2. New York Knicks
Throughout the entirety of the 1990’s, the New York Knicks would be one of the Bulls biggest rivals. Jordan and the Bulls would meet the Knicks often in the playoffs in their six title runs in the 1990’s. Whenever Jordan was in the mix (and not playing baseball), the Bulls would get the best of the Knicks in each playoff series.
During the 1997-98 regular season, the Knicks would finish up with a record of 43-39, good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks would just slide into the playoffs by their fingernails, and be ousted by the Pacers second round. They did pull off the big upset of Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and the Heat in the first round, though.
The 1997-98 season was also getting close to a sort of last dance for the Knicks. The 1980’s and 1990’s legendary center Patrick Ewing would be playing in his last season with the Knicks soon after the 1997-98 campaign. Ewing was often injured in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. His final season in a Knicks uniform would come during the 1999-00 campaign.
A new wave of talent was soon to takeover Madison Square Garden, and former Charlotte Hornets star Larry Johnson was also brought into the mix. Johnson and Allan Houston would be two of the stars that would take the torch from Ewing into the 2000’s for the Knicks. It was never never effective enough to get them a title in the last three decades.