Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks
In compelling fashion, Mr. Herring takes his readers on a trip through the most successful decade in the history of one of the NBA’s marquee franchises ... Readers need not love the Knicks—or even possess deep knowledge of professional basketball—to enjoy this book. It throbs with an insider’s perspective, giving the audience a courtside seat as the Knicks, deploying sharp elbows, stout picks and painful hip checks, took on all comers. But Blood in the Garden is bigger than the Knicks, placing them in the context of what Mr. Herring calls 'the league’s most fascinating decade,' which featured Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, the growing internationalization of the league, and even O.J. Simpson’s infamous low-speed chase in June 1994, which pre-empted in some television markets an NBA Finals game between the Knicks and the Houston Rockets ... Besides the vivid writing, what makes Blood in the Garden so successful is the depth of Mr. Herring’s research, which rests on extensive interviews with more than 200 individuals, ranging from players and coaches to front-office staff and fellow journalists, and even an 'unnamed Knicks dancer.' Along the way, Mr. Herring revisits seminal moments of the Knicks’ 1990s run, both painful and sublime ... At the heart of the book are the personalities Mr. Herring evokes.
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... spirited ... Armed with behind-the-scenes knowledge culled from more than 200 interviews with players, coaches, and executives, Herring delivers a thrilling narrative that skillfully evokes the intensity and tension of pro basketball ... The result yields humanizing portraits of all involved ... Hoops fans will relish this riveting ride.
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There are some wonderful set pieces ... A fond look back at a once-great basketball franchise that, now hapless, fans have 'longed for…ever since.'
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