Bulls vs Knicks
A classic NBA rivalry defined by playoff battles, iconic players, and unforgettable moments.
The Bulls–Knicks rivalry is a rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The two basketball teams have played each other every year since the Bulls first joined the NBA in 1966. The rivalry peaked in intensity from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, when both teams became huge playoff contenders. This was due to a variety of factors: the great frequency in which the teams competed against each other in high-stakes contests and playoff series; well-known players such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and John Starks; the reputations of the team's respective cities; and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams. The two teams met in the playoffs during six of the eight years from 1989 to 1996, with the Bulls winning five of those series.
Quick Facts
- Era of peak conflict
- 1990s Eastern Conference Playoffs
- Key bulls figures
- Michael Jordan
- Scottie Pippen
- Dennis Rodman
- Key knicks figures
- Patrick Ewing
- John Starks
- Charles Oakley
- Defining playoff series
- 1993 and 1994 Eastern Conference Finals
Lore & Background
The Bulls and Knicks first met in the playoffs in 1981, a best-of-three series that Chicago swept 2–0. Their rivalry intensified in 1989, when the 6th-seeded Bulls upset the 2nd-seeded Knicks in a best-of-five series, winning Game 1 in New York and Games 2 and 3 in Chicago to win 3–2. The teams met again in 1991, with the Bulls sweeping the 8th-seeded Knicks 3–0. In 1992, the Bulls defeated the Knicks in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals. In 1993, the Bulls overcame a 2–0 deficit to win the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. In 1994, with Michael Jordan retired, the Knicks defeated the Bulls in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the only time the Knicks beat the Bulls in the playoffs during this era. The Bulls defeated the Knicks in five games in the 1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Reader's Guide
The rivalry is defined by frequent high-stakes playoff meetings from 1989 to 1996, featuring stars like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and John Starks. Key moments include the Bulls' 3–2 upset in 1989, Jordan's 55-point game at Madison Square Garden in 1995, and the Knicks' only playoff series win over the Bulls in 1994.
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