The Knicks 2026 NBA Championship run was nothing short of magical.
After finishing with just the 6th best record in the NBA, and then losing 2 of the first 3 games in their opening round to the Hawks, the Knicks appeared to be going nowhere.
And then they went on a 13 game winning streak, the longest in Eastern Conference Playoff history.
The Knicks finished off the Spurs, having won 15 out of their last 16 games to capture the NBA title, the first for the Knicks since 1973.
We heard quite a bit about that last fact during this year’s finals - this was the Knicks first title since 1973.
What we didn’t hear much about was how magical that run was by the Knicks in ‘73.
In this post, I would like to reveal the magic of ‘73.
In 2023, I set my sports time travel machine back 50 years to 1973, so that I could experience the last time The New York Knickerbockers (yes, that’s still the real name of the team), won an NBA title. I had lived through it. But I didn’t remember all of it. I wrote several articles, and I was stunned by the incredible events that took place in the Knicks 1973 run to the title.
I’m now sharing those articles from my paid archives for FREE through the end of June, when they will return to my archives collection.
The links to the articles are provided near the end of this post.
First, I will share the highlights of these journeys.
Join me now as we go back in time to 1973.
1973 SEASON PREVIEW
There are 4 super teams in the NBA here in 1973.
In the past 4 seasons, each of these 4 teams has won an NBA title.
That makes this 1973 season the bubble year. The team that wins the title this 1973 season can claim the crown of best NBA team over the past 5 years.
Here are the 4 super teams in order of their most recent NBA titles:
The Boston Celtics - They won the 1969 NBA title in Bill Russell’s final season. Now re-stocked with 1973 MVP Dave Cowens at center, and John Havlicek emerging as one of the league’s top scorers, the Celtics are back as a contender. The Celtics won their first 11 games of the 1973 season.
The New York Knicks - Winners of the 1970 NBA championship, New York Fans are rabid for the team’s unselfish play and focus on defense. Chants of “Dee-fense, Dee-fense” frequently rock the garden. Their captain, 1970 MVP Willis Reed, has been subpar the last two years due to injuries. But the Knicks started the season hot, winning 10 of their first 11.
The Milwaukee Bucks - An expansion team in 1969, the Bucks had the good fortune to select 1st in the 1969 draft, and picked Lew Alcindor. In 1971, Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and changed the Bucks into NBA Champions. He also won both the 1971 and 1972 MVP awards. The Bucks got off to a hot start winning 11 of their first 13 games.
The Los Angeles Lakers - The defending 1972 NBA champions set an American major pro sports record last season with a 33 game winning streak. They also set the record for most wins in an NBA season in 1972 with 69. Led by two all-time greats, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, the Lakers got off to a great start in the 1973 season, with a 20 - 1 stretch, to reach 25 - 4 in mid-December.
The Knicks Fairytale Comeback - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - November 18, 1972
In an early season game against the 1971 champion Milwaukee Bucks, the Knicks were down 18 points with under 6 minutes remaining.
The Knicks scored the last 19 points of the game to win it by 1 point.
My favorite part of this experience was reading Tony Kornheiser’s description of the crowd noise on a Walt Frazier steal during the historic 19 - 0 run.
Frazier’s steal brought the crowd to the level of a frenzy, and they effectively became the Knicks invaluable 6th man. Kornheiser wrote that the crowd was yelling “dee-fense,” “at decibels bordering on the inhuman.”
“I give full credit to the crowd”, said Bill Bradley in The New York Times. In the New York Daily News, Bradley reiterated, “The game ball belongs to the crowd. They are the greatest.”
NOTE From The Sports Time Traveler
The Knicks miracle come from behind victory, scoring the final 19 points of the game, remains an NBA record. And they did it against one of the super teams of the era.
A Chiller and a Thriller - Playoff games from April 16, 1973
There were two Sunday playoff games on this day, and they were both must see television:
BOSTON GARDEN - Knicks at Celtics, Game 1 ECF
The Celtics were 68 - 14 during the 1973 season for tying the 2nd most victories for a single season in NBA history. And the Celtics came into game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals having won 28 of the last 32 games.
