NBA Team Guide
New York Knicks: History, Championships & Facts
The Knicks are a charter member of the Basketball Association of America, founded in 1946, and played in the first game in league history. They have won three NBA championships, in 1970, 1973 and 2026.
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Updated live from ESPN.
Quick facts
| Founded | 1946, a charter member of the BAA (merged into the NBA in 1949) |
|---|---|
| Arena | Madison Square Garden, New York (the fourth arena of that name, opened in 1968) |
| NBA titles | 3 (1970, 1973, 2026) |
| NBA Finals appearances | 9 through the 2025–26 season (1951, 1952, 1953, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1994, 1999, 2026) |
| Conference / division | Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division |
| Name | Short for Knickerbockers |
Championship history
New York won its first two titles in 1970 and 1973, both against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2026 title ended a 53-year gap between championships.
- 1970 NBA Finals: beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4–3
- 1973 NBA Finals: beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4–1
- 2026 NBA Finals: beat the San Antonio Spurs 4–1
- Also reached the Finals in 1951, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1994 and 1999
- 2025 NBA Cup: beat the San Antonio Spurs 124–113 in the final
Franchise history
- 1946: Played the first game in BAA/NBA history, winning 68–66 at the Toronto Huskies on November 1.
- 1968: Moved into the fourth Madison Square Garden, which opened on February 11.
- 1970: Won the first NBA title in franchise history, beating the Lakers in seven games.
- 1985: Drafted Patrick Ewing with the first pick of the first NBA draft lottery.
- 1999: Reached the NBA Finals as the East's eighth seed, losing to San Antonio.
- 2026: Won the NBA title, beating San Antonio 4–1 after coming back from 29 points down in Game 4, the largest comeback in Finals history.
Franchise record holders
| Points | Patrick Ewing, 23,665 |
|---|---|
| Rebounds | Patrick Ewing, 10,759 |
| Assists | Walt Frazier, 4,791 |
Retired numbers
- 6Bill Russell (retired across the NBA)
- 10Walt Frazier
- 12Dick Barnett
- 15Dick McGuire
- 15Earl Monroe
- 19Willis Reed
- 22Dave DeBusschere
- 24Bill Bradley
- 33Patrick Ewing
- 613Red Holzman (coach, for his 613 wins)
Hall of Famers
Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Dick Barnett, Dick McGuire, Harry Gallatin, Carl Braun, Richie Guerin, Bernard King, Red Holzman (coach).
Biggest rivalries
- Indiana Pacers: nine playoff series between 1993 and 2025, including four Eastern Conference Finals (1994, 1999, 2000 and 2025).
- Miami Heat: six playoff series between 1997 and 2023, four of them in consecutive years from 1997 to 2000.
- Brooklyn Nets: the crosstown New York rivalry.
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How many championships have the Knicks won?
Three: 1970, 1973 and 2026.
Who did the Knicks beat in the 2026 NBA Finals?
The San Antonio Spurs, four games to one. It was a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which San Antonio won.
Did the Knicks play in the first NBA game?
Yes. On November 1, 1946, they beat the Toronto Huskies 68–66 in Toronto in the first game of the BAA, the league that became the NBA.
Who is the Knicks' all-time leading scorer?
Patrick Ewing, with 23,665 points from 1985 to 2000.
Why is 613 retired by the Knicks?
It honors coach Red Holzman, who won 613 games with the team and coached both the 1970 and 1973 champions.
Sources
Facts checked September 23, 2026. Live figures above come from ESPN.