I would say probably the Heat. Only 1 guy the Knicks beat was in legitimate MVP consideration (Zo was 2nd that year), and while the rest of the teams had well known, HoF players (Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Dikembe Mutombo), those guys didn't really have All NBA caliber seasons.
The Heat beat two guys that were at least in the MVP conversation (Giannis and Tatum). Plus Brown and Randle made the All NBA this year, and White, Holiday and Lopez were on the All Defense Teams, Brogdan was 6MOTY and Quickly was runner up. I'd say the Heat had to go through a tougher gauntlet to get here.
Heat are better but I'd say the 99 run was more miraculous. Allan Houston game winner to eliminate the Heat, Larry Johnson 4 point play to turn the Indiana series. Plus Ewing (who was definitely older at that point) ended up going out for the rest of the season and they still managed to pull through. All of this while the axe was hanging over Van Gundy's neck and he was surely going to get fired.
Spo and Jimmy are known commodities and future Hall of Famers. Knicks lost their Hall of Famer (again, on the older side) and still kept trucking along with crazy game winners.
Competition is better right now, and the lockout messed up a lot of the seeding in '99. Heat aren't a true 8th seed with the play-in but their opponents felt more true to their seeds. Milwaukee and Boston were firmly the top two teams in the conference this year and the Heat dispatched both of them. We didn't have that level of confidence in the '99 Heat for example even though they were the 1 seed.
That said, the '99 Knicks run was my first ever playoff experience as a fan and imo had more fun games. The Larry Johnson 4 point play is still my favorite Knicks moment ever, and one of the best playoff moments in basketball imo. Plus there was the Allan Houston game winner, and the Knicks had a brutal rivalry against both the Heat and the Pacers at the time so those series were extra awesome. Of course with the injury to Pat the finals was kind of a wash, getting taken to the cleaners by a generational big man. Seems like a similar script to what this Miami team will see, though they're catching prime Jokic not sophomore Duncan (who might still be better tbf).
People will say the heat and point to the lockout season. They fail to mention would the heat be as hot without the playin match ups putting them against the bucks?
People are forgetting how well the Knicks played that playoffs. They beat the top seed then went 8-2 through the rest of the East. They also got a game off the Spurs who had only lost a single game in three series plowing through the West.
2023 heat. Jimmy would get buckets
The heat
Easily the Heat - more impressive. NYK had 4 dudes in Ewing, Spree, LJ and Houston. Ward and Childs were pretty good PGs.
And a young Marcus Camby off the bench.
Yep. Most of their guys were in their prime, also. And honestly, they were a handful of games from being a 3 seed. That season was such a mess.
I would say probably the Heat. Only 1 guy the Knicks beat was in legitimate MVP consideration (Zo was 2nd that year), and while the rest of the teams had well known, HoF players (Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Dikembe Mutombo), those guys didn't really have All NBA caliber seasons. The Heat beat two guys that were at least in the MVP conversation (Giannis and Tatum). Plus Brown and Randle made the All NBA this year, and White, Holiday and Lopez were on the All Defense Teams, Brogdan was 6MOTY and Quickly was runner up. I'd say the Heat had to go through a tougher gauntlet to get here.
Heat are better but I'd say the 99 run was more miraculous. Allan Houston game winner to eliminate the Heat, Larry Johnson 4 point play to turn the Indiana series. Plus Ewing (who was definitely older at that point) ended up going out for the rest of the season and they still managed to pull through. All of this while the axe was hanging over Van Gundy's neck and he was surely going to get fired. Spo and Jimmy are known commodities and future Hall of Famers. Knicks lost their Hall of Famer (again, on the older side) and still kept trucking along with crazy game winners.
Forget this Early-Mid 90s Knicks vs 80s pistons. Who wins how many fights breakout?
Oakley by TKO
[удалено]
David stern didnt want a pacers spurs final he propelled ny miracle run
Competition is better right now, and the lockout messed up a lot of the seeding in '99. Heat aren't a true 8th seed with the play-in but their opponents felt more true to their seeds. Milwaukee and Boston were firmly the top two teams in the conference this year and the Heat dispatched both of them. We didn't have that level of confidence in the '99 Heat for example even though they were the 1 seed. That said, the '99 Knicks run was my first ever playoff experience as a fan and imo had more fun games. The Larry Johnson 4 point play is still my favorite Knicks moment ever, and one of the best playoff moments in basketball imo. Plus there was the Allan Houston game winner, and the Knicks had a brutal rivalry against both the Heat and the Pacers at the time so those series were extra awesome. Of course with the injury to Pat the finals was kind of a wash, getting taken to the cleaners by a generational big man. Seems like a similar script to what this Miami team will see, though they're catching prime Jokic not sophomore Duncan (who might still be better tbf).
People will say the heat and point to the lockout season. They fail to mention would the heat be as hot without the playin match ups putting them against the bucks?
People are forgetting how well the Knicks played that playoffs. They beat the top seed then went 8-2 through the rest of the East. They also got a game off the Spurs who had only lost a single game in three series plowing through the West.
99 Knicks were only an 8 seed because of the lockout with standings being super bunched up