New York Knicks · Franchise era 4 of 7
The Ewing era: the New York Knicks story
Franchise era
1985–86—1999–00
The Ewing era
New York Knicks
The story in one sentence
Ewing anchored thirteen straight playoff teams and two Finals runs in an era defined by physical defense and narrow margins.
01
Defense, rivalry and relentless contention
02
Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley and Allan Houston gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for the lost decade.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1985–86
What came before
The title core aged out before King's spectacular 1984 postseason briefly returned the Garden to center stage.
1994
Eastern Conference Finals: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers
1994
NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets
After 1999–00
What came next
New York chased short-term fixes through a costly decade and reached the playoffs only once.
The core