Knicks fans will get a chance to relive the team’s 1990s-era glory days, as Oscar-winning director Spike Lee is directing a new docuseries based on the book “Blood in the Garden.”
The book, written by Sports Illustrated’s Chris Herring, chronicles the Knicks’ time in the 90s’, led by head coach Pat Riley and starring Patrick Ewing, John Starks and Charles Oakley.
Former President Barack Obama put “Blood in the Garden” on his widely-shared Summer Reading List.
I’ve read a couple of great books this year and wanted to share some of my favorites so far. What have you been reading this summer? pic.twitter.com/K8bnTnmNaG
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 26, 2022
After a decade where the Knicks engaged in a hard-charging, no-holds-barred brand of basketball, they became legendary for their physicality and fighting spirit. The team, which is widely considered the best Knicks lineup in franchise history, unfortunately played at a time where Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were dominating the NBA, but they managed to be relatively successful — culminating in their run to the NBA Finals during the 1998-1999.
They eventually lost that series to the San Antonio Spurs, but made their mark in basketball history behind Ewing and Stark’s legendary season.
Now, Knicks superfan Spike Lee will take the reins, and produce a film portraying the historical legacy of the team from Madison Square Garden.
For more coverage of Spike Lee’s new Knicks documentary, head to amNY.com.
The film comes amid a flurry of sports documentaries about famed sports teams, led by ESPN’s The Last Dance, which chronicled the Bulls during the Jordan-era. Spike Lee-protégé Randy Wilkins also directed a docuseries about Yankees legend Derek Jeter, entitled “The Captain,” which is airing every week now on ESPN.
The forthcoming Knicks series, based on Herring’s book, will touch on the team’s inner turmoil, which was rocked by intra-team feuds and strong personalities, while placing their success in the context of 1990’s New York City.
