While ESPN marks the Chicago Bulls’ Last Dance, MSG Networks plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New York Knicks’ first championship.
The network is re-airing game film of Game 5 (in a one-hour special) and Game 7 of the NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, and is featuring 30-minute biographical features on team members including Dick Barnett, "Dollar" Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, captain Willis Reed and head coach Red Holzman. The MSG Vault special about Game 5, in which Reed was injured, aired May 7 at 6:30 p.m. EST and Friday at 11 a.m. The Game 7 replay airs Friday at 5:30 and 9 p.m.
On Thursday, the network featured an interview with Barnett on MSG 150 at Home at 5 p.m.
That was followed at 5:30 p.m. by To the Rafters: 1970 Retirement Ceremonies, a new one-hour program featuring each jersey retirement ceremony from the championship team. Barnett’s No. 12, Bradley’s 24, DeBusschere’s 22, Frazier’s 10 and Reed’s 19 hang from the ceiling at the Garden.
On May 8, a half century after Reed came back from the Game 5 injury to inspire the Knicks to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the finals, MSG is set to air MSG 150 at Home: Knicks 50th Anniversary Special, a round table discussion with forward and former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley; Frazier, now a broadcaster, and Reed, the team’s center, hosted by Mike Breen at 5 p.m.
The 50th anniversary features will be re-run in prime time on Friday.
