In the history of the NBA, there are several games that stand out.
Of course, everybody knows about the Flu Game. Then MJ also had the Double-Nickel Game. Chris Webber had his infamous “Timeout Game”. Then there is the New York Knicks’ “Charles Smith Game”.
From its name, the game was named after Charles Smith, the 3rd pick of the 1988 NBA Draft who is popular for his stint with the New York Knicks during the 90s. To be exact, it was Game 5 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls. The reason why it is called the Charles Smith game is that Smith muffed four shots that could have won the game for the Knicks.
But for Charles Oakley, who also played for the Knicks that season, Charles Smith isn’t the one to blame for that crucial loss by the Knicks.
During a 2020 interview with the New York Post, Oakley blamed the defeat on Knicks superstar Patrick Ewing.
“Patrick, at the end of the game, he’d get double-teamed,’’ Oakley said via the Post. “He’d shoot fadeaways on double-teams, and that hurt us as a team.”
“We didn’t make shots and played into their hands. With defense, they played a zone and built a wall.
They knew Patrick wasn’t going to pass out of the double-team. Phil watched a lot of films. We watched a lot of films. But we were playing checkers, and they were playing chess.”
So What Happened Back Then?
As stated above, it was Game 5 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks. New York was the top seed in the Eastern Conference after posting a 60-22 regular season record. The Bulls meanwhile, were the second seed and it was just right that the two teams met in the Conference Finals.
New York won the first two games of the series at home but the Bulls responded with back-to-back wins on their home floor. Game 5 shifted back to the fabled Madison Square Garden and the Knicks had a chance to take a crucial 3-2 lead.
Game 5 was close and in the dying seconds, the Bulls were up just one at 95-94 with the Knicks having ball possession. Smith got the ball near the basket after a pass from Ewing but he was denied by the Bulls’ defense on four shot attempts. Chicago ended up winning the game and went on to clinch the series in Game 6.
After the game, and long after it, the Knicks’ Game 5 loss was considered the turning point of the series. And because it was Smith who bungled those shots, that loss has been forever linked to him.
Hard to Fault Ewing in the Loss
While Oakley has a point in his statement, it is hard to fault Patrick Ewing for that loss. The Knicks played well and hard. It was just that the Bulls were steadier down the stretch. Still, it was a great game played by both teams.
Ewing led the Knicks with 33 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocked shots in 44 minutes of action. He assisted on the Doc Rivers three-pointer that gave the Knicks a 92-91 lead and came up with the block that led to the Knicks’ final possession down 95-94.
On the other hand, Michael Jordan scored 29 points while shooting just 11-24 from the field. MJ however had 10 rebounds and 14 assists for a triple-double but also committed 5 turnovers in the game. Jordan did not score in the final two minutes but dished off the assist to BJ Armstrong that gave the Bulls a 95-93 lead.
Chicago completed its third three-peat that year while the Knicks bounced back the following season as they made the 1993 NBA Finals where they lost in seven games to the Houston Rockets.
Although he never won an NBA championship, Ewing was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 2008 and again in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Dream Team. Meanwhile, Smith went on to become a successful entrepreneur when he retired. Currently, he is a Business Development Consultant for well, The Charles Smith Group.