Knicks Legend Needs More Recognition Amongst Greats

The New York Knicks wouldn't have a championship without a star player's defense that often goes unrecognized.

Dec. 13, 1972; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Knicks center Willis Reed (19) against the Atlanta Hawks at The Omni. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have a lot of history through nearly 80 years in the NBA, but not all of it is documented perfectly.

Despite that, HoopsHype writer Frank Urbina ranked the top 78 defensive players in league history, and Knicks legend Willis Reed came in at No. 70 despite only making one All-Defensive team in his career.

"Hall of Fame big man Willis Reed was one of the most prolific player in Knicks history, leading the team to two championships in the first half of the ’70s, both title runs which saw Reed take home Finals MVP. Reed’s prime was cut short due to injuries as by the time he was 29, he was a role player and by the time he was 32 in the 1974-75 season, he was out of the NBA entirely," Urbina writes.

"That makes the fact Reed was still able to earn at least one 1st Team All-Defense in his career despite the award not existing until his fifth season all the more impressive. Blocks also weren’t counted until Reed’s final campaign in ’74 when the center was so broken down he was only able to play in 19 games. Even then, Reed still averaged 1.1 blocks per game that league year," he continued.

If the league documented blocks throughout the entirety of Reed's career, chances are he would have been much higher on the list. However, that's simply the nature of the first half of the league's history, and we didn't have access to all of the stats that are seen in today's NBA.

Reed towered over most of his competitors, making shot-blocking routine for him. That aspect allowed him to lead the Knicks to their first NBA championship in 1970 and again in 1973. Without his defense, the Knicks may not have any titles to their name at all.

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