| The New York Knicks, short for "Knickerbockers", | | | | Square Garden history. The entire starting five |
| play in New York City's famous Madison Square | | | | from the 1970 Knicks team has had their jersey |
| Garden. The Knicks were members of the | | | | numbers retired. The team failed to return to the |
| now-defunct Basketball Association of America, | | | | NBA Championships in 1971. They played in the |
| which merged with the National Basketball League | | | | NBA Championship again in 1972, but this time the |
| to form the National Basketball Association in | | | | Knicks lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five |
| 1949. In the NBA's first ten years, the Knicks | | | | games. The following year, the Knicks turned the |
| played in three straight NBA Finals games, from | | | | tables on the Lakers and defeated them in five |
| 1951-1953. They are one of only two teams from | | | | games to win their second NBA Championship in |
| the original NBA that are still located in the same | | | | three years. 1973-1974 was another impressive |
| city. The Knicks won their first game against the | | | | year for the Knicks; they reached the Eastern |
| Toronto Huskies, 68-66. The Knicks continued to | | | | Conference finals where they were defeated by |
| field respectable teams in the 1950s, but | | | | the Celtics in five games. Willis Reed retired after |
| witnessed a marked decline in the 1960s. From | | | | this season, placing the Knicks' future in jeopardy. |
| 1960-1966, the Knicks finished in last place in their | | | | The rest of the 1970s were pretty unremarkable |
| division each year. Two of the worst losses in | | | | for the New York Knicks, except to mention that |
| Knicks history happened during this time: a | | | | a young bench player and defensive specialist |
| 162-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Wilt | | | | named Phil Jackson was a member of those |
| Chamberlain's famous 100 point game was against | | | | teams; Jackson went on to coach the Chicago |
| the Knicks on March 3, 1962. Over the next few | | | | Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to a total of nine |
| years, the Knicks drafted some quality players: | | | | championships; tied with professional basketball |
| Willis Reed, the future NBA Rookie of the Year, | | | | coaching legend Red Auerbach. After a |
| Bill Bradley, and Dave Stallworth. After showing | | | | disappointing 1984-1985 season, the Knicks won |
| promise in 1967, the Knicks General Manager hired | | | | the first pick in the first-ever NBA Draft Lottery; |
| Red Holzman to be their head coach; the Knicks | | | | they chose center Patrick Ewing from |
| made the playoffs again that year. In 1969, the | | | | Georgetown University. Ewing won the NBA |
| Knicks made it to the finals but lost to the Boston | | | | Rookie of the Year Award in 1986; however, the |
| Celtics. The Knicks won an impressive 18 games | | | | team did not fare as well that year. The Knicks |
| in a row during the 1969-1970 season; they | | | | went on to win four division titles with Ewing, as |
| finished that year with a 60-22 record-the best in | | | | well as two Conference titles. Today, it seems |
| the team's history. The Knicks would meet the | | | | that the Knicks are in another one of their |
| Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Championship in | | | | multi-year declines. If history is any indication, |
| 1970. They won in dramatic fashion in game | | | | some new blood will shake up the organization |
| seven, when an injured Willis Reed walked on the | | | | again and put the Knicks on the road to winning |
| court and shot two baskets-this incident was later | | | | another NBA Championship. |
| voted one of the greatest moments in Madison | | | | |