Revisiting New York in 1973, When the Knicks Were Champions

The year 1973 is important in New York for many reasons. It's credited as being the year when hip-hop was born, when Gray's Papaya opened, and when movies like "Mean Streets" or "Soylent Green" were released. It's also the last time the Knicks won the NBA Finals. WNYC/Gothamist culture editor Matthew Schnipper discusses his article, "The Knicks last won an NBA championship in 1973. Here’s what NYC looked like 53 years ago," and listeners share their memories of the Knicks and New York in 1973. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images: Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing present Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks with the Bob Cousy Eastern Conference trophy after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.