If it weren’t for a single shot, the Knicks might never have reached the NBA Finals against the Spurs in 1999. Down by 3 with just 11.9 seconds to go in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the plan was for Allan Houston to take the shot. But a tipped inbounds pass led the ball to Larry Johnson, who did not hesitate.
“I had shooting on my brain from the start I got it,” Johnson would recall. “I was going to be the hero or I was going to be the villain. But I was going to shoot that ball.”
Shoot it he did – a three-pointer after a quick head fake that drew a foul from Johnson’s defender, Antonio Davis. Johnson hit the free throw, too, completing one of the most memorable four-point plays in the history of the game, and compelling the Knicks to an eventual series win and another NBA Finals appearance. The verdict: for Knicks fans, Larry Johnson is a hero for life.
Stay tuned to Knicks.com for more as we deliver 70 moments in 70 days leading up to the season opener.
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