Knicks Knacks

When TigerBlog was a kid and he wanted to watch a game that started late, he'd ask his parents if he could stay up and watch it if he took a nap in the afternoon. 

Even if they said yes, it wouldn't matter. Nap or no nap, TB would never come close to making it through the game. 

The current NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs have a similar vibe to them. Each game in the series is scheduled for an 8:30 start, though that has proven to be about 15 minutes short of when the ball actually goes up. 

All these years later, nap or no nap, staying up to the end isn't easy. Take the first two games of the series.  

TB fell asleep during Game 1 and woke up in time to see the fourth quarter. Final: Knicks 105, Spurs 95. 

Game 2? He didn't make it past halftime at all. He woke up around 12:30 on his couch and checked to see who won. Final: Knicks 105, Spurs 104. 

Once he saw the score, he had to check to see how it came to that. He'll just say that it wasn't Victor Wembanyama's finest moment.  

Winning twice on the road to start the NBA Finals isn't exactly something that happens a lot. In fact, the Knicks are only the third team to do so. That's three times in the history of the league. 

The other two? The 1993 Chicago Bulls, who went on to beat Phoenix in six games, and the 1995 Houston Rockets, who would sweep Orlando. 

In other words, no team has ever lost the first two games at home and then come back to win the title. Also, only five teams in all have come back from 2-0 down regardless to win the Finals: the 1969 Celtics, the 1977 Trail Blazers, the 2006 Heat, the 2016 Cavaliers and the 2021 Bucks. 

If the Knicks are going to lose the series, things are going to have to change — and quickly. New York was down 2-1 to Atlanta in Round 1 but has ripped off 13 straight since then, closing out the Hawks and then sweeping Philadelphia and Cleveland. That sort of momentum is hard to stop. 

Right now, Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks in points per game in the finals with 25. Today's question: Who was the leading scorer for New York in the Finals the last time the team celebrated a title? 

Hint — why would TigerBlog ask if the answer wasn't Princeton's own Bill Bradley. 

The last time the Knicks were the NBA champion was in 1973. That's, uh, a long time ago. 

New York beat Los Angeles four games to one that year. Interestingly, today is June 8; the 1973 Finals ended on May 10. 

Bradley led the Knicks with 18.6 points per game in the five games, followed by four teammates with at least 15.6. Those four were Walt Frazier (16.8), Willis Reed (16.6), Earl Monroe (16.0) and Dave DeBusschere (15.6). 

Those are hallowed names if you're a longtime Knicks fan like TB. Also, if you are, you love this photo of the Knicks at Jadwin Gym for an exhibition game:

 

In addition to the 18.6 points per game, Bradley averaged five rebounds and 3.4 assists in the five games. He shot 44 percent from the field and was 13 for 14 from the foul line. In the 102-93 series clincher in Game 5, Bradley had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists. 

Bradley of course is the most dominant Princeton basketball player ever and the No. 1 Princeton athlete of all time according to the alumni weekly. He finished his Tiger career with 2,503 points, in three varsity seasons with no three-point shot. He had 11 games with at least 40 points; no other Princeton men's player ever has had even one. 

He led the Tigers to the 1965 Final Four as a senior, after being the captain of the gold medal-winning USA team at the 1964 Olympic Games and winning the Sullivan Award as the top American amateur athlete. After his Hall of Fame career with the Knicks, he served three terms as a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. 

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, the 1973 NBA Finals featured 12 players who would reach the Hall of Fame, as well as both head coaches (New York's Red Holtzman, Los Angeles' Bill Sharman) and even two referees.  

Anyway, Game 3 is tonight. At 8:30 (sort of). 

Nap time?