Knicks-Heat rivalry
The Knicks-Heat rivalry is a rivalry between two professional basketball teams, the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat, of the National Basketball Association.
Known as one of the fiercest rivalries in recent history, the Knicks-Heat rivalry was derived from their frequent, and frequently long, playoff series. Prior to their rivalry, there had never been an occasion in the NBA where two teams had met in postseason play four consecutive seasons and had the series go to the maximum number of games in each of the four series. The Knicks and Heat thus made history by meeting in the playoffs for the maximum amount of games every year from 1997 to 2000. These games were defensive struggles that were often difficult to watch, marked by numerous foul calls and physical play, that probably can be attributed to the defensive style of Pat Riley, former coach of both teams and the central figure of the rivalry.
Foreplay: Pat Riley changes teams
On March 1, 1991 Dave Checketts was named New York Knicks team president, and he hired Pat Riley as head coach for the 1991-92 season. After years of being bottom-dwellers and also rans, Riley turned the Knicks into legitimate title contenders in a short time, culminating with the Knicks becoming Eastern Conference Champions in 1994 before losing to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals.
Unable to repeat a trip to the Finals in 1995, Riley stepped down as the head coach of the Knicks. At the time many speculated either that Riley thought the Knicks were no longer a legitimate title threat and that he wanted to move on, or that Riley wanted more power in the Knicks organization. Riley answered that question on September 2, 1995, when he took over as Team President and Head Coach of the underachieving Miami Heat. The Heat and the Knicks were both in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Riley's move caused some controversy which was settled after the Heat sent their first round pick (1996 #19-Walter McCarty) and $1 million in cash to the Knicks on September 1, 1995.
1997: PJ Brown body-slams Charlie Ward
In just his second season as head coach, Riley's Heat dethroned the New York Knicks as Atlantic Division champions. This was the setup for one of the most dramatic playoff series in NBA history, when these team met in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Knicks raced out to a 3-1 lead in the best of seven series, needing only one victory in the final three games to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in five seasons. However, the Heat won in Game 5, which was highlighted by a brawl that broke out between the two teams when Heat power forward P.J. Brown objected to Knick point guard Charlie Ward's attempt to gain position for a rebound. Brown flipped Ward over his head, body-slamming him, and a melee ensued. During the fight, several Knicks players, including perennial All-Star and team leader Patrick Ewing, sharpshooter Allan Houston, and key members Larry Johnson and John Starks left the bench area; the league punished them for this by handing out one-game suspensions, spread over the final two games of the series. Subsequently, Ewing and Houston missed Game 6 while Johnson and Starks were absent for Game 7. Shorthanded by the suspensions, the Knicks lost the last two games and the series. The Heat advanced to face the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would lose in five games.
1998: Jeff Van Gundy hangs on Mourning's leg
The next season, the Knicks would avenge their loss in the previous season. Meeting this time in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, which at the time was a best of five series, the teams split the first four games. Patrick Ewing did not play in this series as he had injured his wrist during the regular season. Game 4 of this series will always be remembered for a fight that broke out between Heat center and team leader Alonzo Mourning and Knick forward Larry Johnson. Although neither player landed a punch (despite their best intentions) the fight is mostly remembered for Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy hanging on to the leg of Mourning while trying to break up the fight. The NBA suspended both Mourning and Johnson for the fight. Without Alonzo Mourning, the Heat were no match for the Knicks in the deciding game five and lost the series 3-2.
1999: Houston's last-second shot
The 1998-1999 season brought more pain to the Heat in this now-vicious rivalry. After splitting the first four games to set up a decisive game 5, Miami was less than a second away from eliminating the eighth-seeded Knicks. Knick shooting guard Allan Houston proved to be the hero of the deciding game, as he hit a running one-hander with 0.8 seconds to play to give New York a 78-77 victory. The win propelled the Knicks to their second Eastern Conference Championship and to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. In doing this, the Knicks became the only eighth-seeded team in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals.
2000: Knicks on top again
The two teams met again in the 2000 playoffs, where the teams split the first four games, then had the Heat win Game 5. Miami had a chance to clinch the series in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, but blew a 15 point halftime lead. The Knicks then recorded another one-point road victory in the decisive winner-take-all series clincher. The Knicks rallied from an 11-point first half deficit to record an 83-82 victory over the Heat before a sellout crowd at the AmericanAirlines Arena. The Knicks took an 81-79 lead when Knick swingman Latrell Sprewell hit a pair of free throws with 2:21 left. Heat point guard Tim Hardaway, who finished with 15 points (his 2000 playoff high) and seven assists, staked Miami to its final lead (82-81) when he drained a three-pointer with 1:32 left, setting the stage for Ewing's game-winning shot. The Heat had a chance in the final seconds to reclaim the lead, but Heat forward Clarence Weatherspoon missed a jump shot with seven seconds left.
