The Knicks (or Knickerbockers) are a New York-based National Basketball Association team. Together with the Boston Celtics, they are one of only two teams of the original NBA members still located in its original city. Their main rivals in their division are the Pacers, Bulls, Heat, Nets, Celtics and 76ers. The team’s first NBA game was November 1, 1946 against the Toronto Huskies at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens; the Knicks won 68-66. The Knicks appeared in the NBA Finals from 1951-1953.

The Knicks struggled from 1960 to 1966, as they finished last in the Eastern Division each year, suffering two of their biggest losses. They lost to the L.A. Lakers 162-100 on November 15, 1960 and on March 3, 1962, Philadelphia Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored a NBA-record 100 points against the Knicks to lead the Warriors, 169-147.

The Knicks drafted Willis Reed in 1964, who became NBA Rookie of the Year in 1965. For the first time since 1959, the Knicks made it to the playoffs in 1967; they hired Red Holzman as head coach and with Holzman and players Bill Bradley and Walt "Clyde" Frazier, the Knicks were playoff teams again in 1968.

The following season, they acquired Dave DeBusschere from the Pistons; went 54-28 and made it to the playoffs. The Knicks made swept Baltimore Bullets in three games but lost to the Celtics in the division finals.

In the 1969-70 season, the Knicks established a team record 18 straight victories en route to a 60-22 record, the team’s best. They defeated the Bullets in the semifinals, the Bucks in the finals, and went on to defeat the Lakers for their first NBA title.

The Knicks' lost to the Bullets in the 1971 Eastern Conference finals; however, after acquiring Jerry Lucas and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, they were back in the Finals in 1972 and were beaten by the Lakers. The following season, the Knicks defeated the Lakers for their second NBA title. In the 1973-74 season, the Knicks lost to the Celtics for the Eastern Conference finals.

The following season at 40-42, the Knicks posted their first losing record in 8 seasons, but still qualified for a playoff spot, which the Rockets won in the first round. The team improved to 39-43 in 1979-1980; went 50-32 in 1980-1981 to earn a spot in the playoffs, where the Bulls swept them in two games.

The Knicks' dismal performance in the 1984-85 season entered them into their first-ever NBA Draft Lottery where they won the number one pick, and selected Patrick Ewing of Georgetown University. In his first season with the Knicks, Ewing led all rookies in scoring and rebounds to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

The Knicks made the playoffs again in 1987-88 with a record of 38-44, but lost to the Celtics in the first round. The following season, they posted a 52-30 record and won their first division title in nearly twenty years. They defeated the 76ers in the first round playoffs before losing to the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals.

The Knicks went 47-32 in 1989-90, defeated the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, before they lost to the Detroit Pistons in the next round. The following year, the team posted a 39-43 record and were swept by the eventual NBA champion Bulls.

Prior to the 1991-1992 season, the Knicks hired Pat Riley as head coach and posted a 51-31 record, tied with the Pistons in the Atlantic Division; they defeated the Pistons in the first round; then battled the Bulls for seven games, before once again letting the Bulls get the best of them.

1992-93 proved to be successful for the Knicks as they won the Atlantic Division title, making it to the Eastern Conference finals where they lost to the Bulls after posting a 2-0 lead.

In the 1993-94 season, the Knicks once again won the Atlantic Division title, defeating the New Jersey Nets and defeated the Bulls in the second round. The Knicks defeated the Reggie Miller-led Pacers in the conference finals to reach their first NBA Finals since 1973. The Knicks played against the Rockets in the NBA Finals eventually losing in Game 7.

The next season, the Knicks defeated the Cavaliers for the division title and faced the Pacers in the second round, which the Pacers won in Game 7, 97-95.

The Knicks hired longtime assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy in 1995-96 as head coach, finished with a 47-35 record, and swept the Cavaliers in the first round playoffs before losing to the Bulls in five games.

Setting a 57-25 record in the 1996-97 season, the Knicks swept the Hornets in the first round and faced the Riley-coached Heat in the second. Leading the Heat, 3-1, a brawl in Game 5 resulted in suspensions of key players costing the Knicks the series.

Ewing’s injury in the 1997-98 season, forced him to miss the rest of the season and the playoffs. The Knicks defeated the Heat to set up a meeting with the Pacers in the second round which the Pacers won in five games.

Before the 1998-99 season, the Knicks traded Starks and Oakley for Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby. Barely making it to the playoffs with a 27-23 record, the Knicks started an improbable postseason run, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 4-0 to face the Pacers in the Conference Finals. They lost Ewing to injury but won the series to become the first eighth-seeded playoff team to make it to the NBA Finals. However, the San Antonio Spurs overwhelmed the injury-laden Knicks in five games.

The Knicks traded Ewing to the Supersonics at the end of the 1999-00 season. Ewing’s era as a Knicks star produced memorable playoff games but no NBA titles. The following season, the Knicks posted a 48-32 record. However, the Toronto Raptors beat them in 5 games, the first time in a decade the Knicks failed to get past the first round playoffs.

With a 37-45 record in 2002-03 and a 15-24 start in 2003-04, the Knicks underwent a massive overhaul. Isaiah Thomas was named the Knicks' president, Lenny Wilkens as head coach and acquired star point guard Stephon Marbury. Posting a 39-43 record, the Knicks qualified for the playoffs but were swept by the Nets in the first round.

The Knicks 2004-05 season was a disaster with their 33-49 finish. Wilkens resigned, and the team signed Larry Brown to a five-year contract worth about $50 million, hoping he would lead the Knicks to the playoffs. The team’s payroll is the highest at over $100 million but the team has been among the worst in the NBA.

With Brown at the helm and the arrival of young talents, the Knicks could possibly reclaim its position as NBA title contender. However, the Knicks still struggled during the 2006 season.