Patrick Ewing still feels the sting of the last time the New York Knicks reached the NBA Finals. In 1999 the eighth-seeded Knicks became the first No. 8 seed to make the Finals but were outmatched by the San Antonio Spurs, whose young Tim Duncan and veteran David Robinson formed a dominant frontcourt, according to ESPN. Ewing suffered a torn Achilles in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals and missed the Finals, a loss he says hurt more than New York’s 1994 defeat because he was unable to play, ESPN reports.
Twenty-seven years after that run, the Knicks are back in the Finals and face another generational big man in Victor Wembanyama, according to ESPN. Ewing has been a visible presence at Madison Square Garden during the postseason, and other members of the 1990s squads — including Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and John Starks — have regularly attended games, ESPN writes.
Those former players point to moments from the 1999 playoffs when the team captured the city’s imagination: Houston’s running jumper that beat Miami in the first round and Johnson’s four-point play that helped eliminate Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, according to ESPN. Johnson said he has watched the current group with a sense of déjà vu, noting the long wait for New York to attract stars and suggesting this roster is closer to a title than recent predecessors, according to ESPN.
The modern Knicks closed the regular season with an 11-game streak and entered the Finals having outscored opponents by 19.4 points per game, the largest margin ever for a team heading into the Finals, according to ESPN. New York will try to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series on Friday in San Antonio (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), ESPN reports. Several former Knicks have voiced support for franchise star Jalen Brunson, who spent time in the locker room as a toddler while his father, Rick Brunson, was on the 1999 team, according to ESPN.
Former Knicks note the franchise has not won a championship since 1973 but believe the current team’s chemistry and Brunson’s play give New York a genuine chance, according to ESPN. Ewing said the city’s reaction to a potential title could be overwhelming, reflecting how much the run means to those connected to the 1990s teams, ESPN reports.
