Everyone knows that center Willis Reed is one of the most important players in New York Knicks history. But there’s also one very specific accomplishment that separates him from the team’s other former greats. Heres’ the New York Post:
The 1 and only… Knick to win MVP of the NBA Finals: Willis Reed
The Time: May 8 1970; May 10, 1973.
The Background: The Knicks, despite being a charter member of the NBA, had never won a championship despite being in the Finals three straight years (1951, ’52, ’53), losing twice to George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers and once to the Rochester Royals (featuring a point guard named Red Holzman). The Knicks also lost NBA Finals trips in 1972, ’94 and ’99).
Clyde Frazier deserves a very honorary head-nod here, as the article goes on to point out.
New Yorkers look forward to the day when it isn’t just Reed who has won this honor.
