The New York Knicks headed into Game 3 of the NBA Finals looking to extend their series lead to 3-0 over the San Antonio Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama and his teammates hoping to avoid an embarrassing sweep.
The playoff run Jalen Brunson has been on with the Knicks is incredible, with his team on a 13-game winning streak heading into Game 3. Previously, they eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers in four game sweeps.
And the Knicks have plenty of fans supporting them, including celebrities like Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, and Spike Lee, as well as former Knicks players such as Walt “Clyde” Frazier, John Starks, and Patrick Ewing.
Ewing is considered an all-time great center in Knicks history, and has plenty of familiarity playing against ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” crew members, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.
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Ewing appeared on the “Inside the NBA” pregame coverage from Madison Square Garden, speaking about how spectacular it’s been to experience this latest team’s run, since his previous playoff run never got quite so close to winning the championship.
Ewing’s Knicks were among the beasts of the Eastern Conference, often contending with Michael Jordan’s Bulls, though. In 1989, Ewing and the Knicks took on Barkley and the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
“I just wanna say this, I hate you,” Barkley said to the Knicks legend. “I only got swept one time in my life, and you swept me.”
According to Barkley, he’ll “never forgive” Ewing for that 3-0 sweep they completed in Philadelphia, back when their playoff matchup was a best-of-five series.
Barkley seemed to be joking with the Knicks’ all-time great, but it shows the intensity of their Eastern Conference rivalry back in the day. That rivalry still exists between the Knicks and 76ers to this day.
New York went on to lose in the next round to MJ and the Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Ewing appeared in the NBA Finals just once during his career, losing to Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets in 1994, so he never claimed a ring. Barkley also had one appearance, with the Phoenix Suns in 1993, falling to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Barkley and Ewing also appeared alongside MJ and other familiar NBA opponents when they all suited up for the legendary 1992 Olympics Dream Team, so the hard feelings were seemingly put aside for the common good of a gold medal run in Barcelona.
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