History and Monday night tell two different stories about the same franchise. One built two championships inside a decade; the other watched reserves get buried by 50.
Same Date, Different Knicks
Decades of October 14ths tell a story the box score from Toronto can't. In 1969-70, the Knicks beat Seattle 126-101 on this date. The next season, a 128-104 win at Cincinnati. Two years later, in a season that also ended in a parade, a 125-100 win over the Lakers. In 1980-81, a 113-93 win over Philadelphia. Monday's 98-148 loss at Toronto doesn't belong on that list.
Banners Built Here
Two of those wins came in championship seasons. Willis Reed, drafted in 1964, became Rookie of the Year and the center of a core — Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Dick Barnett, Phil Jackson — that Red Holzman turned into a champion in 1970 and again in 1973. That 1973 title stood alone for 53 years.
The Banner That Ended It
This year's team ended the wait. Brunson, Anunoby, Bridges, Towns and Hart beat San Antonio in five games last June for New York's first title since that 1973 squad. The names changed. The standard the Garden set in the 1970s didn't.
Monday's Gap
None of that history explains Monday. With Towns, Brunson, Hart, Anunoby and Bridges sitting out to rest, Toronto buried New York's reserves, building a 45-point lead behind Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes. James Wiseman led the Knicks with 18 points and 10 rebounds; Mohamed Diawara added 13. It was preseason, and it was ugly.
Tomorrow's Answer
The Raptors come back to the Garden tomorrow for the rematch, and this time the stars are pointed at a return. The real opener against Philadelphia is six days out. The banner from June doesn't need defending against a preseason script, but tomorrow's lineup will say more than Monday's did.
Did the Knicks' loss to the Raptors count toward the regular season?
No. New York is still 0-0 in the regular season; Monday's 98-148 loss at Toronto was preseason, with the five starters resting.
When was the last time the Knicks won a title before 2026?
1973, the second championship of the Reed-Frazier-DeBusschere era, 53 years before this year's banner.
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