New York’s beloved Knicks regained NBA Finals glory, absent since Clyde, the Pearl, and Reed ran the NBA from the American mecca of basketball they call the Garden. Their five-game series win in San Antonio ended five decades of frustration. There was no almost this time. Forgiven now is a 53-year wait for New York to win another NBA Finals Championship… including that almost Finals in 1994.
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One That Got Away
Indeed, a New Yorker did cut down the Finals net then… and his name is Kenny Smith, Houston Rockets guard. Of this I’m certain… a witness on the Game 7 court, at the base of the net-cutting ladder.
Then and Now New York Knicks
Clearly, we’re talking the era of John Starks not Jalen Brunson, Ewing vs. Olajuwon, and the Knicks’ last almost NBA Finals winner. It was 1994 and championship-hungry New Yorkers lamented how decades had passed since the ’73 Knicks won it all. Now it’s been a half century give or take. If you’re new to the current Knicks hysteria, the context makes sense. Sure, they made the Finals in 1999, but were dismissed in five games by, of course, the San Antonio Spurs. Like 2026, the New Yorkers of ’94 were teed up to take out a Texas team and finally retake the NBA throne.
Houston Home Wrecker
What happened? In short, Hakeem Olajuwon. The Houston Rockets All-Star, All NBA Defense, All Everything center overwhelmed the Knicks. That said, New York was up 3 games to 2 after playing three straight at Madison Square Garden in the old 2-3-2, Sunday, Wednesday, Friday format.
Events in New York and across the country the week of June 12, 1994, intersected with and overshadowed the New York championship that got away. On Tuesday of that week, the New York Rangers broke a 54-year drought and won NHL Stanley Cup. The open-air championship parade was other worldly with delirious fans basking in sun, a gleaming trophy and the exploits of Mark Messier and company.
O.J. Outruns the NBA Finals
Never imagined visions of the Knicks and Rangers winning championships in the same week were near tangible in New York. And yes, New York would win to take a 3-2 lead that Friday night. But from that high to a deep low… a developing national story captured the nation’s attention during the game… O.J. Simpson and a white Bronco circling the LA freeways. Smart phones weren’t so smart then. Streaming had nothing to do with content. So, the nation was fixated on any and all TV screens. NBC made an unprecedented decision to air both O.J. and the Knicks/Rockets via a split screen. Some 95 million Americans watched this strange mix of sport and drama.
Next Year Knicks
Back in Houston, too much Olajuwon and Smith, not enough Starks and Ewing finished off the Knicks in Games 6 and 7. Reporting for Houston’s NBC station, I had the good fortune to cover the NBA Finals, including Game 7.
Right Time, Right Place
As minutes ticked into seconds, media, fans, and yours truly pushed under the Rockets’ basket to witness Houston’s first NBA Championship. There was security but not like today. Most of the Rockets snipped the net at one end of the court. I wandered to the other end where Kenny Smith was alone clipping a large section of net for posterity. A small snippet fell to the floor as Smith descended, shrugged, and I accepted his smile as approval to acquire. The Rockets would go on to win again in 1995… and not since.
Not Since… is Not Never for Knicks
The Knicks “not since” went back to that ’73 team… until now. This version of the Knicks made certain anyone cutting and collecting NBA Finals nets in 2026 will have New York on their jersey. In the San Antonio arena to witness the Knicks revival… Ewing, Starks, Knicks from the ’99 team. And Mr. Smith too, on camera now instead of the court. What goes around comes around… and if you wait a while… the clipped net may fall at your feet.
