I don’t know why, but there is something about dunks on Patrick Ewing that makes them a hell of a lot more fun to watch.
Scottie Pippen – 1994 NBA Playoffs
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The Knicks and the Bulls had a fierce rivalry in the early to mid 1990’s. In 1993-1994, the season Jordan started his Baseball exodus, the Bulls became Pippen’s team, but the Knicks were the beasts of the East. That playoff series between the two, which eventually the Knicks won in 7 games was famous for two moments – Pippen refusing to get off the bench as Kukoc nailed a buzzer beater, and Pippen doing it in the face of Ewing.
Michael Jordan – 1991 NBA Playoffs
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One of MJ’s most famous moments, and another playoff battle between the Knicks and the Bulls, this time in 1991, the Chicago Bulls’ first title. Jordan seemed backed up in a corner, but with a few fakes got loose and finished with an amazing jam over Ewing. Jordan had quite a few of these against Ewing, but none are as awesome as this one.
Kobe Bryant – Youth Over Age, 2000
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This one isn’t really fair. Patrick Ewing was 37, 2 years away from retirement. Kobe was only 21. No wonder he owned the aging Center with this one.
Hakeem Olajuwon – 1994 NBA Finals
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Eventually, that was the difference between the two teams in that Finals series. The Dream was just a better center than Ewing. This one isn’t a in-your-face kind of dunk like the previous ones, but Hakeem’s quickness leaves Ewing gazing at air before he realizes Olajuwon is getting the easy two.
Alonzo Mourning – 1993 NBA Playoffs
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This was another series the Knicks eventually won. Mourning, like Ewing, played college ball at Georgetown. Like Ewing, his real expertise was defense. Here he is, doing what Olajuwon did earlier without the grace.