Half-century curse: Hispanic named 'KAT' to Knicks' rescue

Since the NBA was founded in 1946, under the name Basketball Association of America (BAA), only two franchises have defied the odds by keeping both their name and their city since they joined the league.The Boston Celtics are one. The other, the New York Knicks, is a team with many stories to tell, now facing the opportunity to get even and break a curse that has lasted more than half a century.

This season, its iconic arena, Madison Square Garden, will once again host the NBA Finals after the Knicks  delivered in the NBA Playoffs, beating the Atlanta Hawks (4-2) in the first round and sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers (4-0) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0) in the semifinals and in the Eastern Conference finals, respectively.

Now, New York returns to the definitive series, with the goal of winning a title that has eluded them since 1973, seeking to break the curse of the last two finals they played and lost: in 1994 and 1999.

First resurgence and glory in the 1970s

In their early years, the Knicks were one of the most powerful teams in the league. Although they did not win the title, between 1946 and 1953 they always reached the conference finals every season except 1947-48. After that golden period came the first slump in franchise history.

Their redemption began in the 1968-69 campaign, when they reached the conference finals, losing to the Celtics. That defeat, however, was a turning point. The following year, they won the first Larry O'Brien Trophy in franchise history, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most memorable NBA Finals of all time.

After that success, the Knicks went on a spectacular run, positioning themselves as one of the best franchises and reaching new heights season after season. In 1971 they lost the conference finals to the Baltimore Bullets, today the Washington Wizards, and in 1972 they fell to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Revenge against the Lakers and subsequent decline

In 1973, the Knicks took revenge on the purple and gold franchise to add their second, and most recent, title. Twelve months later they reached the Eastern Conference finals and then plunged into a second decline.

The Knicks did not recover their best form on the court until the last decade of the 20th century. Between 1992 and 2000, they were always among the top eight teams in the NBA, although they could not win a championship. They played in two NBA Finals, losing to the Houston Rockets in 1994 and to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. After that, the team again entered a turbulent period.

21st century: From absolute crisis to redemption

The Knicks' trajectory in the new millennium has been, to say the least, stormy, and their on-court performance has been nearly nonexistent. Many blame the front office: From 2001 to 2024, their playoff appearances were few and far between, reaching the conference semifinals at most three times.

The situation began to turn around last year, when New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals. This season, after finishing third in the Eastern Conference and impressing the basketball world in the playoffs, the Knicks will have the opportunity to return to their former glory and win their third championship ring.