Do or Die

The 1977-78 NBA scoring title came down to the final day of the season. Heading into their last games, San Antonio's silky-smooth forward George Gervin was averaging 26.8 points per game. High-flying Denver showman David Thompson was at 26.6. Thompson had the greatest game of his career, shattering Wilt Chamberlain's record for most points in a quarter. When Gervin took the court later in the day, he knew that he had to respond with a masterpiece of his own—or else risk losing the crown.