Legendary Moments in NBA History

Legendary Moments In NBA History: Pete Maravich scores 68 points vs. New York Knicks

The Utah Jazz franchise traces its roots back to New Orleans, where played from 1974-79. After all the success the Jazz have enjoyed in Utah though — particularly in the seasons led by Karl Malone and John Stockton — the best scoring game came during the team’s New Orleans era.

* Legends Profile: Pete Maravich

Hall of Famer “Pistol” Pete Maravich was in a zone on Feb. 25, 1977, torching the New York Knicks for 68 points in a 124-107 Jazz victory. Keep in mind, he did this before the 3-point line existed, shooting 26-for-43 overall and 16-for-18 on free throws. That season, Maravich would lead the NBA in scoring with a 31.1 points per game average.

He scored 40 or more points 13 times in 1976-77 and had three games of 50 or more points, too. He became one of seven players in NBA history to score 68 or more points in a game. After the Jazz win, Hall of Famer Earl Monroe of the Knicks said “The Pistol was hot tonight, he was really going off. The thing that came to mind was that he was hitting shots from everywhere.”

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