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The New York Knicks center made his next attempt, too, his final basket of the night, before Frazier finished off the Lakers with his 36 points, 19 assists and five steals. For good reason, that night isn’t remembered as Frazier’s finest nearly as much as it’s remembered as Willis Reed’s badge of courage. “When Willis was playing,” Gale said, “you’d have to have two broken legs not to go out there. You did your job, and you didn’t take time off for anything. Willis came from humble beginnings, so he knew what it took to make a dollar and to make it honestly.” After 40 years of marriage, Gale lost Willis in 2023, at age 80, to heart issues and complications from amyloidosis, she said. Today, she wishes everyone could experience the sweet and loving bond they shared. Gale said her husband was unlike a lot of celebrities who need to be seen or heard. Willis never once bought a new luxury car, for instance. He had his Ford pickup for his hunting and fishing expeditions, and that was good enough for him. “If he wasn’t so tall, you would never know that he had anything going for himself,” she said. “He was just so humble.”
53 years later, Walt “Clyde” Frazier thinks he's starting to see some parallels between his dominant team and the current-day Knicks, who currently lead the Philadelphia 76ers 1-0 in the second round of the playoffs. "I'm mesmerized by the way the team is playing," Frazier told Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday's episode of "The Tonight Show." "Actually, I'm living vicariously through them. They remind me of my team. My team personified team, you couldn't mention Frazier without (Bill) Bradley, without (Dave) DeBusschere, without (Willis) Reed, without (Dick) Barnett. I see similarities to this team, so they're starting to do that. Their camaraderie, their teamwork, they like each other, it's manifested on the court.
Who would be on your Knicks Mount Rushmore? Mike Breen: It’s almost impossible to narrow it down, in terms of great players. Patrick Ewing and Clyde, I think, are up there. Bernard King was one of the great scorers in the history of the NBA, with the Knicks as well. I think just from the standpoint of leadership and great play, Willis Reed is up there. I do think Jalen Brunson, the way he’s been playing, is going to be in the conversation as one of the great Knicks of all-time. Mount Rushmore was only four, but there were just a lot of great players, but those are probably the ones that deserve to be at the top of the list.
Lee went on to explain his allegiance to the team by showing off his more wearable form of hardware. “Look at this,” Lee said, and then showed the pendant around his neck. “This is [Knicks coach] Red Holzman’s ring. This is May 8, 1970, I was in the Garden for Willis Reed’s game. This is the first championship ring.”
Josh Lewenberg: Players to win MVP and an NBA championship in the same season: Steph, LeBron (x2), Duncan, Shaq, Jordan (x4), Hakeem, Magic, Bird (x2), Moses Malone, Kareem (x2), Willis Reed, Wilt, Bill Russell (x4), Bob Cousy Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 4 wins away from joining that group.
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Jorge Sierra: Rudy Gobert passed Lamar Odom in blocks for No. 61 in NBA playoffs history. He also moved ahead of Willis Reed in rebounds for No. 78 all-time.
StatMuse: Jalen Brunson in Game 1: 34 PTS 8 AST 1 TOV Ties Willis Reed for the second most 30-point playoff games (12) in franchise history. pic.x.com/l50kwi5kE1
Jorge Sierra: Brook Lopez passed Kevin McHale in scoring yesterday and is now No. 96 in NBA history. He also moved ahead of Allen Iverson in three-pointers for No. 144 on the all-time list. Addendum: Giannis Antetokoumpo passed Willis Reed in rebounds. He's No. 69 at age 30.
Jorge Sierra: Kyrie Irving has passed Julius Erving and Glen Rice in scoring. He's No. 78 all-time now. Luka Doncic (age 25) moved ahead NBA75 selection Willis Reed for No. 276.
Jorge Sierra: Jonas Valanciunas passed two-time Finals MVP Willis Reed in rebounds yesterday. He's now No. 68 in NBA history.
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Frazier offered Brunson a huge compliment during the panel, in which the talk of the Knicks winning their first title since 1973 was one of the main points. “We know, in this town, the expectations are always overwhelming, so to rise to the occasion his first two years and accept the challenge, catapulting the team, he’s definitely got a chance to be one of the greatest Knicks ever, if not the greatest Knick ever,” Frazier said. “I did a video — I wasn’t able to be at the induction when he was inducted as the captain — I told him, he reminds me a lot of Willis Reed. They’re both lefties, they both have tenacious work ethic, they’re always sharing and caring, and team-first concept. They’re always thinking of the team, not themselves.”
Tommy Beer: Thru the first two games of this series, Josh Hart is averaging 21.5 points and 14.0 rebounds. Hart is the first Knick to score more than 40 points and grab more than 25 rebounds over the first two games of a postseason since WIllis Reed in 1970. Hart has also knocked down
Detroit Pistons PR: Jalen Duren recorded 24 points with 23 rebounds and five assists on 8-of-9 from the floor in tonight's win over Toronto. He is the fourth player in NBA history to record at least 20 PTS, 20 REB and 5 AST on .880 FG% in a game (Wilt Chamberlain, Domantas Sabonis, Willis Reed). pic.twitter.com/zbFdwXGRbb