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New York Knicks: 20 greatest performances at Madison Square Garden

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 24: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks acknowledges the crowd as he leaves a game against the Charlotte Bobcats after scoring his team record 62nd point at Madison Square Garden on January 24, 2014 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Bobcats 125-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 24: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks acknowledges the crowd as he leaves a game against the Charlotte Bobcats after scoring his team record 62nd point at Madison Square Garden on January 24, 2014 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Bobcats 125-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

1. Carmelo Anthony, 62 points: Jan. 24, 2014

On Jan. 24, 2014, against the then-Charlotte Bobcats, Carmelo Anthony delivered the highest modern-day scoring mark at Madison Square Garden. It exceeded LeBron James, Bernard King and clipped Kobe Bryant by one point.

Arguably Anthony’s best game, not just with the Knicks but in his NBA career, he shredded the Bobcats for 62 points and 13 rebounds on 23-for-35 shooting, which equated for 66.7 percent from the field. Add six 3-pointers, and it tallied up his output quickly.

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Anthony dominated a team that didn’t have Kemba Walker available, and the Bobcats were below .500 at the time. So he worked over the likes of a young Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson and Josh McRoberts, none of whom were standout players.

Still, it was a takeover night for ‘Melo, who played almost flawless basketball.

Most of the damage came in the first and third quarter, with seven made shots in each period, respectively.

These trended towards the trademark pull-up jumper from the 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year, who set off The Garden with each made basket, inciting play that rarely came about from a Knick.

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No one to step into MSG has crossed this 62-point mark since. With the NBA’s rise in scoring, it would not be a surprise to see it at least matched over the next two-to-five years.