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.
10. Wes Unseld
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 11.0 PPG, 13.4 RPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 12.1 PPG, 16.9 RPG
- 1-4 in 5 playoff series vs. Knicks
It’s easy to understand why it happens, but the great Baltimore Bullets teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s oftentimes fly well below the collective Knicks fans’ radar. Whether it was Wes Unseld battling Willis Reed in the dirty areas or future friend Earl “The Pearl” Monroe duking it out with Walt “Clyde” Frazier along the perimeter, those Knicks-Bullets clashes were something special.
The Knicks and Bullets squared off a remarkable six straight times in the playoffs from 1969 to 1974. The only reason Unseld isn’t higher on this list is due to the Knicks’ head-to-head success with his squad (having won five of the six playoff series).
The 1968-69 NBA MVP (and NBA Rookie of the Year) was a constant thorn in the Knicks’ side. New York first swept his Bullets in the 1969 playoffs, but Unseld’s squad then took the eventual 1970 champs to a seventh game in Round 2 of the playoffs.
9. Scottie Pippen
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 17.7 PPG, 5.1 APG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 18.4 PPG, 5.1 APG
- 5-1 in 6 playoff series vs. Knicks
Sure, Scottie Pippen failed at the one chance he had to knock off the Knicks in the playoffs without Michael Jordan, but that does not exclude him from this list. Pippen’s brilliant No. 2 role alongside the greatest of all time absolutely makes him deserving.
Besides, even the most hardened Knicks fan cannot get around the fact that Pippen’s absolute drubbing of Patrick Ewing remains the most disrespectful dunk in basketball history.
Sure, the Knicks ultimately won the war—in seven hard-fought games (thank you, Hue Hollins)—but damn … that was one hell of a nasty masterpiece.
8. Hakeem Olajuwon
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 23.2 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 2.6 BPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 26.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.9 BPG
- 1-0 in 1 playoff series vs. Knicks
Under normal circumstances, just one playoff series isn’t nearly enough to become an all-time hated Knicks villain. Yet, as it relates to this man, things happened under anything but usual circumstances.
Hakeem Olajuwon is the man responsible for denying the Ewing-led Knicks their one shot at glory. And for that, he comes in as the eighth greatest New York Knicks villain.
Olajuwon thoroughly outplayed Ewing in the 1993-94 NBA Finals, averaging 26.9 points per game on 50% shooting from the floor, and blocking an absurd 3.9 shots per game.
Who knows what would have happened if John Starks’s final shot of Game 6 cleared Olajuwon’s long arm?
7. Bill Russell
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 16.5 PPG, 23.2 RPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 13.6 PPG, 20.6 RPG
- 2-0 in 2 playoff series vs. Knicks
Although Bill Russell faced the Knicks just twice in the playoffs (1967 and 1969), his dominance was felt on more than two occasions.
Obviously, all Russell did was win with his Boston Celtics, so the Knicks, like nearly every other NBA team, had no chance. It was not until his retirement that the 1970 championship Knicks finally climbed that mountain.
In many ways, Russell’s place on this list is as symbolic as it is tangible.
6. Pat Riley
- 1-3 in 4 playoff series as HC vs. Knicks
If Earl Monroe allowed former Knick villains to jump on the bandwagon, then Pat Riley showed everybody how to jump off. A 1995 fax led to Riley resigning his post as New York Knicks head coach, and what ensued was pure chaos.
Riley transformed the Ewing-led Knicks into a tough and rugged group, with the likes of Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason featuring physical dominance. Once Riley’s new team, the Miami Heat, took on that aura, the NBA Playoffs went full cage-match mode.
With little time remaining in Game 5 of the 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals, something happened that changed everything. P.J. Brown flipped Charlie Ward, and chaos ensued.
Suspensions forced the Knicks to play Game 6 without Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, and John Starks at Madison Square Garden, with a chance to close out the series. New York, of course, lost Game 6 without its usual team and ultimately fell in seven games.
Although the Knicks took out Riley’s heat in three straight playoff series from 1998 to 2000, this one hurt because New York had at least a puncher’s chance to beat the Chicago Bulls.
5. Wilt Chamberlain
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 33.7 PPG, 23.0 RPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 20.5 PPG, 22.7 RPG
- 2-2 in 4 playoff series vs. Knicks
Wilt Chamberlain remains the most dominant basketball figure in history. For a good chunk of time, it was “Wilt the Stilt” and everybody else. Period.
