The New York Knicks of the early 1990's were a hard-nosed bunch.  They epitomized "big boy" basketball and had the organ at Madison Square Garden blaring.

In 1992, they took the Bulls to seven games before Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the rest of the Chicago gang waved goodbye.  But the Knicks roared right back in 1993, staring down the Bulls with eager anticipation.

They snatched the first two games in New York and quickly hopped into the driver's seat.  Then Chicago, as they typically did in the Jordan-era, stormed back -- winning four in a row to wave farewell once again to the pesky Knicks.

After the 1993 season, it was easy to wonder if Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and the Knicks could ever get past Jordan's Bulls.  It was almost like they needed to catch a break.  And they did.

Jordan bolted to play baseball prior to the 1993-1994 season, leaving the door wide open for prospective teams to notch a championship.  The Knicks were poised to make this happen.

After narrowly escaping the Jordan-less Bulls (which testifies to the value of Scottie Pippen) and Indiana in two seven game series, they met Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in the Finals.

New York let their best chance at a title slip away, losing in seven games to the defensive-minded Rockets.

The early 1990's Knicks were tough and fought tenaciously, but all their efforts came up just a hair short.