I was 3. Lived in Tenafly. My Dad and Mom maintain that my Dad took me to that game (in fact he just texted me when he saw the news today), but I don't remember it. But he was a season ticket holder through late 60's to mid 70's and was definitely there. So I probably was. The stubs are on the wall of his rec room. It's quite an impressive wall, as he had season tickets or shared season tickets to knicks, rangers and jets and saved them all. I remember the 73 run like yesterday though. Loved that team in my formative years. Loved the Jets even more. Joe Willie.
I was actually one of the 19,500 that night A college sophomore waited online overnight to get my playoff strip of tickets. Got to see every home game of the ‘70 Championship.
What a thrill. Bullets first round vs Monroe, Unseld, Johnson, Marin and Loghery/Carter. Went 7 including 2 OT first game. Then Kareem and Bucks in 5 before getting to Lakers. West, Chamberlain, Baylor. What a series. Reed got hurt in 5th game and Holztman then had Stallworth, DeBusschere and Hoskins play Chamberlain. Chamberlain would come out to foul line to match Stallworh and he would simple drive around him to get bucket. Over and over again. Game 6 Reed out Knicks got killed in LA. Game 7 in NY without Reed it didn’t look good.
when Reed came out just moments before players were finished shooting pre game, the Garden went wild with hope.
Reed hit his first two jumpers from the elbow and then Frazier simply took over. 36 pTs, 19 Assists. Magical night. little did I know similar to the similar magical nights in 1999, 2004, 2011,2014. RIP Willis. Class act