NBA History: The best era for each of the 30 franchises

New York Knicks: 1969-73

The laughingstock image the New York Knicks have cultivated this century is not the one it used to previously send out.

Things were different back in the early 1970s. The Knicks were basketball royalty, a consistent championship contender built on the foundation of simple basketball fundamentals. Sure, they had stars like Walt Frazier and Willis Reed, but any basketball historian knows the Knicks of old thrived with an unselfish indifference regarding individual numbers.

After three consecutive early playoff exits, the Knicks finally broke through in 1970 with their first-ever championship. The 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers featured one of the NBA’s most iconic moments, where a hobbled Willis Reed limped onto the court to drain two early buckets before exiting for good, sending a jolt of inspiration through his teammates that propelled them to a win.

New York followed up its title-winning campaign with a crushing loss to the Baltimore Bullets a seven-game conference finals matchup. A mid-season trade in 1971-72 for star two-guard Earl Monroe helped get the Knicks back to the Finals, but the Lakers were out for revenge and won handily 4-1.

Both squads would return to the Finals in 1973 for the rubber match between the two media capitals. This time, it was the Knicks looking to avenge defeat, and they did with a 4-1 series victory.

It was the last championship for a long-suffering organization that’s endured what is now almost a 50-year title drought. Those Knicks teams aren’t just beloved for their poetic unselfishness. They represent the good old days and the golden era for one of the NBA’s preeminent franchises.