New Yorkers have a special appreciation for the game of basketball. Writer Pete Axthelm perfectly coined it The City Game. Fans of a certain era can close their eyes and still see the glorious 1970s Knicks championship teams of Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Dick Barnett. They played with such uncommon intelligence and fluidity, stressing such fundamentals as hitting the open man and playing tough one-on-one defense. (And after COVID cancellations, that glorious team will finally get to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1969-70 championship with a reunion at the Garden on March 21.).
Every story must have a villain and for us Knicks fans it was–and always will be–Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. He single-handedly prevented Patrick Ewing from capturing a championship in the 1990s (just as he did with the likes of Karl Malone, John Stockton and Charles Barkley). Jordan always made the shot when the game was on the line. He always played the toughest defense. He did whatever was necessary to break our collective hearts. Damn him!
As impossible as it seems for our Darth Vader in basketball shorts, Michael turns 60 years of age on Feb. 17. He always radiated youthful exuberance. When he was bedeviling Madison Square Garden crowds, he was as dreaded as admired.
Heartbreaker
Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s, thwarting the dreams of powerful Knicks teams coached by Pat Riley. In a Jordan-less NBA, Patrick Ewing’s Knicks would likely have broken through to win a title and mend those broken hearts of the city’s hoops junkies.
But Jordan was unquenchable. His name alone conjures up such rich memories. I can remember the first time he ever played at the Garden as a member of the Bulls, back in his rookie year of 1984-85, The TV cameras highlighted him during warmups! Kids crowded to the front row of the seats nearest the visiting team basket to get a close view of him dunking the ball.
Once, during the Bulls’ remarkable run, I was in Chicago on a business trip and anxious to fly home to New York so I could catch that night’s playoff game on TV. It was game six of the 1993 Eastern Conference finals. The Bulls had won three straight playoff games and were poised to eliminate the Knicks.
I exhorted my cab driver in Chicago to beat the traffic lights. When I told him about my mission, he smiled and said to me, “Mister New York! There is not a chance in hell that Michael is letting your Knicks win tonight! It’s all over, my friend.”
I had a sick feeling that the taxi driver was right on the mark–and, of course, he was.
Then there was the game in March 1995 at MSG. Michael had just returned from his self-imposed exile from the NBA to play minor-league baseball. Of course, MJ was out of basketball shape. And of course, he proceeded to torch the helpless Knicks for 55 points, in what Spike Lee bitterly remembered as Jordan’s “double-nickel” scoring extravaganza.
To put the bow on the game that night, Jordan made an unforgettable play. With the score tied in the waning seconds, Jordan drove to the hoop and the entire Knicks team seemed to converge to try and stop him from scoring. Instinctively, he made a perfect pass to center (and St. John’s alum) Bill Wennington, who was uncovered. Wennington dunked the ball , and Jordan had once again broken our hearts.
What If?
The Bulls selected Jordan as the No. 3 pick in the first round of the 1984 college draft. He had foregone his senior year at the University of North Carolina to join the NBA. But what if ...
What if Michael had stayed in school and been eligible for the 1985 draft? The Knicks had the first pick that year. They sensibly chose Ewing, who had dominated college ball at Georgetown–though the pick disappointed the local fans who had dreamed of seeing St. John’s star Chris Mullin playing pro ball in his hometown.
If Jordan had been available, would the Knicks have chosen him as the No. 1 pick in 1985? The thought is enough to keep a basketball fan tossing and turning all night.
Imagine! Yes, imagine if Michael Jordan had performed all of those basketball miracles on his home floor at Madison Square Garden, instead of Chicago.
How many championships would the Knicks have captured with Jordan at the helm? As it stands, the team is again wallowing in the middle of the pack this season. It’s a very safe bet that the Knicks will not win the NBA championship next spring. The Knicks last raised a championship flag after the 1973 season.
Sob! With Michael Jordan playing ball for the Knicks, instead of breaking our hearts, the Knicks would surely have won their share of titles. Happy Birthday, Michael, you rat!