The New York Knickerbockers scored a less-than-glorious basketball victory on January 25, 1995, at Madison Square Garden. Why less than glorious? First of all, the Knicks, on a five-game winning streak, were opposing the team with the most abysmal record in the National Basketball Association — the Los Angeles Clippers. Second, the Knicks had only a five-point lead early in the final quarter, and ultimately squeaked by to win the game by a paltry 13 points. If the Knicks had played with their usual intensity from the beginning, it would have been an easy win, but, as Coach Pat Riley said, "It was obvious from the start that we just did not have the energy."

Hubert Davis finally got New York going, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter. But what really got the Knicks cooking was when a layup by the Clippers' Tony Massenburg put Los Angeles only five points behind with just 11:30 left to play! The Knicks pulled ahead, leading 68-56 with nine minutes left. The real hero of the game was Hubert Davis, making eight out of thirteen shots, playing with an injured finger on his shooting hand. "It's sore, but it has no relevance as far as hurting my shot," Davis said. "You have to play hurt."

The Clippers, despite their poor record, have played hard all season. But, as their coach Bill Fitch remarked, "Obviously we're at a disadvantage." The fact that the Clippers start Charles Outlaw — only six feet eight inches tall — at center, might tell you what he meant. Six-foot-eight is not tall by the standards of basketball, a game in which the players' height is so important, especially for a center.