Known as one of the fiercest rivalries in recent history, the Knicks-Heat rivalry was derived from their frequent, and frequently long, playoff series. Prior to their rivalry, there had never been an occasion in the NBA where two teams had met in postseason play four consecutive seasons and had the series go to the maximum number of games in each of the four series. The Knicks and Heat thus made history by meeting in the playoffs for the maximum amount of games every year from 1997 to 2000. These games were defensive struggles that were often difficult to watch, marked by numerous foul calls and physical play, that probably can be attributed to the defensive style of Pat Riley, former coach of both teams and the central figure of the rivalry.
Foreplay: Pat Riley changes teams
On March 1, 1991 Dave Checketts was named New York Knicks team president, and he hired Pat Riley as head coach for the 1991-92 season. After years of being bottom-dwellers and also rans, Riley turned the Knicks into legitimate title contenders in a short time, culminating with the Knicks becoming Eastern Conference Champions in 1994 before losing to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals.
Unable to repeat a trip to the Finals in 1995, Riley stepped down as the head coach of the Knicks. At the time many speculated either that Riley thought the Knicks were no longer a legitimate title threat and that he wanted to move on, or that Riley wanted more power in the Knicks organization. Riley answered that question on September 2, 1995, when he took over as Team President and Head Coach of the underachieving Miami Heat. The Heat and the Knicks were both in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Riley's move caused some controversy which was settled after the Heat sent their first round pick (1996 #19-Walter McCarty) and $1 million in cash to the Knicks on September 1, 1995.
1997: PJ Brown body-slams Charlie Ward
In just his second season as head coach, Riley's Heat dethroned the New York Knicks as Atlantic Division champions. This was the setup for one of the most dramatic playoff series in NBA history, when these team met in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Knicks raced out to a 3-1 lead in the best of seven series, needing only one victory in the final three games to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in five seasons. However, the Heat won in Game 5, which was highlighted by a brawl that broke out between the two teams when Heat power forward P.J. Brown objected to Knick point guard Charlie Ward's attempt to gain position for a rebound. Brown flipped Ward over his head, body-slamming him, and a melee ensued. During the fight, several Knicks players, including perennial All-Star and team leader Patrick Ewing, sharpshooter Allan Houston, and key members Larry Johnson and John Starks left the bench area; the league punished them for this by handing out one-game suspensions, spread over the final two games of the series. Subsequently, Ewing and Houston missed Game 6 while Johnson and Starks were absent for Game 7. Shorthanded by the suspensions, the Knicks lost the last two games and the series. The Heat advanced to face the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would lose in five games.
1998: Jeff Van Gundy hangs on Mourning's leg
The next season, the Knicks would avenge their loss in the previous season. Meeting this time in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, which at the time was a best of five series, the teams split the first four games. Patrick Ewing did not play in this series as he had injured his wrist during the regular season. Game 4 of this series will always be remembered for a fight that broke out between Heat center and team leader Alonzo Mourning and Knick forward Larry Johnson. Although neither player landed a punch (despite their best intentions) the fight is mostly remembered for Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy hanging on to the leg of Mourning while trying to break up the fight. The NBA suspended both Mourning and Johnson for the fight. Without Alonzo Mourning, the Heat were no match for the Knicks in the deciding game five and lost the series 3-2.
1999: Houston's last-second shot
The 1998-1999 season brought more pain to the Heat in this now-vicious rivalry. After splitting the first four games to set up a decisive game 5, Miami was less than a second away from eliminating the eighth-seeded Knicks. Knick shooting guard Allan Houston proved to be the hero of the deciding game, as he hit a running one-hander with 0.8 seconds to play to give New York a 78-77 victory. The win propelled the Knicks to their second Eastern Conference Championship and to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. In doing this, the Knicks became the only eighth-seeded team in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals.
2000: Knicks on top again
The two teams met again in the 2000 playoffs, where the teams split the first four games, then had the Heat win Game 5. Miami had a chance to clinch the series in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, but blew a 15 point halftime lead. The Knicks then recorded another one-point road victory in the decisive winner-take-all series clincher. The Knicks rallied from an 11-point first half deficit to record an 83-82 victory over the Heat before a sellout crowd at the AmericanAirlines Arena. The Knicks took an 81-79 lead when Knick swingman Latrell Sprewell hit a pair of free throws with 2:21 left. Heat point guard Tim Hardaway, who finished with 15 points (his 2000 playoff high) and seven assists, staked Miami to its final lead (82-81) when he drained a three-pointer with 1:32 left, setting the stage for Ewing's game-winning shot. The Heat had a chance in the final seconds to reclaim the lead, but Heat forward Clarence Weatherspoon missed a jump shot with seven seconds left.
posted by Brunnemer at 9:01 PM
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