1968 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 vs New York Knicks

Lore & Background

The Knicks were established in 1946 by Ned Irish and were among the founding members of the BAA. Under head coach Joe Lapchick, they reached three consecutive NBA Finals between 1951 and 1953 but never won a championship. After Lapchick resigned in 1956, the franchise entered a prolonged decline. The Knicks returned to prominence in the late 1960s under Red Holzman, winning their first NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. In the 1990s, led by Patrick Ewing, they reached the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999 but did not win a championship. After signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 and acquiring other players between 2023 and 2024, the Knicks won the NBA championship in 2026, ending their 53-year championship drought.

Reader's Guide

The Knicks play their home games at Madison Square Garden, an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the NHL. They are one of two NBA teams in New York City, the other being the Brooklyn Nets.

Did You Know?

• The Knicks were named after the pseudonymous pen name used by Washington Irving in A History of New York.
• The Knicks' first game was against the Toronto Huskies on November 1, 1946, which was also the first game in league history.
• The Knicks were the first professional basketball team to sign an African American player, Nathaniel Clifton.