It was nothing unusual for the Pistons to be watching a replay of the Knicks’ most recent performance in the locker room before tonight’s game. But they did get to see bits and pieces of the first 50-point game by a visiting player at the Garden since Detroit’s Rip Hamilton scored 51 in a triple-overtime game in 2006.
Jarvis Hayes was especially inquisitive about LeBron’s night, amazed not so much by the 50 points but the fact that they came on only 30 field-goal attempts. I got Jarvis up to speed, pointing out that LeBron also had 10 assists and eight rebounds, leaving him two rebounds shy of a rare 50-point triple-double.
Of course, I shouldn’t have sparked Jarvis’ interest without being prepared. He’s obviously a student of the game, and so naturally he asked: “Has that ever been done?”
With Rasheed Wallace (ankle) in street clothes and not even on the bench – thus virtually assured of avoiding any technical fouls – I had time to look it up during the game.
According to www.basketballreference.com, no one has recorded a 50-point triple double since the 1986-87 season, which is as far back as their records go. Larry Bird was the closest, with 49 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists on March 15, 1992 against Portland.
UPDATED: My pal Bob Finnan from the News-Herald of Elyria, Ohio, reports that the last player to score 50 points as part of a points-rebounds-assists triple double was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Jan. 19, 1975. Who knew?
Speaking of Hamilton, there will be no 50-point game for him tonight. With 43 seconds left in the second quarter, Rip was just assessed his second technical foul and was ejected with six points. You should have seen the look he got from Flip Saunders as he ripped off his headband and headed to the tunnel.