The roots of today’s NBA date all the way back to 1946, when it was known as the Basketball Association of America. Since then there have been several mergers including the absorption of the National Basketball League in 1949 and merger with the American Basketball Association in 1976 and a vast number of teams that have played under the umbrella of the National Basketball Association.
But there are just three franchises that can proudly state they have been a part of the league since its inception in 1946: the Warriors, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.
Entering the 2021-22 season, the Knicks have acquired two NBA championships while the Warriors are tied for the third most in the league with six championship titles. The Boston Celtics own a best 17 titles, tying the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships won by a franchise.
The Warriors (2014-19) have tied the Celtics (1980-85) for the most regular season wins (373) in NBA history over a six-season span, including an NBA-record 73 wins in 2015-16.
As we celebrate the seven-plus decades of basketball history, let’s take a look at some of the history between the three original clubs of the NBA.
Apr. 14, 1947: Philadelphia Warriors defeat the New York Knickerbockers in the semifinals to advance to the first BAA Championship. The Warriors would go on to beat the Chicago Stags 4-1 to claim the league’s first title.
Oct. 24, 1959: Wilt Chamberlain made his pro debut in a 118-109 win over the New York Knicks. He logged 43 points and grabbed 28 rebounds.
Nov. 7, 1959: Chamberlain faced off against Celtics center Bill Russell for the first time, marking the beginning of one of the most storied rivalries in basketball history. Chamberlain scored 30 points, while Russell scored 22 in a 115-106 Celtics win.
Nov. 24, 1960: Chamberlain grabbed an NBA-record 55 rebounds in a 132-129 loss to Boston. He grabbed a franchise record 31 rebounds in one half in that game.
Mar. 2, 1962: Chamberlain logged his NBA-record 100 points in a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks. He added 25 rebounds and played all 48 minutes of the game. His close friend and fellow Warriors Hall of Famer Al Attles was the second highest scorer in the game with 17 points.
Apr. 26, 1964: The Warriors faced the Celtics in the 1964 Finals, falling to Boston 4-1.
Dec. 6, 1966: Rick Barry set franchise records with 17 free throws in a half and 14 free throws in one quarter as the Warriors defeated the Knicks 126-116 at New York.
July 9, 2010: The Warriors and Knicks consummated a trade that brought David Lee to Golden State in exchange for Kelena Azubuike, Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf. Lee went on to average 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds through five seasons with the Dubs. He was an All-Star reserve for the 2012-13 season, making him the first Warriors player in the All-Star Game since Latrell Sprewell in 1997.
Feb. 27, 2013: Stephen Curry erupted for a then-career-high 54 points against the Knicks under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, including a then-career-best 11 3-pointers, coming on 13 attempts (84.6 percent).
Dec. 11, 2015: The Warriors won their 24th-straight game to open the 2015-16 campaign, setting the NBA record for best start to a season with a 124-119 double overtime win in Boston. Golden State topped the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association (a predecessor to the MLB) for the best single-season start ever by a professional sports team. It also marked Golden State’s 14th-straight road win to start the season, setting the NBA record for best road start to a season.
Dec. 14, 2021: Stephen Curry hit his 2,974th career splash to become the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers in a win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. After tying Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s all-time record (2,973) on his first 3-point attempt, Curry took sole possession of the record with 7:33 remaining in the first quarter.
It's exciting to look ahead to the next chapter of this rich history between these original three NBA franchises. Get tickets to watch the Warriors host the Knicks at Chase Center on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.