No team knows this better than the New York Knicks, who were the victims of Chamberlain’s 100-point game on March 2, 1962. The Philadelphia Warriors’ center finished with 25 rebounds, 2 assists, just 2 personal fouls, and 100 points on 36 of 63 from the floor.
Quite literally, the only thing holding Chamberlain back from a higher spot on the list is his confusing playoff performances. At times, he would simply disappear from the hardwood, as Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is a perfect example.
Nonetheless, Chamberlain deserves a spot in the top five, having knocked off the Knicks in two of his four playoff series against them.
4. Alonzo Mourning
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 17.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 21.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG
- 1-4 in 5 playoff series vs. Knicks
Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. Now we’re arriving at the point of deep-seated hatred, folks. If we want to talk about animosity, let’s get into Alonzo Mourning.
First and foremost, Mourning always lifted his game against the Knicks when it counted most. His 21.4 postseason points per game outshines his usual average. (Although a lot of that deals with playing the Knicks more in his prime, don’t be fooled by just that fact.)
Before making a decision on where Zo should rank, take a quick watch at the infamous Mourning-Larry Johnson fight, with Jeff Van Gundy doing his best leg-jockey impression.
Oh yeah; it doesn’t stop with Larry Johnson, either, as Mourning consistently squared up with Charles Oakley:
Mourning was willing to take on any Knicks player, but the team from New York lays claim to a 4-1 edge in all-time playoff series over the Hall of Fame center (having also lost to the Knicks in 1993 with the Hornets).
3. Phil Jackson
- 5-1 in 6 playoff series vs. Knicks
One of the funniest most genuine moments in New York Knicks history remains a Phil Jackson ouster at Madison Square Garden.
In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, a stunned Jackson stared down the great Dick Bavetta after taking his second technical foul of the game.
After a hearty moment of disbelief, Jackson nodded, huddled with his coaching staff, and left the Garden floor, acknowledging the Garden faithful while throwing his left hand up among the raucous cheering.
The Red Holzman disciple gambled and lost that battle. Unfortunately for the team with whom he played, Jackson dominated springtime.
The Knicks played Jackson’s Bulls six times in the playoffs, and only once did New York prevail (the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals).
2. Reggie Miller
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 18.4 PPG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 23.1 PPG
- 3-3 in 5 playoff series vs. Knicks
At the heart of this list is two individuals. Though I firmly believe only one man can top the list, the player who comes in second has at least a case to be No. 1.
Reggie Miller was a true New York Knicks villain. Better yet, having won three playoff series and lost three playoff series, he was a true Knicks rival.
Perhaps only one player elevated his game to the heights Miller did when it mattered most—when taking on the Knickerbockers. No scene exemplifies that idea more than Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
How Miller brought Spike Lee in on the action is something I’ll never truly know. At the end of the day, however, he managed to do it, and he got it done for his own selfish benefit (using it as fuel).
Oh yeah, let’s not forget about the infamous eight points in nine seconds in 1995—the back-rim Ewing finger-roll series in which Miller finally slayed his Knickerbocker dragon.
Whether it was Spike, Patrick Ewing, or even a John Starks headbutt, Reggie Miller often wrapped the 1990s Knicks around his crooked long finger.
Then again, there is the Larry Johnson four-point play:
1. Michael Jordan
- Career regular season vs. Knicks: 31.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.0 APG
- Career playoffs vs. Knicks: 33.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.8 APG
- 5-0 in 5 playoff series vs. Knicks
There is no greater New York Knicks villain than Michael Jordan.
Sure, the greatest of all time is cheered anytime he’s announced at The World’s Most Famous Arena these days, but don’t ask a diehard Knicks fan of the 1990s to clap with the same vigor.
Respected? Yes. Hated? You better believe it.
From the time the scrappy Knicks took Jordan and the Bulls to the max of seven games in 1992, to the gut-punch that was the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals (after John Starks’s shining moment put his team up 2-0 in the series), Michael Jordan ripped the hearts out of Big Apple hoops fans time and again.
Even when he returned to the game, while wearing a completely different number, he couldn’t help but put on the greatest Broadway show at the mecca:
Michael Jordan is the greatest villain in New York Knicks history. He’s the reason the Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since 1970.
