In the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Knicks proved what all New York sports fans already knew: There is only one garden (and it isn't sponsored by a bank).
As the Knicks host the Celtics on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in what is one of the most highly anticipated — and expensive — games in recent memory, it's time to look back at 10 of the greatest events in the history of the "World's Most Famous Arena" ... and the collectibles to remember them by.
Rangers win 1994 Stanley Cup
The Rangers finished the regular season with franchise records of 52 wins and 112 points in 1993-94, defeating the rival Islanders and then the Capitals in the first two rounds before staging a comeback series win over the Devils in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Rangers faced the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals, and the series was decided in a Game 7 at MSG.
The Rangers jumped to a 2-0 lead early, thanks to goals from Brian Leetch and Adam Graves. But the Canucks returned fire with a short-handed goal in the second period.
The Rangers’ Mark Messier scored a power play goal, only to have the Canucks score once more to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Rangers managed to hold on to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.
The rink and boards from Madison Square Garden, used by the Rangers from 1991-2013, including during the 1994 playoffs, sold in 2017 for nearly $50,000.
Messier, Leetch and goalie Mike Richter each applied their autographs to the boards.
Marilyn Monroe sings to JFK on his 45th birthday, 1962
It’s arguably the most famous rendition of “Happy Birthday” in history.
Marilyn Monroe, in front of 15,000 people at MSG gathered for President John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday in 1962, performed her now-famous serenade for Kennedy.
Afterward, Kennedy quipped, "I can now retire from politics after having had 'Happy Birthday' sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.”
The dress worn by Monroe that night sold for $4.81 million in 2016 to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Kim Kardashian famously borrowed the dress from Ripley’s to attend the Met Gala in 2022.
Ali-Frazier fight of the century, 1971
The “Fight of the Century” between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier was as hyped-up as any sports event in history.
Ali was one of the biggest stars in the world. Boxing still had a firm grip on American culture. And, of course, the fight was held at MSG.
Needless to say, tickets were tough to come by. So tough, in fact, Frank Sinatra himself had to find a bit of a circuitous path to sit ringside: He worked as a photographer for “Life," with at least four of his photos ending up in the magazine.
One of the original color photographs, which shows Ali through the ropes taking a punch from Frazier, sold at Christie’s in 2004 for more than $4,500.
Willis Reed limps out for Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals
When the Knicks’ Willis Reed went down in Game 5 of the 1970 NBA Finals with a torn thigh, hopes of a championship victory over the Lakers seemed dashed.
Reed sat out Game 6, and Wilt Chamberlain took advantage, scoring 45 and grabbing 27 rebounds without the Knicks big man on the court.
Then, prior to Game 7 at MSG, Reed shocked the crowd by walking onto the court during warmups. His warmup jacket sold for more than $370,000 at Grey Flannel.
The Knicks would take Game 7 in historic fashion on the heels of Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s 36 points and 19 assists. Frazier’s jersey from the game sold at Lelands for more than $100,000.
After the game, Howard Cosell would tell Reed "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit can offer."
The net from the game was removed and given to legendary coach Red Holzman, eventually selling at SCP Auctions in 2019 for nearly $70,000.
John Lennon's final performance, 1974
By 1974, John Lennon was seldom seen on stage. Outside of a few benefit concerts here and there, the former Beatle was a rarity to see live.
Still, when he joined Elton John on stage at MSG on Nov. 28, 1974, nobody could have known it would be his curtain call. Together they performed three songs, including the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
Lennon only joined John on stage because of a bet they had made. John was assisting Lennon with the harmonies on “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” and said to him, “Will you do [the MSG concert] with me if the record’s number one?’”
Recounting the story shortly before his death to the BBC, Lennon says he never expected it to go No. 1. “I didn’t think it had a chance in hell. I said, ‘Sure, sure, sure I will.’”
Of course, the track became Lennon’s first solo No. 1, and the rest is history.
A ticket stub from that concert sold for less than $300 at Heritage in 2004.
Linsanity 2012
It’s nearly impossible to describe the electricity surrounding Linsanity in 2012. An unknown, undrafted free agent, Jeremy Lin became the biggest star in a city full of stars, facing off against Kobe Bryant, draining game-winners and creating the most unforgettable run of the decade in the Garden.
After Bryant said prior to the game he had never heard of Linsanity and had not been paying attention, Lin made sure he wouldn’t forget, scoring a career-high 38 points and leading the Knicks to a victory over the Lakers at MSG.
Lin's jersey sold shortly thereafter for more than $40,000.
Larry Johnson four-point play, 1999
It could be argued it’s the most iconic single play in MSG history.
Trailing 91-88 against the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals with 11.9 seconds remaining, Charlie Ward’s inbound pass was tipped by Jalen Rose, but still found its way into the hands of Larry Johnson.
After a couple jab-steps, Johnson went left, rose up through contact into his shot ... and euphoria. The Garden exploded.
“It’s the loudest I’ve heard it,” Johnson told the New York Post.
His jersey from that iconic moment sold in 2022 at Heritage for $63,000.
Wrestlemania I
Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation launched its now-famous flagship event in March 1985 at MSG with Wrestlemania I.
With 19,121 fans packed into the Garden to watch Hulk Hogan and Mr. T face off against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper in the main event, it became the largest wrestling event on closed-circuit television in the country at the time with more than 1 million viewers.
PSA has graded 16 ticket stubs from the event, including six PSA 2s, one of which sold for $11,700 in August 2024 at Heritage.
Billy Joel's record concert run
No artist has performed more concerts at MSG than Billy Joel.
The Bronx native first played the Garden in 1978. He would return to MSG over and over for the next few decades, eventually establishing a monthly residency which culminated in July 2024 with his 150th show at the venue.
A ticket from his fifth show at MSG from 1980 was up for bid at RR Auctions in 2024 with an estimate of $500, but did not sell.
1994 NBA Finals
With the human blockade that was Michael Jordan temporarily out of the picture in the East, the Knicks advanced past the Pacers in Game 7 of the conference finals to reach their first NBA Finals in two decades.
A Ewing jersey from that season — not matched to a specific game, but signed by the Knicks big man, sold for nearly $6,000 in 2014.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.