Toppin made 16 of 28 field goals, including 6 of 14 3-pointers, in the final game of his second season in the NBA. He earned more playing time at the end of the season with starter Julius Randle sidelined by injury. The Knicks finished the season 37-45.
“I just feel real confident,” Toppin told reporters. “We had a lot of fun today. We went into the last two games like, ‘Let’s not ruin anything, and let’s not embarrass ourselves. Let’s win these last couple of games,’ and we did it.”
Toppin is the fifth former Flyer to score 40 or more points in a game at the NBA or ABA level.
Here are the career-best scoring nights for the four previous former Flyers to score 40 or more points in a game.
• Roger Brown scored 46 points on 15-of-29 shooting while making 16 of 19 free throws for the Indiana Pacers on March 11, 1969, in a 122-112 victory against the New York Nets.
• Hank Finkel scored 42 points on 13-of-22 shooting, while making 16 of 18 free throws, for the San Diego Rockets on March 7, 1968, in 119-102 loss to the Lakers.
• Jim Paxson scored 41 points on 16-of-33 shooting for the Portland Trail Blazers on March 16, 1984, in a 156-155 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
• Don May scored 40 points on 16-of-27 shooting for the Buffalo Braves on March 2, 1971, in a 131-118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Toppin ranks 12th among former Flyers in scoring at the NBA/ABA level, according to ProBasketballReference.com. Here’s a list of former Flyers who have scored in the NBA and their career totals: Paxson (11,199); Brown (10,498); Johnny Davis (9,710); Bockhorn (5,430); May (3,339); Finkel (2,790); Monk Meineke (2,338); Brian Roberts (2,059); Negele Knight (1,699); Jim Palmer (1,595); Jim Paxson Sr. (1,105); Toppin (901); Chris Johnson (650); Sedric Toney (409); Donald Smith (283); Bobby Joe Hooper (271); Chris Wright (118); Chris Harris (101); John Horan (34); Kostas Antetekounmpo (21); Chuck Grigsby (16); Charles Cooke (6); and Jordan Sibert (3).
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