Mavs' Loss - With Frank Ntilikina - Puts Weird Knicks NBA Finals Streak in Jeopardy

Frank Ntilikina's elimination at the hands of the Golden State Warriors nearly frees the Knicks from one of the NBA's most unusual streaks.

With their team's last NBA Finals appearance coming in 1999, New York Knicks fans feel like it has been an eternity since they had any orange and blue representation in the fight for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. 

In reality, however, the Knicks had a "careful what you wish for" style of keeping up appearances in the Finals: as pointed out by Deadspin, a former Knick had appeared on the court in each of the last 40 editions. In fact, an ex-Manhattanite had appeared in all but one matchup, the 1981 series between Boston and Houston, though two of the victorious Celtics, Eric Fernsten and Gerald Henderson, would play for New York later in their careers. 

Ntilikina as a Dallas Maverick

Ntilikina with the Knicks

JR Smith (L) previously fulfilled the streak's requirements with Cleveland

But as the league celebrates its diamond anniversary, the streak's hopes took a major hit to stay alive on Thursday night: one of the last on-court representatives capable of keeping the streak alive saw his championship dreams end in San Francisco, as Frank Ntilikina's Dallas Mavericks fell to the Golden State Warriors by a 120-110 final, ending their Western Conference Finals visit after five games. 

Ntilikina, the Knicks' first-round pick from the 2017 draft, became a footnote of unusual basketball history in the midst of his first season in Dallas. He served as a reserve during the Mavericks' semifinal run and scored a postseason career-best six points in the final loss to Golden State. 

There is one last hope to keep the streak alive in Boston's Luke Kornet, who has appeared in two postseason contests with the Celtics, including their Game 5 victory on Wednesday night in the Eastern Conference Finals. Kornet played parts of two seasons with the Knicks, appearing in 66 games between 2018-19. 

Those desperate enough to keep this streak alive, alas, have a few more slivers of hope to cling to thanks to some off-court names: Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, for example, fulfilled the same role with the Knicks under Mike D'Antoni (2008-12). Further hope lingers in the case of Miami Heat assistant coach Anthony Carter, who played 19 games with the Knicks in 2011. The Heat, also led by president and former Knicks head coach Pat Riley, are down 3-2 in their Eastern Conference Finals set against the Celtics, the winner advancing to face the Warriors.

The 2022 NBA Finals will begin on Thursday, June 2 in San Francisco (9 p.m. ET, ABC).

(Correction: The original edition of this article did not account for Kornet. The error has been rectified)