It’s amazing to realize a singular postseason produced a trio of dramatic Game 5s without including the first round. It’s befuddling to remember that this trio involved one NBA team.
- Game 5 of Eastern Conference Semifinals (Chicago Bulls): The Hubert Davis-Hugh Hollins crunch-time foul game.
- Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals (Indiana Pacers): The Reggie Miller-Spike Lee game.
- Game 5 of the NBA Finals (Houston Rockets): The O.J. Simpson-Ford Bronco slow-speed chase game.
The 1993-94 New York Knicks produced drama beyond a broadcaster’s imagination. Without Michael Jordan—who shockingly retired to play baseball—the NBA on NBC graciously accepted the storylines the 1994 NBA playoffs created.
Patrick Ewing’s Knicks led the way, and the squad’s trio of Game 5s will be remembered forever—not only for the New York City hoops fans who lived with every positive moment but for the villainous nature of the opposition.
Although New York Knicks’ history stretches back to the NBA’s origins, and several villains had already shown face, this category wholly took shape in 1994.
Let’s dig through and rank the 10 greatest villains in New York Knicks history.
Notables
- Rik Smits
- John Havlicek
- Earl “The Pearl” Monroe
- Tim Hardaway
- P.J. Brown
- Joel Embiid
- Trae Young
- LeBron James
- Jerry West
- Isiah Thomas
- James Dolan
Yes, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe deserved to at least be included in the notables section for his brief time with the Washington Bullets.
Some of the other names are obvious. John Havlicek in the 1970s, Rik Smits as Robin to Reggie Miller’s Batman, and the dreaded Tim Hardaway are all deserving.
Although Isiah Thomas’s Detroit Pistons kept an up-and-coming Knicks team down in the early 1990s, it was his front-office stature that cemented his status on this list. And yes, even if Knicks land is in good health now, courtesy of Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau, James Dolan has to at least be mentioned for the many years of fan frustration.
Finally, who could forget P.J. Brown flipping Charlie Ward in the Spring of 1997? He singlehandedly altered the course of a series the Knicks had firmly in their grasp.
