Last time Knicks won NBA championship: Revisiting 1973 Finals roster led by Walt Frazier, Willis Reed

Madison Square Garden has long been considered the "Mecca of basketball," between its history and the star power it attracts, but that alone doesn't win championships.

The venue hasn't seen a Knicks championship in more than five decades, with more than a few forgettable seasons along the way. 

This spring, Madison Square Garden has lived up to its billing -- and the Knicks finally have a team to match the energy of the crowds that support them in the playoffs. All that's left to do is win a championship.

Here's a look at the last time the Knicks won an NBA championship and which players led the effort.

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Last time Knicks won NBA championship

The Knicks last won a title in 1973, a whopping 53 years before their 2026 run to the NBA Finals.

The championship run in 1973 marked the Knicks' second title in four years and third NBA Finals appearance in that span. New York faced the Lakers all three times, winning twice.

While the 1970 title was the result of a grueling seven-game series, the Knicks closed out the Lakers in five games in 1973 to bring a championship back to a young Madison Square Garden. Instead of launching a dynasty, however, that four-year run still represents the most successful stretch in Knicks history.

New York returned to the Finals in 1994 and 1999 but came up short both times, losing the last two games of a seven-game series against the Rockets before looking overmatched against the Spurs five years later. 

For much of the 2000s, the Knicks regressed into dysfunction as fans regretted not winning a championship during the final decade of the 20th century, which was dominated by Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Hope began anew in 2021, when a Knicks team with few expectations reached the playoffs, and 2026 has been the breakthrough the franchise has been waiting for. 

Here's a look back at the Knicks' 1973 roster.

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1973 Knicks roster

Every player who played more than 15 games is listed.

The Knicks had a star-studded roster in 1973, with an iconic starting five comprised of Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe and Willis Reed. 

Reed was nearing the end of his career as injuries began to pile up, but he still earned Finals MVP honors after averaging 16.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in the series win over the Lakers. Frazier, meanwhile, led the Knicks with 21.9 points per game in the playoffs.

Even 53 years later, some of the stars of the 1973 Knicks are still actively cheering on the 2026 team. DeBusschere and Reed have passed away, but Frazier, Bradley and Monroe have each appeared at NBA Finals games in New York; Frazier remains the color commentator on Knicks TV broadcasts.

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Who coached the Knicks in 1973?

The 1973 Knicks were coached by Red Holzman, who was also in charge when they won their 1970 title.

Holzman's first stint as Knicks head coach lasted 10 seasons, and he returned for four more years at the helm after Willis Reed spent 1977-78 as head coach. Holzman went 613-483 with the Knicks and didn't coach again after his tenure ended in 1982.

Holzman was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 and died in 1998.

Knicks 1973 playoff run

The Knicks went 12-5 in the playoffs on their way to a championship in 1973.

East semifinals: Knicks 4, Bullets 1

The Baltimore Bullets were the only team other than the Knicks to win the East between 1970-73 and brought two Hall of Famers to the table in this series between Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld, but they were overmatched. The Knicks won the first three games of the series behind big performances from Frazier and Monroe, and they would close out the Bullets in Game 5.

Eastern Conference Finals: Knicks 4, Celtics 3

The Celtics would give the Knicks their biggest scare of the 1973 playoffs, winning Game 1 and then storming back to force a Game 7 after falling behind 3-1, but New York managed a 94-78 road win in that decisive game behind 25 points from Frazier.

NBA Finals: Knicks 4, Lakers 1

A year after the Lakers got the better of them, the Knicks dropped Game 1 against L.A. but proceeded to win four straight as Reed turned back the clock and DeBusschere's 33 points in Game 4 gave New York total control. The Knicks closed out the series on the road with a 102-93 win.