The Knicks had kept pace with the Celtics most of the season, reaching a high point of 43 - 12. But from that point on, the Knicks limped home with a 14 - 15 record as they entered the playoffs.
In game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics slaughtered the Knicks 134 - 108. It was the kind of thrashing that is hard to recover from.
It was the worst Knicks loss in 88 games played this season - a real chiller.
THE FORUM - Bulls at Lakers, Game 7 First Round
On this same day, the scrappy Chicago Bulls had the defending champion Lakers on the ropes. With 30 seconds to go, the Bulls had the ball and led 92 - 91. Their star point guard Norm Van Lier was having a career game with 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Van Lier controlled the ball and found some open space with 30 seconds in the game. He was 20 feet out preparing to shoot. Another basket would put the defending champion Lakers on the brink of exiting the playoffs. A Van Lier basket would put the Bulls up by 3 with less than 30 seconds to play (NOTE: there is no 3 point shot in 1973).
At this moment, Wilt Chamberlain decided to gamble. Chamberlain went out to contest Van Lier’s shot. Mal Florence of the Los Angeles Times described the play, “Wilt went out on Norman at the propitious time. Van Lier tried to fire from medium range, but Chamberlain not only blocked the shot, but got the ball and let fly with a long pass to Goodrich.”
In the Chicago Tribune, Bob Logan described Chamberlain’s pass, “(Chamberlain) fed a Johnny Unitas style bomb to the sprinting Gail Goodrich who put it in for the winning points.”
The Lakers survived a game 7 thriller and will meet the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
The Warriors knocked off the 1971 champion Bucks in the 1st round. Although the Bucks were a 60 game winner, they were gone from the playoffs.
You can see Chamberlain’s series saving block at the 1:47 time stamp on this video:
It just might be the greatest play of Chamberlain’s career.
The Celtics Never Lose
The Knicks recovered from the game 1 rout in Boston and turned the tables on the Celtics. A scheduling quirk gave the Knicks the home court for games 2 and 3, and the Knicks took advantage. They destroyed the Celtics in game 2 by 33. And then marched on to take game 3.
Back in Boston for game 4, it was a double OT marathon, in which Dave Cowens played all 55 minutes for the Celtics. But the Knicks prevailed to take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead.
The Celtics won game 5 in Boston and game 6 in New York to set up a game 7 at the Boston Garden.
Here in 1973, it is a stunning fact that Boston has never lost a game 7. They are a 10 - 0 in game 7’s.
The Knicks Always Beat the Celtics - Boston Garden - April 29, 1973
CELTICS 22 KNICKS 19 - End of 1st Quarter
Red Holzman made a strategic move to start the 2nd quarter. He took out Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and put in back up guard Dean Meminger, a speedy 6 footer, to defend against Boston guard Jo-Jo White.
Meminger never came back out.
He played the final 36 minutes without a break after only playing 16 minutes in game 6.
Meminger not only played aggressive defense, he helped open up the offense.
Meminger had 9 points in the 1st 9 minutes of the 2nd quarter and the Knicks took the halftime lead.
KNICKS 45 CELTICS 40 - HALFTIME
Early in the 3rd quarter Knicks’ power forward DeBusschere got into foul trouble. Then Jerry Lucas got into foul trouble. The injured Willis Reed took over guarding Dave Cowens. Cowens, who had scored 15 in the first half, managed only 2 in the 3rd.
The Knicks widened their lead to 15.
KNICKS 72 CELTICS 57 - End of 3rd Quarter
The Knicks continued to expand the lead reaching a 20 point margin with 5 minutes to go at 86 - 66.
KNICKS 94 CELTICS 78 - FINAL SCORE
In 82 regular season and 12 playoff games, this was the Knicks best defensive performance and the only time all year they held an opponent to less than 80 points.
The Knicks had become the first team to ever beat the Celtics in a game 7. And they did it in a year in which the Celtics had won a franchise record 68 games.
NOTE From the Sports Time Traveler
I was 9 years old when the game took place. It was a great spring day in New Jersey and I was very happy playing outside in our backyard.
