The 1998-99 New York Knicks will always be remembered as a Cinderella story. The team, led by coach Jeff Van Gundy, entered the season with low expectations, but they went on to shock the NBA world and make an improbable run to the NBA Finals.
The team was made up of a mix of seasoned veterans, role players, and an aging star, Patrick Ewing, who came together to create a formidable force on the court. From the iconic moments, such as Allan Houston’s game-winning shot against the Miami Heat, to the physical and intense play that defined the Knicks’ style, the 1998-99 season was a memorable one.
In this article, we will relive the magic of that season and explore how the Knicks overcame the odds to become one of the greatest underdog stories in NBA history.
The 1998-99 New York Knicks
The 1998-99 NBA season preview was not kind to the New York Knicks. There was a feeling that the team’s glory days were behind them and that they were a shadow of their former selves.
The NBA had to deal with a lockout, which caused the season to start on February 5, 1999. This lockout also shortened the season to 50 games, and the Knicks, who were knocked out in the Semifinals in the previous season, weren’t expected to contend for a title in the 1998-99 season.
This seemed to be true when the Knicks struggled at times during the season, finishing with a 27-23 record. Now, this record may seem to be pretty decent, but it was only good enough for New York to earn the 8th seed for the 1999 NBA Playoffs.
But the Knicks were just getting started. In the playoffs, they would go on a magical run that would capture the hearts of New York City and basketball fans everywhere.
The Knicks Make History As First 8th Seed To Reach Finals
Nobody thought much of the New York Knicks when they reached the 1999 Playoffs as an 8th seed. Their star, Patrick Ewing, was 36 years old, and even though he led the team in scoring with 17.3 points per game, he clearly wasn’t the same player he was a few seasons ago.
The Knicks also brought in Latrell Sprewell, who missed most of the 1997-98 season after he was suspended for choking his head coach, P. J. Carlesimo, in practice. Despite his history, Sprewell became the perfect player off the bench for the Knicks.
The Knicks also had strong play from their shooting guard position as Allan Houston proved to be the right choice for the job after he averaged 16.3 points per game during the season. At first, Knicks fans weren’t sure about Houston, especially when New York traded fan favorite John Starks before the season.
Houston joined the Knicks in the 1996-97 season as the team’s starting job, taking Starks’ spot, but Starks, whose work ethic resonated with the fans, still played a big part off the bench. But by the 1998-99 season, Starks was gone, with the Knicks focusing completely on Houston and now Sprewell.
The Knicks also had “Grandmama,” also known as Larry Johnson, since the 1996-97 season. Even though he wasn’t the same player he was when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets, Johnson would prove to be a key piece for the Knicks in the postseason.
The Knicks faced off against the top-seeded Miami Heat in the first round, a team that had won 33 of their 50 games in the regular season. At this point in history, the Knicks and Heat were one of the biggest rivals in the NBA.
The Heat were a tough team, led by superstar Alonzo Mourning and coached by Pat Riley, who had previously coached the Knicks from the 1991-92 season to the 1994-95 season. Despite the odds being against them, the Knicks were ready to pull off a stunning upset.
The series was a physical battle from the get-go, with both teams playing tough defense and fighting for every point. The Knicks stunned the Heat in Miami in Game 1 with a blowout 95-75 victory.
After losing Game 2 in Miami, the Knicks headed back to New York and gained another blowout victory, this time winning 97-73 and taking a 2-1 series lead in a best-of-five series. The Knicks dropped Game 4, and this set up the win-or-go-home Game 5 back in Miami.
The pivotal Game 5 was a back-and-forth battle that went down to the last possession. With 4.5 seconds remaining in the game and with the Knicks trailing 76-77, Houston caught the inbound pass and attacked the basket.
Houston put up a floater over the Heat defenders, and the ball bounced around the rim and fell through the net, giving the Knicks a 78-77 lead with just 0.8 seconds remaining. The Heat missed their final attempt, and the Knicks became the second 8th seed to defeat the top-seeded team in the first round.
The series against the Heat was a defining moment for the Knicks and their fans. It showed that this team had heart, determination, and the ability to fight through adversity. It was a thrilling ride that would set the stage for even more magical moments in the playoffs to come.
