Knicks/Heat Friday, Dec. 17, on ESPN, ESPN 3D, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com & ESPN Mobile TV
ESPN’s lead NBA commentator team of Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, all with close ties to the New York Knicks and games played at Madison Square Garden, share some of their most memorable MSG and Knicks/Heat moments in advance of Friday’s telecast – Miami’s first trip to The Garden this season – Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. ET. Breen, Jackson and Van Gundy, along with reporter Doris Burke, will call the game, which will also be available via ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV.
Additionally, the game will be ESPN 3D’s first NBA telecast. Mark Jones will call the 3D telecast with analyst Jon Barry. The Knicks will also host the Chicago Bulls as part of ESPN’s blockbuster Christmas Day lineup, Saturday, Dec. 25, at 12 p.m.
Best Performances at MSG
Breen – “Three of the top performances were Patrick Ewing’s 24 points and 22 rebounds in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to beat the Indiana Pacers and advance to The Finals for the first time since 1973; Michael Jordan’s 55-point game in his return to The Garden after coming out of retirement in March of 1995; and Kobe’s 61 points in February of 2009.”
Jackson – “Larry Johnson’s four-point play was memorable, but Reggie Miller’s eight points in 8.9 seconds (Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to give the Pacers a win over the Knicks) – to be a part of it – was incredible. That is as quiet as I’ve ever seen the place.”
Van Gundy – “The most impressive individual performance was Patrick Ewing’s 24 points and 22 rebounds in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, which sent us to The Finals. He was extraordinary in a pressure-packed Game 7, not only how well he played, but the magnitude of that game.”
Most Memorable Moment
Breen – “It would be a three-way tie between John Starks, ‘the dunk,’ in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bulls in 1993; Larry Johnson’s four-point play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Indiana in 1999; and the “O.J. game,” Game 5 of the 1994 Finals, the same night as O.J. Simpson’s car chase.”
Jackson – “The Knicks winning it all in 1973, seeing Earl Monroe at MSG and sacrificing for the best interests of the team. He was an all-time great willing to change his game in order to put his team in the best position to win.”
Van Gundy – “The game from The Garden which stands out is Anthony Carter’s ‘illegal,’ over the backboard, shot that beat us in a playoff game in 2000.”
Knicks/Heat Moment
Breen – “The fact that all four playoff series went the distance was amazing, and two of the deciding final games were decided at the buzzer. One of the most memorable is Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the game after the fight and suspensions. The Knicks were shorthanded without Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston and Charlie Ward. The crowd knew it, and I don’t know if I’ve ever heard it louder at the opening tip of the game. The fans were clearly trying to help the Knicks overcome the suspensions. Game 4 in 1998 also stands out, with the fight between Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson.”
Van Gundy – “My most memorable game from the Heat/Knicks rivalry was when Patrick Ewing blocked Tim Hardaway’s three-point attempt, which would have potentially tied the game in 1997.”
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