disappointing record of 24-58. Making matters worse, King suffered a devastating knee injury in a game against the Kansas City Kings on March 23, 1985. King would go on to win the scoring title with 32.9 points per game as he was first team All-NBA again. However, he would miss the entire 1985/86 season as the Knicks won the draft lottery and picked Patrick Ewing starting a new era at the Garden. At the time no player in NBA history ever recovered from a torn ACL. King defied the odds and played six games with the Knicks in 1987. However, the explosiveness was gone, and Bernard King was released following the season.
Bernard King would move on to play with the Washington Bullets and showed flashes of his former his former greatness, making the All-Star team once in four seasons, before knee troubles caught up with him. After missing the 1991/92 season King played one more season with the Nets retiring in 1993. In 2013 Bernard King was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.