The Los Angeles Lakers are the most storied franchise in NBA history and they are by far the most popular team in the entire league. Fans from across the globe represent Lakers merchandize where ever they go, and every game is televised in hundreds of countries. Not only are the Lakers in the minds of fans overseas, no other team has a fan base larger than the Lakers. From the East coast to the West coast, no other franchise creates more hype and drama than the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tonight the Lake Show will make their lone trip to New York City and the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” —Madison Square Garden. Whenever the Lakers travel to MSG there are an unprecedented number of purple-and-gold jerseys in the crowd. The fans in New York City only have one chance to see the Lakers play so they are always anxious to see the defending champions.
However, many people assume the only reason why a Lakers-Knicks game is hyped is due to the fact that Kobe and the champions are playing under the bright lights of New York; many fans believe that Madison Square Garden is packed on as a direct result of the Lakers arrival. Although this assumption has some validity, the Lakers and Knicks share an old, but brutal rivalry.
These illustrious teams battled each other for the majority of the 1970s and even though their rivalry was ephemeral, there is still some hate between the franchises. As the Lakers prepare to take on the New York Knicks tonight, let’s look at the rivalry that was.
Next: The 1970s
The Lakers and New York Knicks played their first regular season game on November 11th, 1948 when the Lakers resided in Minneapolis. Although that specific game is lost in the minds of basketball fans, it marked the beginning of a new NBA “rivalry.”
The Lakers and Knicks would meet each other in two consecutive NBA titles from 1952 and 1953. After a grueling seven game series Minneapolis beat the Knicks in ’52 Finals, and they saw the same results in 1953 when they handled the Knickerbockers in five games. Although the Lakers-Knicks hatred was on the verge of explosion, the franchises did not meet again in the Finals for another 17 years.
After a long placid period, NBA fans were once again given the opportunity to see the Lakers and Knicks in the NBA Finals. The first finals meeting of the 70s occurred in 1970, and many prognosticators predicted that Jerry West and the Lakers would ultimately raise the trophy. However, their paradigm turned out to be the antithesis of what actually happened. The Knicks beat the Lakers in another tough seven game season, and Willis Reed’s emotional return was a watershed moment in the series.
Both teams met again in the year 1972, but this time the Los Angeles Lakers were without the legend Elgin Baylor. Nevertheless, the Lakers were still a very powerful team and they lost only two games going into the Finals.
Unlike their previous meeting with the Knicks in 1970, the Lakers captured the title in five games. Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain won their first championships, and more importantly the team avenged their Finals loss from two years prior.
Unfortunately, these team have never again faced each other in the NBA Finals. The Lakers have been a very successful franchise since ‘72, and they have been featured in several championship series. But the same can not be said about the New York Knicks. Perhaps there could have been another series battle if the Knicks had actually put together a successful team.
Next: The “rivalry” as it stands now
Despite the fact that the Lakers and Knicks had clashed multiple times in the previous century, they no longer maintain the once storied rivalry. The Knicks are generally placed in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference, and they do not share a strife with any NBA team. In previous seasons, the only reason why the Lakers vs. Knicks games were on national television were because the league’s best team traveled to the Mecca of Basketball. The match-ups weren’t necessarily amazing, it was just fun to watch Kobe & Company perform under the lights of New York City. For example, Kobe Bryant once scored 61 point at MSG in 2008, and the Lakers generally perform well when they play on the Knicks home-court.
There may not be a rivalry between these teams now, but the Knicks are steadily improving. The acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire completely changed the complexion of the team, and the playoffs seem to be a feasible accomplishment.
The Lakers must take the Knicks seriously in tonight’s game, and they will be tested for a full 48 minutes. If the Knickerbockers continue to climb the NBA standings and emerge as a title contender, another era of the Lakers-Knicks is inevitable.