New York Knicks
The New York Knicks: Original NBA franchise, champions in 1970, 1973, and 2026.
The New York Knickerbockers, commonly called the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden, an arena it shares with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are one of two NBA teams in New York City, the other being the Brooklyn Nets. Alongside the Boston Celtics, the Knicks are one of two original NBA teams still in their original cities.
Quick Facts
- Conference
- Eastern Conference (both franchises)
- Defining series
- 1994 Eastern Conference Finals (Knicks won 3–2)
- Iconic regular-season moment
- Reggie Miller, 8 points in 9 seconds vs. Knicks, March 28, 1995
Lore & Background
Established in 1946 by Ned Irish, the New York Knicks were among the founding members of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to form the NBA. Under their first head coach, Joe Lapchick, the Knicks were a perennial playoff contender, reaching three consecutive NBA Finals between 1951 and 1953 but never winning a championship. After Lapchick resigned in 1956, the franchise entered a prolonged decline, reaching the playoffs once between 1956 and 1966. The Knicks returned to prominence in the late 1960s under head coach Red Holzman, winning their first NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. They made six playoff appearances in the 1980s but did not reach the NBA Finals. In the 1990s, led by Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing and the team's physical, defense-oriented style under head coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, the Knicks reached the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999, but did not win a championship. After Ewing's departure, the Knicks entered another prolonged period of playoff absences, and although Hall of Fame forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire led the team to a division title in 2013 (their first in 19 years), the team suffered their worst-ever regular season records thereafter. After signing guard Jalen Brunson in 2022, and acquiring Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns between 2023 and 2024, the Knicks returned to playoff contention and won the NBA championship in 2026, ending their 53-year championship drought.
Reader's Guide
The Knicks' history is divided into early years (1946–1967), a period of early success under Lapchick with three Finals appearances but no titles, followed by a decline. The team's first championships came in 1970 and 1973 under Red Holzman. The 1990s saw Finals appearances in 1994 and 1999 without a championship. After a long drought, the Knicks won the NBA championship in 2026.
Did You Know?
- The Knicks were named after the pseudonym used by Washington Irving in A History of New York.
- The Knicks played some early home games at the 69th Regiment Armory due to Madison Square Garden's crowded schedule.
- The Knicks signed Nathaniel Clifton in 1950, becoming the first professional basketball team to sign an African American player.
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