76ers/Nationals vs Knicks ‘Offs History Notes

The last two of the 8 NBA first round matchups will be finalized in two games tonight, with the first round commencing, as I believe to be the case since ’99 (certainly then, when I updated the Saturday May 8th–strike affected ’99 season, Knicks/Heat opening game score for the late great Christopher Reeve, the fact he was sitting in a wheelchair lending perspective we all need), with 4 games each on both Saturday and Sunday.

Noting some history regarding the NBA Eastern Conference “2” seed New York Knicks vs the “7” seed, Philadelphia 76ers first round series, which begins with game 1 in New York at 6 P.M. tomorrow night.

New York and the Boston Celtics, the latter an actual favorite to win the NBA East, (beware stranger things have happened, who await tonight’s Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat “play in” game winner), are the only NBA teams that have played in all 78 of its seasons (’47-2024).

The current Philadelphia franchise, which played in the rival N.B.L. in its first 3 seasons, (’47-’49), has played in 75 NBA seasons, the first 14 as the Syracuse Nationals (’50-63) when they qualified for the NBA playoffs in their first 22 seasons (’50-’71), tying the San Antonio Spurs for the most such seasons.

This will be the fifth Sixers/Knicks playoffs series and the ninth between the franchises as the Knicks and Nationals had ‘offs clashes in the first three possible seasons (’50-’52) and one more in ’59. (The Nats won a best of 3 semi (2-1) in ’50 and a best of 3 “quarter” (2-0) in ’59 while the Knicks took best of 5 “semis” (3-2) in ’51 and (3-1) in ’52).

The last three series contested between these teams resulted in sweeps, the Sixers sweeping the Knicks in 4 straight games in both the ’78 and ’83 “quarters,” the latter in route to their second Philly crown in ’83 (they won one as the Nationals that with the great Dolph Schayes in 1955).

New York swept the 76ers in 3 straight games in the ’89 preliminary round.

By far, the most compelling Sixers/Knicks series, the lone non sweep, was Philadelphia’s 6 game triumph in the 1968 quarterfinals.

Game 3 in Philly where all odd numbered games were or would have been played and the series tied at one game apiece, was a two overtime 76ers win.

It was a costly win, as the 76ers’ great “6th man,” Billy Cunningham (the ’83 team’s coach) was lost for the rest of the ‘offs.

The Sixers were defending champions, having finished a (68-13), ’66-’67 season with a crown, one of 2 won by the great Wilt Chamberlain. They had an excellent ’67-’68 season “reg,” finishing with a (62-20) record.

However, the Boston Celtics overcame a (3-1) semis series deficit vs them and went on to their 10th title in 12 seasons, eventually to be 11 in 13, with the last of that incredible Bill Russell/Sam Jones and other greats era, coming vs the Lakers and their off-season acquisition, Wilt Chamberlain in ’68-’69.

A truly great player, Billy Cunningham, is pictured above.