Welcome to another edition of Sports Throwback Thursday! The 1999 New York Knicks is an incredible Cinderella team. They were the No. 8 seed that went all the way to the NBA Finals. They eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs, but their playoff run is something to never be forgotten.
Knicks center Patrick Ewing had battled injuries that year. He had tore his Achilles. Therefore, he would need more help. Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas were very instrumental for the Knicks during that year. Of course, I could never forget the signing of Latrell Sprewell. Many fans were concerned about this move because Sprewell’s reputation took a hit after he chocked his ex-coach PJ Carlisimo. But Sprewell turned out to be okay for the Knicks. He averaged almost 17 points per game and I’ll never forget his performance in Game 5 in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. My favorite Knicks player of all time is Allan Houston. I really hate that injuries derailed his career because he was very good. I loved his jumpshot and competitive nature. Houston and Sprewell were an underrated duo for the Knicks from 1999-2001.
Knicks finished with a 27-23 record. It was a short lockout season. Knicks faced off the No. 1 seed Miami Heat. They were major rivals at the time. It was their third consecutive year facing off each other. Allan Houston hit a game winning jumper in the decisive Game 5 to give the Knicks a 78-77 win and move on to the next round. Basketball games can still be exciting when it’s a low scoring game. It’s totally different in today’s NBA.
Knicks went on to defeat the Atlanta Hawks, rival Indiana Pacers to win the Eastern Conference Finals. When the Knicks reached the Finals, it was too much to handle going up against the twin towers (David Robinson and Tim Duncan.) The Knicks had no answer for the front court duo. They were completely mismatched. Spurs won in five games, capturing the franchise’a first NBA championship.
The NBA needs more surprising stories like the 1999 New York Knicks. Super teams have ruined the game to a degree. The Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973 and they haven’t been to the Finals since ‘99. As a Knicks fan, I can only hope to see them win a title during my lifetime.
