History Bulls–Knicks rivalry

1 history

1.1 1981-1988: first playoff meeting , aftermath
1.2 1988-1993: chicago bulls first dynasty
1.3 1993-1998: chicago bulls second dynasty

history
1981-1988: first playoff meeting , aftermath

the 2 teams first playoff meeting in first round of 1981 nba playoffs, best-of-three series. chicago, under head coach jerry sloan, won both games sweep series against new york 2-0. chicago swept in next round boston celtics, eventual champions, in best-of-four series. sloan fired during 1981-82 chicago bulls season.

in 1984 nba draft, chicago bulls used first-round pick (3rd overall) select shooting guard michael jordan, lead chicago 6 nba championships in 1990s teammates scottie pippen , dennis rodman, under direction of head coach phil jackson. next year, new york knicks used first-round pick (1st overall) in 1985 nba draft select center patrick ewing, go on become 1 of knicks notable players on next 15 years.

1988-1993: chicago bulls first dynasty

the knicks , bulls met in playoffs second time in 1989. time, rivalry more pronounced, knicks had won first atlantic division title since 1971 52-30 record , clinched 2nd seed in east. meanwhile, 6th-seeded chicago won 47 games, led reigning nba mvp , defensive player of year michael jordan. bulls won game 1 in new york, , 3 in chicago upset knicks 4-2 , qualify eastern conference finals, lost in 6 games eventual champion detroit pistons.

when 2 teams met again in 1991, roles reversed. chicago led east franchise-best 61 wins capture central division title. on opposite end, knicks limped playoffs @ 39-43 8th seed. chicago cruised past new york in 3-game sweep, winning each game average of 20 points. go on claim first nba championship in franchise history.

in 1992, bulls, led jordan , pippen, on way second straight title when met knicks led ewing , new head coach pat riley in eastern conference semifinals. series went decisive game 7, bulls won 110-81 advance. kick-started intense rivalry , made knicks eastern conference powerhouse, replacing pistons , celtics. first of 2 game 7 s bulls faced in 6 seasons won championship, other pacers in 1998 eastern conference finals. particular series became intense, several players, particularly michael jordan, xavier mcdaniel, scottie pippen, , greg anthony getting arguments.

shortly afterwards, there moment of peace in rivalry, ewing, jordan, , pippen winning gold medals members of dream team @ 1992 summer olympics. ewing, jordan, , chris mullin basketball players win gold medals amateurs , professionals, having won @ 1984 summer olympics. jordan , pippen, along lebron james in 2012, players have won nba championship , olympic gold medal in same year, though pippen player accomplish feat twice, played bulls in 1996 , team usa @ 1996 summer olympics.

in 1992–93 season, knicks finished ahead of chicago in regular season , had home court advantage in eastern conference finals. series had notable highlight of starks dunking on horace grant in front of michael jordan late in game 2. however, despite being down 2–0, bulls came , won next 4 (by doing so, became 1st team in nba history overcome 2-0 series deficit in best-of-7 series, 2nd team year, , 4th overall), including 97-94 game 5 victory in new york. game notable knicks forward charles smith stopped 4 straight times series of blocks , strips in final seconds while trying score. bulls won game 6 96-88 advance 1993 nba finals, beat suns in 6 first three-peat.

1993-1998: chicago bulls second dynasty

with jordan s absence in 1993–94 knicks had upper hand , compiled second best record in east. bulls, led pippen , newcomer toni kukoč, met knicks in second round, series went 7 games. game 3 of series marred brawl between jo jo english , derek harper in both players rolled stands. made things worse brawl took place nba commissioner david stern in attendance. bulls had 19-point lead entering 4th, knicks tied 1.8 seconds left on patrick ewing hook shot. scottie pippen famously refused take floor after phil jackson drew final play kukoc, hit buzzer-beater win game. in 1 of argued calls in nba history, questionable foul called hue hollins (who ironically same referee officiated controversial finish in game 5 of 1993 eastern conference finals, , arguably opted not call foul on charles smith s multiple putback attempts in waning seconds) in closing seconds of game 5 against pippen, gave hubert davis 2 free throws turn one-point deficit one-point victory knicks.

after blowout bulls win in game 6, knicks advanced past bulls series-clinching 87-77 win, lost rockets in 1994 nba finals. time knicks able beat bulls in playoffs during era. also, games in series won home team, , knicks had home court advantage in series.

in 1994–95, jordan returned in latter half of regular season. in return garden, 5th game back, jordan scored 55 in chicago win. game lifted jordan s confidence after mediocre performance in comeback game against pacers. didn t meet in playoffs season, animosity between teams still grew.

during bulls record-setting 1995–96 season, suffered worst loss of season knicks, 102-74 in march. 2 months later, defeated knicks in eastern conference semifinals in 5.

during bulls second three-peat, met in playoffs once; in 1996 when bulls defeated knicks. during period other teams in east grew contenders, such indiana pacers, orlando magic, , miami heat. of these teams had own heated battles either bulls or knicks in playoffs.

in 1990s, both knicks finals appearances (1994 , cinderella march of 1999) followed bulls 3-peat, knicks lost both times team texas (rockets & spurs).