Greatest moment in each NBA franchise’s history

New York Knicks: Willis Reed inspires Knicks in 1970 Finals

Sometimes you don’t need to be all that productive to have a great moment in the NBA. Sometimes just showing up is enough to create a lasting memory for a team’s fans. That’s certainly the case when Willis Reed stole the page out of the ending of a sports movie in the 1970 NBA Finals to help galvanize the New York Knicks.

Reed suffered a thigh injury that was said to be a torn muscle earlier in the series against the Los Angeles Lakers and was kept out for Game 6. Given the severity of the injury, he was expected to be out once again for the decisive Game 7. The Knicks center had other ideas, though.

During warm-ups, Reed ran out onto the court and Madison Square Garden erupted at the sight of the injured big man taking the court to try to tough it out. Tough it out he did as Reed started in Game 7 and put the Knicks on the board with two buckets on his first two attempts from the field.

Reed didn’t register another point in the Game 7, but it didn’t matter after how wild he had gotten the crowd behind the Knicks and how he had inspired his teammates. Behind a masterful effort from Walt Frazier, the Knicks went on to win Game 7 to capture their first ever NBA Championship.

You wouldn’t think a big man scoring four points in an NBA Finals game would matter at all, but it most definitely does in the case of Reed. As far as the Knicks are concerned, it doesn’t get any better than that Game 7 in the 1970 Finals.

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