Blood in the Garden - by Chris Herring

About the Book

"There was a time, about 20 years ago, when Madison Square Garden roared so loud, opposing teams feared entering the "Mecca of Basketball." That's because it was home to the Knicks, the most physical and flagrantly aggressive team of their era. They were always looking for a fight. They fought opposing players. They fought opposing coaches. Hell, they fought each other. As a result, the NBA had to alter its rules because of this team. As the decade progressed, they endeared themselves to millions of Knicks and general basketball fans alike-not for how much they won-but for their colorful cast of characters, and their blur-collar mentality. Take guard John Starks, for example. He became an All-Star despite going undrafted after playing at four different colleges, and leaving school at one point to work a $3.35-an-hour grocery bagging job at Safeway-they saw someone who overcame incredible odds by working tirelessly and getting the absolute most out of his God-given abilities. In the undersized Starks, many Knick fans saw themselves. In BLOOD IN THE GARDEN, author Chris Herring delves deep into the origin, evolution, and eventual demise of the team. Based on original reporting and over 105 interviews with the principal characters, Herring takes readers into the locker room, executive boardrooms, and on to the court. He'll show how Pat Riley, once known for his slicked back hair and Armani suits, went from the glitz and glamour of the Showtime Lakers, to orchestrating one of the most feared, intimidating defenses of all time. Herring will detail how, over the course of the decade, this seemingly disparate collection of castoffs came this close to achieving their dreams, only to see them face the end of the 90s as older, grizzled men who fell just short of the promised land. You can't tell the story of the NBA in the 1990s without telling the stories of these Knicks. Now, for the first time ever, millions of fans will have access to the "glory years" of the once proud franchise-bruises and all"--

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The definitive history of the 1990s New York Knicks, illustrating how Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason resurrected the iconic franchise through oppressive physicality and unmatched grit.

For nearly an entire generation, the New York Knicks have been a laughingstock franchise. Since 2001, they've spent more money, lost more games, and won fewer playoff series than any other NBA team.

But during the preceding era, the Big Apple had a club it was madly in love with--one that earned respect not only by winning, but through brute force. The Knicks were always looking for fights, often at the encouragement of Pat Riley. They fought opposing players. They fought each other. Hell, they even occasionally fought their own coaches.

The NBA didn't take kindly to their fighting spirit. Within two years, league officials moved to alter several rules to stop New York from turning its basketball games into bloody mudwrestling matches. Nevertheless, as the 1990s progressed, the Knicks endeared themselves to millions of fans; not for how much they won, but for their colorful cast of characters and their hardworking mentality.

Now, through his original reporting and interviews with more than two hundred people, author Chris Herring delves into the origin, evolution, and eventual demise of the iconic club. He takes us inside the locker room, executive boardrooms, and onto the court for the key moments that lifted the club to new heights, and the ones that threatened to send everything crashing down in spectacular fashion.

Blood in the Garden is a portrait filled with eye-opening details that have never been shared before, revealing the full story of the franchise in the midst of the NBA's golden era. And rest assured, no punches will be pulled. Which is just how those rough-and-tumble Knicks would like it.

About the Author

Chris Herring is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He previously spent five years covering the NBA for ESPN and FiveThirtyEight, and prior to that spent seven years at The Wall Street Journal, where he covered the New York Knicks. He lives in Chicago and teaches at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism in his spare time. You can follow him on Twitter @Herring_NBA.