Patrick Ewing: Leading the Knicks over Bird and the Celtics (31 points, 1990 Playoffs)

[@vm53506]

WATCHING HIM PLAY AS A KID... WE CALLED HIM THE SEVEN FOOT WONDER.... AMAZING TALENT... NEVER BACKED DOWN.. AND NOT ONLY HAD GOOD GAMES AGAINST THE SCRUBS BUT HELD HIS OWN AMONG THE GREAT ONES...

[@jayelbee1111]

Patrick Ewing was a meance in the post. He had excellent footwork, and a nice hook shot in the paint. He was surrounded everytime he got the ball but he was still able to get his shot off over defenders with his long arms. He dribbled across the top of the free throw line and unleash his drop step into Parrish's chest to get his shot off to draw fouls. He was fundamental, but dominant. Ewing was a grunt in the trench!

[@TL2354]

Parish

[@CarolinaCharles777]

People forget but there was a period where Ewing was undisputedly the best center in the NBA. Late 80's, early 90's. Admittedly, Hakeem took over by mid 90's, but honestly I think Ewing's knees were really starting to bother him by then. Look how quick he is in this game. How high he jumps. He was still great in the mid to late 90's but not quite the same physically.

[@sldl04]

Ewing was at his peak right here. Still only 27 years old and as you said his knees were still good here. This is when the Knicks should have surrounded him with more talent...not in the late 90s when he was already past his prime.

[@alekomania]

@@sldl04 They waited till 1997 to actually built the proper team around him. Obviously that team got screwed by David Stern.

[@mikem591]

I was surprised how athletic he was at this time. My image of him was the 90's version. He was really athletic and moving well at this time.

[@jamesodonnell3636]

Hakeem had more years than Ewing as an all-time great, but I've revisited some of their matchups in 1994 and 1995 (regular season and playoffs), and it's hardly the case that "The Dream" was always dominant. Ewing often matched Hakeem's efforts and even outplayed him on the rare occasion. In any case, their matchups since college were the stuff of legend! I can't believe the NBA will ever be that good again (the 1980s and '90s were the peak, IMO).

[@MrSantee2000]

crowd was stunned after that 3!!!!lol

[@marianotorrez179]

I remember Ewing hitting that wild three and basically taking the life out of the building

[@J78618]

This marked the end of an era for the Celtics

[@PhilBurr100]

J78618 Imo, the end was in 1988, when the Pistons took the Eastern conference torch from them. They made it to the finals 4 consecutive years before, their group of Parish, Mchale, Bird, Ainge, and D.Johnson was no more.

[@wuliwei6939]

The stars were there, just out of prime

[@ryank1191]

I actually felt the Celtics remained contenders all the way until 1992. I think the Celtics just caught a bad matchup with the Knicks in the first round. If this series had gone seven games who knows who would’ve won. The Celtics lost in six games to the Pistons in 1991, and that series was a lot closer than it seemed. Then in 1992 the Celtics pushed a really good Cavaliers team to seven games.

[@mikeycrump8838]

I mean fgeg went to the second round in 1992

[@MicroWave233]

​@ryank1191 wish we got to see a prime bulls vs celtics match up but they didn't meet in the playoffs after 87.

[@alekomania]

Ewing was so talented for a big man He had the size, shot, determination and look at all those passes he dropped of to teammates.

[@jakx1115]

we need more ewing

[@NYKgjl10]

Ewing: My B-Ball hardwood hero....I grew up watching Ewing, Vandeweghe, OakTree and company.

[@AwesomeRandomVidz]

Unca OAK action jackson

[@hectorlopez1069]

Unfortunately, he could never win an NBA championship with the Knicks, or win an MVP award. But he was so badass.

[@kidcudi908]

He would absolutely destroy today’s centers

[@tupacalypse88]

10 assists and a fade away for the big fella We miss ya Pat

[@dyballocks1296]

Ewing what a monster of a performance on the road. Final nail in the coffin of those great Celtics teams, dominated in the post. So athletic here, shame he's knees were causing him massive problems by the time the Knicks were true contenders. Patrick Ewing a warrior.

[@PhilBurr100]

I always wondered if this version of Pat Ewing would have played better against a 94' Olajuwon

[@toddsands6000]

I remembered watching this game. When I saw that three pointer launched by Ewing go in as he was fading out of bounds, I knew the Knicks would officially break the 26 game losing streak against the Celtics. This is the Patrick Ewing I wish a lot of fans remembered.

[@atlaslion5128]

Nice dunk by Newman at 4:50

[@mikem591]

This is probably my favorite version of Ewing. He played with a lot of energy on both sides of the floor and was quicker and more athletic. My memory of him was the 90's version. He was still playing at a high level and scoring a lot of point, but he wasn't as athletic and his knees made him less mobile. This athletic, energetic version of him was fun to watch.

[@riderskater7248]

Ewing made NBA basketball fantastic! The best shooting big man I've ever seen. The New York Knicks have not been the same since Patrick's retirement.

[@CoreyT127]

Celtics were up 2-0 in this series and Knicks won 3 straight!

[@TRJ2241987]

Celtics also set the record for most points in a playoff game in Game 2.....ran the score up on them big....I wouldn't be surprised if the Celtics outscored the Knicks in this series and still lost

[@walterlv01]

This was the only time the Celtics ever lost in the first round while Bird was playing. They lost in '89 but he missed that season injured. Even their '91 and '92 teams when Bird was a broken down old warhorse advanced past the first round.

[@glennandquin2437]

Patrick Ewing one of the greatest players ever

[@jonathanfleming5831]

That's exactly how I became a die hard Knicks especially from a few months ago when Trent Tucker hit a last second shot to win the game

[@hectorlopez1069]

Ewing can dunk it so hard.

[@Mmacrossfirekenai]

Mo' Cheeks helping Patrick do his thing. All those great early 80s teams had broken down by this time. The stubborn Lakers and Celtics had to be dragged down like this.

[@gridironglory517]

Still a sad game to watch for a Celtics fan. Still had a couple good years but it was the end to argueably the greatest team runs in NBA history

[@jayrodriguez9211]

Ewing’s prime was about 1987-93 he was an absolute machine

[@UlattVadilbry-hs3jh]

One of the happiest days of my youth. They were humiliated in Game 2 and exacted revenge in a way I never expected. This effectively ended the Celtic dynasty. That 1989-90 team had a lot of ups and downs but they made up for it. Funny thing about Ewing is he ended the Barkley Sixers in ‘89, the Celtics in ‘90, and the Bad Boy Pistons in ‘92.

[@brucedavis3816]

I didn't know mo cheeks played for thevknicks!!!

[@juliant123]

if coaches would have allowed players to shoot threes in a more wide open system

[@ruminator3570]

This hurt after setting the then record in game 2. Can't really use the old busted up Celtics factor as an excuse. They would go 26-5 out of the gate next season but still they were heading into the sunset. Also Dennis Johnson's final game. RIP.

[@barrybshrekson864]

That fade was disgusting 😂

[@韓粉出征寸草不生英粉]

How did this Celtics team lose to the Knicks?

[@kidcudi908]

Patrick Ewing

[@BigZoFarnham]

Celtics didnt have a good bench like the Knicks

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Celtics fans, who see things only through Green Irish colored glasses, will claim that Larry Bird is the true GOAT. I don't buy that and never will. I'm not saying he wasn't a great player. Just not the GOAT.