I was big Knicks fan, but I was also a 9 year old kid who had spent the long winter waiting for a weekend day like this.
In what must have been late in the game, my dad came outside and yelled to me, “Come inside the Knicks are going to beat the Celtics!”
Searching for an excuse to stay outside, I yelled back, “The Knicks always beat the Celtics.”
In my 9 year old view of the world, the Celtics dynasty was ancient history. What was top of mind for me was that the Knicks had beaten the Celtics 4 games to 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals the prior year. So I expected another Knicks victory.
I didn’t listen to my dad.
And I missed this end of this epic game 7.
The DeBusschere Debacle
Dave DeBusschere of the Knicks played a key role in game 4 of the 1973 NBA Finals
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - May 9, 1973
The Lakers got out to a 20 point lead in game 1 and held on despite a ferocious Knicks 4th quarter rally.
In game 2, the Knicks fouled Chamberlain incessantly when he got the ball down low and Chamberlain responded going 1 for 9 from the free throw line.
The Knicks won it 99 - 95.
SERIES TIED 1 - 1
In game 3, Wilt seemed afraid to shoot. He attempted only 3 field goals.
In addition, Jerry West, already hampered by a left hamstring injury, suffered a pull in his right hamstring and missed the 4th quarter. Before leaving the game, West was ineffective going 5 for 13.
The Knicks won it 87 - 83.
The 83 points were the Lakers lowest point total in a playoff game since the advent of the 24 second clock.
KNICKS LEAD THE SERIES 2 - 1
With Jerry West hampered by his hamstrings, the Knicks raced out to a 21 point lead in the 2nd quarter of game 4. And they led 13 late in the game.
KNICKS 88 LAKERS 75 - 9 minutes to play in game 4
The sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden began chanting, “Goodbye Lakers.”
And then the game turned.
“Suddenly the Lakers led by an ailing Jerry West, came alive,” wrote Larry Fox, in the New York Daily News.
And then the Knicks went cold.
The Lakers held them scoreless for 4 minutes. In this stretch, Knicks guard Walt Frazier, who had played the entire game and controls the ball on offense, fouled out.
Without Frazier guarding him, Jerry West hit a clutch shot from the top of the key with 1:16 to go to pull the Lakers to within 2.
KNICKS 94 LAKERS 92 - 1:16 to play in game 4
Doug Ives, writing in the Long Beach Press-Telegram described the action as the Knicks had the ball entering the final minute, “New York hadn’t scored in 5 minutes and panic was about to set in. Defensed brilliantly, Bill Bradley was forced to take a long jumper with only 2 seconds left on the 24 second clock. The shot missed and was heading into the hands of Wilt Chamberlain.”
Chamberlain told Mal Florence after the game, “Yes, I had it for a moment, but I couldn’t quite control it.”
Larry Fox described why Chamberlain couldn’t secure the rebound, “But Willis Reed was there too, inspirational hero of the great Knick victory 3 years ago. Reed tipped the ball back up. Again Chamberlain was there to pick it off.”
But Chamberlain couldn’t get the ball the 2nd time either.
Wilt told Larry Fox, “Dave (DeBusschere) slipped in front of me.”
Knicks forward, Dave DeBusschere had managed to grab the ball.
Doug Ives described this part of the play, “DeBusschere, the 12 year veteran, giving away 8 inches, managed to wrest the ball from Chamberlain’s grasp and in the same motion push the ball toward the basket with Wilt draped all over him.”
DeBusschere made the basket.
Fox wrote, “DeBusschere leaped into the air in exultation when he scored on the rebound.”
But that’s not all. DeBusschere was also fouled on the play.
Doug Ives wrote, “The ball swished through. Chamberlain was called for a foul, and while 19,964 fans went beserk, DeBusschere sank the ensuing free throw that turned a 2 point game into a 5 point game.
It was a 3 point play at the most critical moment. The first Knicks points in nearly 5 minutes of action, and with Frazier out of the game.
It was a back breaking moment for the Lakers.
KNICKS 97 LAKERS 92 - 48 seconds to play in game 4
Jerry West told Mal Florence, “It was the biggest play of the series. If we had gotten the ball, the clock was in our favor.”
