We Reminisce: The 1999 N.Y. Knicks

The last eight seed to win in the first round and also start the semifinals with another win? The 1999 New York Knicks. Memphis probably won’t repeat New York’s second round sweep of Atlanta, but Game 1 against Oklahoma City showed us the Thunder have to be nervous.

There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between that New York team and these Grizzlies: both started the year slow and had to deal with some injuries to key players. Both had players (Zach Randolph and Latrell Sprewell) who used the run to resurrect their careers. And both took advantages of some luck (the Knicks weren’t a typical eight seed because of the lockout-shortened season and Memphis caught the perfect storm of a matchup with San Antonio).

How shocking was that 1999 New York run to the Finals?

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