Howard Cosell’s postgame interview after ‘The Willis Reed Game’

As dawn met the New York City skyline on the morning of May 8, 1970, a cloud of question and concern hung over the Knicks’ biggest superstar. Willis Reed was the reigning MVP of the National Basketball Association but a torn muscle in his right thigh threatened his ability to appear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. That is until the Knicks captain eventually hobbled onto the court and lit the Garden on fire while providing an emotional lift that helped raise a championship banner in NYC. 

Reed had suffered the torn muscle during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The injury forced him to sit out all of Game 6. In his absence, the great Wilt Chamberlain totaled 45 points and 27 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the series at 3-3. But during an unforgettable moment that seemed scripted for the silver screen, Reed–in the words of Howard Cosell–demonstrated the best of what the human spirit could offer while leading his team to victory.

WILLIS REED POSTGAME INTERVIEW | KNICKS vs. LAKERS MAY 8, 1970

“Here he is, with the big man, Willis Reed, named the Most Valuable Player in the just concluded NBA championship series with the Knicks now No. 1,” Sports broadcasting pioneer Howard Cosell said during his postgame interview on ABC with Reed after the New York Knicks clinched the 1970 NBA Finals.

“Willis, congratulations to you and I’m sure it comes from all the viewers. I must talk to you first about the incredible ovation you got when you came out onto the floor tonight.”

“I was very pleased with that,” Reed replied. “Everybody’s been saying, are you going to play, are you going to play–I felt like I was going to play. I didn’t know how effective I was going to be. I just said I hope I have a good ballgame, I hope the team plays well. And I hope we can win it.

“I did everything I could because I didn’t know whether we’d be back here again next year. We’re here this year, let’s win it this year.”

“Let’s win it this year,” Cosell echoed, while headlining the quote in real-time.

“You said on the plane as we flew back after Wednesday night’s debacle, from your point of view, it might not come your way again, remember?”

“That’s correct,” Reed confirmed. “You never know.

“With a great team, with Alcindor and all the other great ballplayers and teams in this league, you don’t know what’s going to happen next year. Why wait to do it next year.

“Let’s do it this year.

“And we’ve done it–it’s the greatest feeling I’ve had since I was playing basketball.”

The 1970 NBA Finals MVP was the closing leg of an MVP triple-crown for Reed that year that also included All-Star Game and regular season Most Valuable Player awards. He only hit two jumpers during Game 7 and collected only three rebounds but every step he took toward championship glory was met with thunderous energy and applause. He gave his team and his city a reason to believe while transforming from superstar to legend on basketball’s biggest stage.

Let’s Win It This Year

‘Let’s win it this year’ is a simple mantra that becomes inspirational when you battle through adversity to actually do it. Instead of waiting or hoping for healthier circumstances in the years ahead, Reed stayed in a moment despite having reason to escape it. That’s why Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is forever known as “The Willis Reed Game.”

Willis was 27 years old and in his sixth NBA season when he led New York to the title in 1970. He’d make his seventh-straight and final All-Star appearance the following year. Despite averaging only 11 points during the regular season in 1973, he’d step up again and earn his second NBA Finals MVP while helping New York to another championship. The following season, in 1974, Willis Reed retired after 10 years of memorable duty with the Knicks.

In 1982, his winning spirit and basketball brilliance earned Reed enshrinement in the Naismith Hall of Fame. The 1965 NBA Rookie of the Year from Bernice, Louisiana currently has his No. 19 jersey hanging from the Madison Square Garden rafters. While his professional resume is long and storied, he’ll always be most remembered for giving life to “The Willis Reed Game”–a game he probably didn’t have to play, but we’re forever grateful that he did.

Watch Willis Reed’s postgame interview on ABC with Howard Cosell

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