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