When Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is discussed, most people’s minds go to Willis Reed and his improbable comeback from injury . He scored just four points, but it inspired the New York Knicks to perform at their best.
From there, Walt “Clyde” Frazier took over, scoring 36 points and dishing out 19 assists to win the Knicks the championship with a scoreline of 113 to 99. It was a fantastic performance from Frazier, which has gone unnoticed by people, but the legendary Knicks guard sees it as the best moment of his storied career.
“Red (Holtzman) told me to start to look to do more offensively. Most of the time, I was the guy who was trying to hit the open, but this particular night, I was the open man,” Frazier said when recalling Game 7. “I was taking my shots, I was coming up with steals, there’s no question that was my greatest performance ever.”
Frazier was a trusted star in New York
While Reed was New York's superstar, Walt was just a little behind as one of the best players on the roster. His initial role was to improve everyone's play with his playmaking, as he averaged 10.4 assists per game in the seven-game series.
Clyde was the reason why Reed, Dave DeBusschere, and Dick Barnett all had good performances because they got fed the ball properly. However, Game 7 changed everything for the Knicks because they needed someone to take over, considering Reed was still struggling with the injuries.
The coaching staff wanted Frazier to take over because he had the skill set to dominate the game. Considering DeBusschere and Barnett would be the two players on whom they focused the defensive system, Walt had the chance to stand out and did just that.
“My teammates displaying confidence in me, wanting me to have the ball, really psyched me up. Holtzman telling me to get the ball all the time, and Willis Reed and those guys encouraging me to have the ball in key situations,” Frazier continued.
It was the most successful Knicks team ever, with two championships to their name, and Clyde even believes they could have won more titles if Reed had not struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Frazier deserves to be respected more in New York
Knicks fans still have Clyde regularly in their consumption of Knicks games due to his status as the long-time analyst in local broadcasts. However, some people might not even know that Frazier is a legend who played for the team.
They should look back on the 1970 and 1973 championships because Walt was a vital cog in those titles. He was a very successful player for the Knicks, and Frazier deserves as much praise as Reed.
Related: "The guy's old. What can he bring to the team?" - When the Knicks pulled an April Fools prank on their fans by saying they signed a 52-year-old Walt Frazier
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