Celtics VS Knicks – NBA Trivia Tracking Nearly 70 Years Of Rivalry
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks enjoy a famous rivalry within the NBA. Two of only three remaining franchises from the inaugural Basketball Association of America era, NBA trivia research reveals that both came to be in 1946. They also happen to be the two oldest squads still playing in their original cities.
Their rivalry dates as far back as the 1950-51 season, when they met in the Division Semi-finals of that year. After the Knicks pipped the Celtics during the first round of the Playoffs, they’d go on to lose to the Rochester Royals.
But then, in the very following season, they’d end up squaring it off in the Division Semi-finals yet again. And this time, it would be Boston claiming their stake to a Game 1 won at home.
After the Knicks tied the series at home at 1-1, they’d go on to win the best-of-three in a showdown of epic proportions in Boston before losing to the Lakers in the finals.
Celtics Bag It Early
For the Celtics, the 1960s meant a continuance of their championship style title-holding that began in 1959. In fact, they were crowned champions every season between 1959 and 1966 – meaning absolute dominance over their rivals.
But for the Knicks, it would be a continuance not of dominance, but of struggles. Between 1960 and 1966, the Knicks failed to qualify even once for the Playoffs.
When New York finally made their way back into contention towards the end of the 1966-67 season, they were met by Boston in the Division Semi-finals. And while the Celtics beat them during the first two games, they fought back strong and hard to secure Game 3.
While Boston ended that series with a whopping win in New York, they were defeated in the very next round by the 76ers.
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40 Years Of Celtics Dominance
By the time the 70s and 80s rolled around, NBA trivia fans will tell you that things had turned pretty much a mixed bag of results for the Knicks. After eliminating the Celtics in the 1971-72 season, as well as the season thereafter, they appeared to fall flat on their faces by the time the early 80s came around.
The Celtics, meanwhile, were led to tiles in 1980-81, 1983-84, and 1985-86 – and mainly led and powered by the unstoppable Larry Bird.
After meeting one more time in the first round of the NBA Playoffs of 1990, the two teams would not meet again in another Playoffs-round until 2011. The Knicks that year managed to secure their first Playoffs berth since 2004, only to be pipped from the running by the Celtics immediately after.