The 30 greatest NBA team rivalries in league history

8. Best NBA rivalries of all-time: Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks

It’s no secret the Chicago Bulls were the darlings of the NBA back in the 1990s. With six championships in six tries — in two three-peats — they owned the decade in ways not seen in the modern era, dominating every competitor with a fire and desire that never seemed to diminish.

One such opponent that constantly stepped up to the challenge was the New York Knicks, a team desperately trying to take advantage of its talent and bring home a championship for the first time since the 1970s. Led by Patrick Ewing, they were as physically draining an opponent as there was with a hard-nosed identity fostered by the players.

The battles between Ewing and Michael Jordan go beyond the confines of the NBA. When the two met in the 1982 NCAA Championship game, it was Jordan who hit the game-winning shot to give his North Carolina Tar Heels a victory at the expense of Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas.

At the pro level, nothing changed at a time when Jordan was at the peak of his powers. From 1989 to 1996, Chicago and New York faced off six times in the playoffs. The only time the Knicks managed to win came when Jordan was off playing baseball in 1994, and even that took seven games.

The Bulls’ dominance shouldn’t mask the competitive nature of these all-out slugfests. Guys like John Starks and Anthony Mason weren’t afraid to go after Chicago’s superstars. It may have been to their detriment in aggravating some truly talented players, but it created an entertaining back-and-forth between both sides with an increase in effort and intensity.

New York had its chances, most notably in 1992 when it was up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Alas, the Bulls were a train nobody could stop, but each time back around, the Knicks certainly didn’t feel that way and played like it.