The New York Knicks, established in 1946 by Ned Irish, are a foundational NBA team based in Manhattan, playing their home games at Madison Square Garden. As one of only two original NBA teams still in their founding city (alongside the Boston Celtics), they quickly found success, making three consecutive NBA Finals appearances in the early 1950s, though without a win. Their most celebrated era came under head coach Red Holzman, who led the team to two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973.

The 1990s saw a renewed period of prominence for the Knicks, with future Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing leading a team known for its tough defense under coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, reaching the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999 amidst passionate rivalries, but ultimately not securing a championship. After a challenging period since 2000, the Knicks won a division title in 2012–13 led by Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, and returned to the playoffs in 2020–21 with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, signaling a potential resurgence.