The NBA has lost a giant of the game.
Willis Reed, the Hall of Fame center who starred for the Knicks in the 1960s and '70s and was New York's unquestioned leader during two championship runs, died on Tuesday. He was 80.
The Knicks confirmed the news, saying in a statement that the organization was "deeply saddened" by Reed's passing.
"As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind — the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions," the team said.
Reed had no shortage of accomplishments on his basketball resume. He was a seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, two-time Finals MVP and the MVP of the 1969-70 season. He also earned a spot on the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Team.
But no individual honor can capture what Reed meant to his franchise quite like an unforgettable moment from Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals.
You're likely familiar with the old video clip. Reed was dealing with a significant injury heading into the deciding game, and it was unclear whether he would be available to play.
He managed to limp his way out of the Madison Square Garden tunnel, inspiring the Knicks to capture a 113-99 win over the Lakers.
Before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, it was unknown if Willis Reed would play due to a right thigh injury. He then came out of the tunnel to help lead the Knicks to their 1st ever NBA Championship! #TeamDays | @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/G0dIplhtli
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 1, 2018
There was much more to the story of that Game 7, though. Let's travel back in time to May 8, 1970...
SIGN UP TO WATCH EVERY GAME ON NBA LEAGUE PASS: U.S. and U.K. | All other countries (Blackout restrictions apply)
The nature of Willis Reed's injury and reaction to his arrival
Reed tore a muscle in his right thigh in Game 5 and was unable to suit up for Game 6. In a pregame interview with ABC's Howard Cosell, Knicks coach Red Holzman revealed that doctors had cleared Reed to play in Game 7, but no one knew how impactful he could be.
"If he can help us, then we'll let him play. Obviously, if he can't help us, there's no sense in him being out there because we would treat him just like any other player," Holzman said. "Knowing Willis, I know he's gonna give it a great shot, and I think we can expect some help from him."
After receiving a cortisone shot — he got an additional injection at halftime — Reed emerged from the tunnel, and New Yorkers went crazy, cheering each time he made a shot during warm-ups. Even Lakers players couldn't ignore Reed's presence.
"[The Lakers] stopped doing what they were doing to look and see how Willis was," Knicks guard Walt Frazier said. "Something told me then, 'We might have these guys.'"
Willis Reed provided a spark with his scoring, but his defensive presence was just as important
Reed scored the first points of Game 7 on a midrange jumper at the left elbow, sending the crowd into a frenzy. He then drilled another shot from the wing, contributing to a 9-2 Knicks run that forced the Lakers to call an early timeout.
Those were his only two field goals of the contest. Reed largely served as a connector and screener in the high post after that initial burst. He appeared to aggravate his injury while jumping for a rebound in the first quarter, further limiting his mobility.
But even in his hobbled state, Reed challenged Lakers center, Wilt Chamberlain. Knowing that Chamberlain had the advantage in the athleticism department, he focused on using his physicality and positioning.
New York's perimeter players also made Reed's job easier, constantly pressuring Los Angeles' ball handlers and placing extra bodies between Chamberlain and the rim.
By halftime, the Lakers had already committed 14 turnovers, and Chamberlain was limited to 11 points. The Knicks entered the locker room with a 69-42 lead.
Chamberlain ultimately finished with 21 points and 24 rebounds after torching the Knicks for 45 points and 27 rebounds in the Lakers' Game 6 victory.
Willis Reed won the Finals MVP award, but Walt Frazier was the Player of the Game
Earlier in the 1970 NBA Playoffs, Frazier was given the difficult task of defending Washington Bullets guard Earl Monroe, who would later become his backcourt partner. Frazier devoted much of his energy to chasing around Monroe, leaving the offense to Reed.
That dynamic certainly changed in Game 7. Frazier knew that he would have to be the engine of the Knicks' offense, and Dick Barnett took on the Jerry West assignment in order to keep Frazier fresh.
Frazier established himself as the best player on the floor, which was no small feat considering Chamberlain, West and Elgin Baylor were standing across from him. He totaled 36 points, 19 assists and seven rebounds, and he forced a few of those turnovers. (Blocks and steals were not recorded as official stats until 1973-74.)
Reed was a deserving Finals MVP after racking up 37, 29, 38 and 23 points in Games 1-4, but Frazier's performance should be more than a footnote.
Willis Reed's NBA Finals moment defined who he was as a player
It seems strange to focus on one game in which Reed had four points and three rebounds when he put together such an outstanding career. And yet, it said so much about him.
The man known simply as "The Captain" was the heart of the Knicks, someone willing to do anything in order to help his team win.
"It was his presence that was the important thing," Knicks forward Bill Bradley said. "He came onto the floor after we were out there about 15 minutes. When he came on, it gave us all about a 10-foot lift, I think, just to have him there."
Reed may be gone, but his legacy — and those Game 7 highlights — will live on forever. As Cosell told Reed after New York won the title, "You've offered, I think, the best that the human spirit can offer."