The game wasn’t quite over after DeBusschere’s 3 point play, but the Lakers never got closer than 3 points.
KNICKS 103 LAKERS 98 - FINAL SCORE
KNICKS LEAD THE SERIES 3 - 1
The Team With No MVP
THE FORUM - INGLEWOOD, CA - May 11, 1973
Although the Lakers had their backs to the wall, they had the benefit of 2 of the last 3 games at home if they could push the series to the limit.
LAKERS 41 KNICKS 39 - Halftime
In the 3rd quarter, the Knicks dug in with their trademark defense.
Leonard Koppett wrote in the New York Times, “Team defense; that’s the Knick’s religion. Calm professionalism; that’s the Knick’s style.”
The Knicks forced 12 Lakers turnovers in 12 minutes and that fueled a 32 - 18 quarter and put the Knicks up by 12 going into the final period.
KNICKS 71 LAKERS 59 - End of 3rd Quarter
Dave DeBusschere scored on a driving layup with 9 minutes to go, but he sprained his ankle badly and had to be carried off the court.
With DeBusschere out, the Lakers mounted a comeback and pulled to within 4 points at 84 - 80.
But as has been the case with the Knicks, several players stepped up at this critical time late in the game.
Bill Bradley scored on a pass from Willis Reed. Then Earl “the Pearl” Monroe made a 3 point play (the old fashioned way). And finally, the captain, Reed, hit a jumper and the Knicks pushed the lead back to 11 points with under 2 minutes to go.
KNICKS 93 LAKERS 82 - 1:52 left to play in the game
Reed’s jumper iced it. The Knicks won it 102 - 93.
Walt Frazier, who played all but 10 minutes across the entire 5 games, told the New York Daily News, “It was our poise and expertise, and the ability to not crack under pressure,” that won the series for the Knicks.
WORLD CHAMPIONS
The New York Knickerbockers were the World Champions for the 2nd time in 4 seasons. And they had done it by defeating Lakers, the team with the best record in the NBA over the past 2 seasons.
The Knicks had really done something astonishing. They had defeated the 68 win Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, and then beaten the Defending NBA Champion Lakers in the Finals, a team that had 69 games the prior year in the Finals. No team has ever beaten two such opponents in consecutive playoff series.
The Team is the MVP
Willis Reed was voted the MVP of the series. But Sport Magazine noted that they selected Reed for “leadership as captain of a total team effort.”
Reed himself was quick to agree with Sport Magazine’s assertion. He told Jeff Prugh of the Los Angeles Times, “We’ve got 5 guys who should be the most valuable player.”
On offense, this was exemplified by the fact that everyone in the Knicks starting 5 averaged between 15.6 to 18.6 points per game in the Finals. They all contributed nearly equally.
Mal Florence of the Los Angeles Times noted, “The Knicks started 5 accurate shooters, and if one was cold, another would pick up the slack.”
On defense they were a cohesive unit that shut down their opponents. In the playoffs, they held the Bullets and Celtics 10 points below their season average, and in the Finals they kept the Lakers 19 points below their season average in the last 4 games of the series. And for the entire series the Lakers committed 104 turnovers to just 74 for the Knicks.
“Their defense stormed our running game,” lamented Lakers coach Bill Sharman in the Los Angeles Times.
Leonard Koppett of the New York Times credited the Knicks coach and general manager Red Holzman (he holds both jobs) with molding the championship team, “Red Holzman… has succeeded brilliantly in both jobs by imposing his philosophy of team unity on the players to the point it has become part of them.”
Dave DeBusschere agreed with Koppett, saying about Holzman, “He may well be one of the best coaches in the game if not the best.”
Bill Bradley told the New York Times, “It’s immensely satisfying to play this way and win. It’s the actualization of the right ideas about the game.”
Larry Fox of the New York Daily News summed it up at the beginning of his article on game 5, “The Knicks are champions… and they did it their way, with another magnificent team effort on both ends of the floor, their trademark.”
LINKS TO FULL ARTICLES ON 1973 KNICKS:
Knicks Fairytale Comeback Stuns the Bucks
The Knicks Always Beat the Celtics