New York Knicks · Franchise era 2 of 7
The championship Knicks: the New York Knicks story
Franchise era
1959–60—1972–73
The championship Knicks
New York Knicks
The story in one sentence
A smart, selfless roster won championships in 1970 and 1973 and created the franchise's enduring ideal.
01
Reed, Frazier and beautiful team basketball
02
Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Earl Monroe gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for from the champions to bernard king.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1959–60
What came before
The Knicks were a founding BAA franchise and reached three consecutive Finals while professional basketball established itself in New York.
1970
NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers
1972
NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers
1973
NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers
After 1972–73
What came next
The title core aged out before King's spectacular 1984 postseason briefly returned the Garden to center stage.
The core