In the second round, the Knicks faced the Atlanta Hawks, who they dispatched in four games. They then faced the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, a team that had reached the conference finals the previous year. The Knicks and the Pacers played a hard-fought series that was not without any drama.
After Game 2 ended, with the Pacers tying the series at 1-1, the Knicks learned some horrible news. Patrick Ewing would miss the remainder of the playoffs with a partially torn Achilles tendon.
In Game 3, which was in New York, the Knicks won the game 92-91 on a controversial 4-point play at the end of the game. There were 11.9 seconds remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, and the Pacers held a 91-88 lead.
Charlie Ward of the Knicks inbounded the ball, but the pass was tipped by the Pacers’ Jalen Rose. Luckily for the Knicks, Larry Johnson picked up the ball. Now, Johnson faced the basket as he stood behind the three-point line, with the Pacers’ Antonio Davis in front of him.
Johnson faked a few times, took one dribble, and fired up a three that went through the basket. The thing is, a foul was called even though Johnson did not appear to be fouled.
Johnson nailed the free throw and completed the 4-point play giving the Knicks the one-point lead, thanks to the controversial 4-point play. The Knicks would eventually come out on top in six games, making history as the first 8th seed to reach the NBA Finals.
The Knicks’ unexpected success can be attributed to their tough defense and the leadership of head coach Jeff Van Gundy. They were a team that worked hard, played together, and never gave up.
Unfortunately, in the NBA Finals, the Knicks ran into a much superior opponent in the San Antonio Spurs, who were led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
Game 1 saw the Knicks fight hard to start the game, as they’ve done throughout the entire playoffs. New York led 27-21 after one quarter, with Houston leading the way with 10 quick points.
The second quarter would prove that the Spurs were the superior team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. San Antonio held New York to just 10 points, while the Spurs’ young star, Tim Duncan, scored 11 points himself.
The Spurs took Game 1, 89-77, without any drama. For San Antonio, Duncan proved he would be a star in the league for a long time with 33 points and 16 rebounds. New York saw Houston and Sprewell each score 19, but they certainly didn’t get enough help from their teammates.
Game 2 wasn’t much different from Game 1, as the Spurs didn’t have much trouble getting the 80-67 victory. Sprewell went off for 26 points, while Houston added 19 more points. Still, the Knicks didn’t have any help, as no other player scored in double-figures.
For the Spurs, Duncan led the way once again with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while David Robinson added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The Spurs also had two other players scoring in double-figures, including 15 from Mario Elie.
The Knicks finally bounced back in Game 3, escaping with an 89-81 victory. For the Knicks, they were once again led by Houston, who scored 34, and Sprewell, who added 24 points. This time they had another double-digit scorer in Larry Johnson, who scored 16 points.
The Spurs were led by their aging superstar, Robinson, who scored 25 points while adding 10 rebounds. Their young star, Duncan, had a solid game scoring 20 points and adding 12 rebounds, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Game 4 saw four Knicks players score in double-digits, including three scoring at least 20 points. Despite 26 from Sprewell, 20 from Houston, and 20 from Marcus Camby, the Knicks could not win, falling 96-89 to the Spurs.
San Antonio saw Duncan put in yet another dominant performance scoring 28 points while adding 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. All five of the Spurs starters scored in double-figures, with Elie scoring 18, while Robinson added 14 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
The Knicks fell in five games to the Spurs, ending their Cinderella run after San Antonio squeaked out a 78-77 victory in Game 5. The Spurs won the game on a game-winning jumper by Avery Johnson with 47 seconds remaining in the game.
Sprewell scored 35, while Houston added 16, but once again, they did not have any other player score in double-figures. The loss of their big man, Patrick Ewing, truly hurt the Knicks in this series, as they had no answer for Duncan, who scored 31 in Game 5, and Robinson, who added 15.
Tim Duncan, despite only being in his second season, was named the Finals MVP after putting up 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in the five-game series. He truly showed the world what was to come in the next two decades.
Even with the series loss, the Knicks still made history by becoming the first 8th seed to reach the NBA Finals. The franchise has not been back to the Finals since 1999, giving New York fans a terrible 24 years of basketball.
The team appears to be on track to finding success in the near future, as they have some solid pieces in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Can the Knicks make it back to the NBA Finals in the near future? Or will they continue to break their fans’ hearts in the seasons to come?
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