Willis Reed inspires New York Knicks in Game 7 of 1970 NBA Finals

Reed's entrance entered Knicks lore and helped elevate Madison Square Garden as a mecca of basketball. With the win, New York became the first city to capture a championship in each of the major North American sports (NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB).RANK: 38 LOCATION: Madison Square Garden | New York, NY DATE: 5/8/1970 CATEGORY: NBA

New York Knicks captain Willis Reed was expected to miss Game 7 of the NBA Finals with a leg injury. Reed, though, surprised everyone by starting the game and scoring the Knicks' first two points. Inspired by their injured captain, the Knicks would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-99 for their first NBA title.