Legends profile: Willis Reed

> Archive 75: Willis Reed | 75 Stories: Willis Reed

Few baskets scored in NBA history have been as legendary as the two made by Willis Reed in the first few minutes of Game 7 in the 1970 Finals. While these baskets only contributed four points to the scoreboard, they inspired the New York Knicks immensely, equivalent to a million buckets of motivation.

Before Game 7 on May 8, 1970, at 7:30 p.m., Reed – the leader and driving force of the versatile New York Knicks team – seemed to be out of the game due to an injury that jeopardized his team’s opportunity to secure the championship. However, just fifteen minutes later, he had transformed into a legend, paving the way for the Knicks to clinically secure their maiden title.

Reed scored 37, 29, 38 and 23 points respectively in the first four games of The Finals against the strong Los Angeles Lakers, with an average of 15 rebounds. However, he suffered a severe thigh injury in the fourth quarter of Game 5. Despite this, the Knicks managed to pull through that game but got crushed by the Lakers in Game 6.

The series was tied at three games apiece entering the decisive contest at Madison Square Garden. New York’s Bill Bradley recalled Game 7 in an article in The New York Times: “We left the locker room for the warmups not knowing if Willis was going to come out or not.”

Reed hobbled onto the court at 7:34 p.m. to an uproarious crowd. His presence reignited his teammates’ confidence fiercely. Miraculously, Reed out-leaped Wilt Chamberlain for the opening tip and scored the game’s first basket from the top of the key. He followed this with another basket from 20 feet away. Although he did not score again, his initial performance was enough to inspire the Knicks to capitalize on the moment. The Knicks managed to take a lead of as much as 29 points in the first half and ultimately triumphed in the game with a score of 113-99.

Reed was the central figure and driving force behind the Knicks’ championship victories in 1970 and 1973.

The former Grambling Tiger, who stands at 6-foot-9½ and weighs 240 pounds, had a 10-year career in New York during which he participated in seven All-Star Games. He clinched Rookie of the Year in the 1964-65 season and was the Most Valuable Player in the 1969-70 season. In the years that the Knicks won the championship, he was chosen as the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Reed was born on June 25, 1942, in Hico, La., a place so tiny that he once told Pro Basketball Illustrated, “They don’t even have a population.” While Reed was growing up on a farm in nearby Bernice, the Knicks were floundering. New York managed only one winning season in the 12 campaigns between 1955-56 and 1966-67. From 1956 to 1966 the Knicks finished last nine times, and the club failed to make the playoffs in the seven seasons from 1959 to 1966. In 1963-64 the Knicks brought up the rear of the Eastern Division with a 22-58 record.

Reed accumulated 2,280 career points at Grambling, with an average of 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds in his final year. He also guided the school to a NAIA title and three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships. After being picked by the Knicks in the 1964 Draft’s second round, he inked a contract with the team for approximately $10,000.

Reed instantly made a remarkable impact. He scored 46 points against Los Angeles in March 1965, marking the second-highest single-game total by a Knicks rookie. Over the season, he held the seventh position in NBA scoring (19.5 ppg) and fifth in rebounding (14.7 rpg). He initiated his streak of All-Star appearances and became the first Knicks player to be declared Rookie of the Year.

Throughout his career, Reed demonstrated his prowess as a key performer in playoffs. An early sign of this was during the 1966-67 season when he outperformed his regular-season average of 20.9 points per game by achieving 27.5 points per game in the postseason.

The team underwent a period of struggle for several years, during which they acquired talented players via trades and drafts. A significant move in personnel management was the replacement of Dick McGuire as coach with William “Red” Holzman in the middle of the 1967-68 season. Under McGuire, the Knicks had a record of 15-22, but Holzman led them to a 28-17 finish. With a 43-39 record, New York achieved its first winning season since 1958-59.

Reed consistently appeared in the All-Star Game every year. He transitioned from playing center to power forward to accommodate Walt Bellamy. Despite the change in position, Reed’s efforts remained relentless, especially on the boards. He averaged 11.6 rebounds in the 1965-66 season and 14.6 in the 1966-67 season, both figures being among the top ten in the league. By the end of the latter season, he had become accustomed to the intricacies of his new role, averaging 20.9 points and ranking eighth in the NBA.

In the 1968-69 season, New York managed to secure 54 victories despite a disappointing 6-10 start. On December 19th, the Knicks dealt Bellamy and Howard Komives to the Detroit Pistons in return for Dave DeBusschere. This trade proved beneficial for Reed in two respects. Firstly, DeBusschere took over some of the intensive work inside, thus easing some pressure off Reed. More crucially, DeBusschere’s position as a legitimate forward allowed Reed to return to the pivot position, where he performed best and felt most at ease. Reed acknowledged the positive impact of this trade, stating at that time, “Since that trade, I feel like a new person. Center is my position.”

It was clear which team had benefited most from the trade when a game was played the following day. The Knicks hammered the Pistons 135-87, marking their greatest margin of victory ever at 48 points. The Knicks then embarked on a 10-game winning streak from Dec. 17 to Jan. 4, followed by an additional 11-game streak from Jan. 25 to Feb. 15.

The Knicks emphasized defense, keeping opponents to a league minimum of 105.2 points per game in the 1968-69 season. The team’s defensive prowess, led by Reed’s ability to congest the middle and Walt Frazier’s ball pressuring, resulted in the Knicks being the top defensive team in the league for five out of the following six seasons. During the 1968-69 season, Reed also made significant contributions offensively, scoring an average of 21.1 points per game and setting a franchise record with 1,191 rebounds, averaging 14.5 per game.

In the 1969-70 season, the Knicks had a stunning 14-1 start and achieved 60 regular-season wins for the first time in the franchise’s history. They set a then-record with an 18-game winning streak. Reed, the MVP of the 1970 All-Star Game, had an average of 21.7 points during the season, his highest ever. His most notable statistical feature was his consistency, with averages of 20.9, 20.8, 21.1, 21.7, and 20.9 points per game from the 1966-67 to 1970-71 seasons, respectively.

During the 1970 playoffs, New York triumphed over the Baltimore Bullets in seven matches and eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in five, proceeding to an intense Finals face-off with a Los Angeles team featuring Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Chamberlain. Both the third and fourth games extended into overtime, with each team claiming a victory. Reed, whose outstanding performance in the legendary seventh game led the Knicks to their championship, won the regular season, All-Star and Finals MVP awards. Along with teammate Frazier, he was chosen for the All-NBA First Team, marking the first time Knicks players received this accolade since Harry Gallatin in 1953-54.

Reed, a left-hander, posed a challenge for rival defenders. His size and skill enabled him to play effectively in the interior, but he was equally lethal with his soft jumper from as far as 15 feet. When he didn’t have the ball, he was adept at setting screens to create space for his teammates, a vital component of the Knicks’ constant motion offense.

Teamwork was the distinguishing feature of the Knicks and every player had a clear understanding of his role. Frazier served as a dependable playmaker and defender, DeBusschere proved his competence as a rebounder, Bradley was a relentless and smart runner, while Dick Barnett stood out as a jump shooter. Reed, Frazier, DeBusschere, and Bradley were all ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame.

During the 1970-71 season, the Knicks’ record dipped to 52-30, although they still clinically clinched first place in the Atlantic Division. At the midpoint of the season, Reed equaled Harry Gallatin’s club record by achieving 33 rebounds against the Cincinnati Royals. In a familiar role, Reed once again appeared in the All-Star Game’s starting lineup. Despite averaging respectable figures of 20.9 points and 13.7 rebounds for the season, the Knicks were defeated by Baltimore in the Eastern Conference finals. The 1971-72 season presented further challenges for Reed, as he struggled with tendinitis in his left knee, which impaired his movement on the court. After missing two weeks early in the season due to the injury, Reed attempted a comeback, but the knee injury continued to hinder his performance, limiting him to only 11 games that year.

The Knicks ended the 1972-73 season with a record of 57-25 and secured another championship. Reed’s contribution was not as significant as it had been two seasons prior, as he averaged only 11.0 points in 69 regular-season games. During the playoffs, the Knicks triumphed over Baltimore and the Boston Celtics, once again facing the Lakers in The Finals. Despite a loss in the first game, the Knicks managed to win the next four games, clinching their second championship with a 102-93 victory in Game 5. Reed was at the helm of a balanced team and was honored with the Finals MVP title.

Reed retired after playing 19 games in the 1973-74 season. During his decade-long stint with New York, he made it to the Knicks’ top 10 in almost every category. He ranked in the top three for the most minutes played (23,073), field goals made (4,859), rebounds (8,414), and total points (12,183). In 1976, he became the first player from the Knicks to have his jersey number retired.

Over the next few years, the Knicks’ dynasty fell apart. Reed assumed the role of coach for the 1977-78 season, managing to lead the team to a 43-39 record. However, just 14 games into the subsequent season, he was dismissed from his coaching position.

Reed worked as an assistant coach at St. John’s before becoming the head coach at Creighton University, a role he held from the 1981-82 season until the 1984-85 season. During his time at Creighton, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1981. Reed also coached Benoit Benjamin, a 7-foot tall player who went on to play for multiple NBA teams, at Creighton. The two were later reunited in 1993 when they both joined the New Jersey Nets organization.

In 1985, Reed became an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, later holding the same position with the Sacramento Kings. He took over as head coach for the New Jersey Nets from interim coach Bob MacKinnon on February 29, 1988. During his stint, he led the struggling 1987-88 Nets team to a 7-21 run, culminating in a dreadful 19-63 season. However, Reed managed to improve the Nets’ record to 26-56 the next year before transitioning to the front office.

Reed took over as the Nets’ general manager in 1993 and by the next year, he had transformed the team into a recurring playoff contender. His drafting of Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson brought two key players to the team who shaped the Nets during the early 90s. Reed achieved a minor triumph with the recruitment of Chuck Daly as the team’s coach for the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. By 1994, after being absent from the postseason for four years, the Nets had made it to the playoffs three times in a row. Reed assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations in 1996, maintaining his goal to make the Nets championship contenders.

Reed, who had been with the Nets for more than 15 years, switched to the Knicks’ front office during the off-season prior to the 2003-04 season. This move took him back to where his professional playing career began.

Descriptions of Reed’s playing career, such as endurance, pride, dignity, obligation, hard work, and courage, may seem cliche, yet they are fitting. For ten years, he demonstrated these traits consistently on the basketball court. However, they were most notably exemplified in the opening minutes of the 1970 Finals Game 7. Even twenty years after this memorable game, Reed mentioned, “There isn’t a day in my life that people don’t remind me of that game.”